Governor awards degrees to 1953 Odisha agri varsity students

Reported by Santosh Jagdev
Bhubaneswar, May 7:

The Odisha University of Agricultural and Technology (OUAT) awarded degrees, medals and prizes to students on their successful completion of graduation, post-graduation and PhD programmes as well as for extra-curricular activities on the occasion of its 34th Convocation celebrated here today.

Presiding over the Convocation ceremony, the Governor of Odisha Dr S C Jamir conferred degrees to 1245 graduates, 683 post-graduates and 25 PhD students in various disciplines. Besides, 200 gold medals and 11 cash prizes were awarded to persons for excellence in academic pursuit and co-curricular activities.

On the occasion, the Governor also conferred Honorary Doctorate degrees to Padmabhushan Prof Madappa Mahadevappa, former Chairman of the Agricultural Scientists Recruitment Board and former Vice Chancellor, UAS, Dharwad and Dr Robert Stewart Zeigler, Director General and CEO of International Rice Research Institute, Philippines for their lifetime contributions to the Agricultural Sciences.

Addressing the gathering, Dr Jamir conveyed his best wishes to the recipient of degrees all success in their endeavour. “I would like our students graduating today to remember that they are now among society’s most privileged citizens. Your education has been supported by the entire society and that society will now be counting upon your commitment and engagement as citizens of India and the world,” he said.

“I am confident that you will shape the future of agriculture and allied sectors in the state and the nation by using the knowledge and skills acquired in this premier agriculture university and empower the farming community with new tools and technology and contribute to the task of nation building through food and nutritional security in the country,” he added.

“Agricultural sector in Odisha continues to be the lifeline of our people and a major contributor to the State’s economy. For a large section of the rural population living below poverty line, agriculture still continues to be the prime source of livelihood. In this context, the potential of the agriculture sector for rural revival cannot be undermined. So I urge the budding scientists to see that the technology they develop reaches the farmer in the right manner providing support to them in terms of financial, technical and infrastructural, value addition of the product and their transportation and marketing,” said the Governor.

The  chief guest in the ceremony, Prof Mahadevappa said, “In shaping the future of agriculture in our nation, the motto should be: ‘Food for all and for ever’. Successful students need to give their best to the agricultural sector through their research programmes that would address the realistic problems of farmers and contribute to improve their social and economic status.”

OUAT Vice Chancellor Prof Manoranjan Kar presented the report of the University. Among others, Pradeep Maharathy, Pro-Chancellor and Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Animal Resource Development, Odisha and OUAT Registrar P Pradhan also spoke on the occasion.