Yogesh Singh0:00
I would like to congratulate you all on the 100th convocation of the University of Delhi, in the 103 years of its existence. This is a matter of pride. We have the privilege of welcoming the Vice President of India and our honorable Chancellor, Shri C.P. Radhakrishnan. He was named after Dr. Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan, and his mother believed he would one day become Vice President. He is humble, modest, and intellectual. He began his political career by pasting posters, rising from a grassroots worker to a two-time Lok Sabha member from Coimbatore, and subsequently to high constitutional offices. He has also been an effective industry leader, as Chairman of the Coir Board, where exports reached an all-time high of ₹2,532 crore. As Governor of Maharashtra, he focused on education, launching the School Connect Program. He served as Governor of Jharkhand, Telangana, and Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry. He is a champion in table tennis, long-distance running, cricket, and volleyball. He is a true representative of Tamil culture and Indian values. Recently, our Prime Minister Narendra Modi said in Malaysia, 'Tamil is India's gift to the world; Tamil literature is eternal and Tamil culture is global.' Under the Vice President's guidance, the University of Delhi has launched the Nasha Mukti Campus Abhiyan. I quote Atul Ajnabi: 'He does good deeds with amazing sincerity and simplicity, like a tree silently doing good.' My dear students, you are the bright, talented young minds of our country. The University of Delhi is ranked 328 in QS World University Rankings, first among Indian universities, and fifth in NIRF. Out of 45 best colleges in India, 24 are DU colleges. The top five are Hindu, Miranda, Hansraj, KMC, and St. Stephen's. Our research achievements are growing exponentially. Our H-index is the highest in the country. We have NAAC A++ with a CGPA of 3.55. In this convocation, we are conferring 5,780 regular degrees, plus NCWEB and SOL, totaling 12,408 degrees, including 734 PhDs. 122 gold medals, one silver medal, and 19 prizes are being awarded to 84 female and 30 male students. It is heartening to see our daughters doing so well. This is the changing India of the 21st century. We are also awarding 20 centenary degrees to students who could not complete earlier. Today is a day to celebrate your hard work. Remember the legacy of the University of Delhi: 'Nishtha, Dhriti, Satyam' — dedication, steadfastness, truth. We belong to the ancient, eternal, inclusive Indian civilization. I quote from Kamban's Ramayana: 'Like the great being praised by the limitless Vedas, the river born in the Himalayas spreads under different names.' Our constitution and civilization speak of inclusion, unity in diversity, and nation first. Our responsibility is to maintain social concern, to treat every human as human. If we stop doing that, our degrees mean nothing. I quote Taruna Mishra: 'Those who understand the helplessness of a gaze understand life.' I ask you to take a pledge: raise your hands and promise never to do anything that weakens brotherhood and love for the country. I quote Subhan Asad: 'These delicate threads of relationships are broken little by little; if your eyes hurt, they are poked little by little. Why fear thorns, sun, and stones? If the path becomes difficult, it is left little by little.' Remember the university's motto: 'The whole earth is our family.' This is the eternal culture of India. Be happy, but the beauty of life is not how happy you are, but how many people are happy because of you. As you go out into the world, have faith in yourself and work with the spirit of nation first. I quote Ayodhya Singh Upadhyay: 'A drop that left the clouds thought, why did I leave home? Will I survive or meet the dust? Then a wind came, and a beautiful oyster opened its mouth; the drop fell in and became a pearl. People hesitate to leave home, but leaving home often gives them something else.' My dear graduates, always remember four words: Nishtha, Dhriti, Satyam, and Rashtra Pratham — dedication, steadfastness, truth, and nation first. With this belief, I congratulate you all on the 102nd convocation. Best wishes.
