BHUBANESWAR: A total of 7,135 students of 2019-20 graduating batch of KIIT Deemed to be University received their degrees during the 16th annual convocation held on virtual mode on Saturday. The students received their degrees virtually from chief guest Professor Muhammad Yunus, who is the founder of Grameen Bank and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, in the presence of spiritual leader Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
During the event, the university conferred Honoris Causa degrees of DLitt on Ravi Shankar and CMD of Ircon International Ltd SK Chaudhary, and Honoris Causa degree of D.Sc on Director General of Meteorology, IMD, Dr Mrutyunjay Mohapatra.
Speaking on the occasion, founder of KIIT and KISS Achyuta Samanta said Prof Yunus is relentlessly working for a world of three zeroes - zero poverty, zero unemployment and zero net carbon emissions. “You are entering a new phase of life. Education is a long and difficult journey but it makes you capable to transform the world”, Prof Yunus told the graduating students.
Prakhar Priyesh and Roshan Ojha of BTech and Srishti Raj of MTech won the founder’s gold medals for their outstanding all-round and academic performances. Similarly, 23 students were awarded chancellor’s gold medal while 28 students received vice- chancellor’s silver medal. PK Bal memorial gold medal, PPR gold medal, Nanibala memorial gold medal and Shri Krushna Chandra Panda memorial gold medal were also given on the occasion. About 95 research scholars were awarded PhD degrees in the annual convocation.