MAHE confers degrees on 5,084 students

Manipal Academy of Higher Education (MAHE), Manipal, Karnataka, awarded degrees to 5,084 pass-outs during its three-day 26th convocation last week. As many as 3,245 undergraduate 1,746 postgraduate, eight super specialities and 85 PhD scholars were awarded degrees. MAHE has over 33,000 students. The chief guest on the first day of the convocation was Dr H Sudarshan Ballal, chairman, Manipal Health Enterprises Private Limited, Bengaluru. Addressing the students, he advised, “Stay focused in spite of the numerous distractions you have to deal with. Push yourself hard each day because no one else will do it for you.”

"It’s also the time to pay back. One great idea is to give quality education to the youngsters, who will be our future. To begin a set up at the university to help the less privileged have access to education can make for an incredible initiative,” he added.

Dr H Vinod Bhat, Vice Chancellor, congratulated the students as well.   The second day of the convocation saw Prof Souvik Bhattacharyya, Vice Chancellor of Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, as the chief guest. He exhorted students to strive for excellence. His advice to the students was to be a learner throughout life. He also suggested them to make choices that would lead to a brighter future. 

“Who do you want to be?” That was the question Krishnakumar Nataraja, co-founder and executive chairman, Mind Tree, Bengaluru, asked students with reference to MAHE alumni — CEOs of Microsoft and Nokia Satya Nadella and Rajeev Suri — on the concluding day of the convocation. Bringing the curtains on the event, Krishnakumar encouraged students to think in the direction of start-ups. "The opportunities for start-up in Karnataka are very high. Bengaluru is ranked the fourth largest hub for start-ups in the world and possibly the fastest growing one as well."

Eleven students received the prestigious Dr TMA Pai gold medals during the three-day function — Sahana Pai, Aasadur Rahaman Midday, Urgyen Dolma, Ann Mathew, Mascarenhas Jeswil Evrald, Akhilaja Pratyusha, Immaculate Christina, Shreya R Aithal, Deeksha Bhat, B Kiruthika, and Athira C Anil.

—Eesha Duggal in Manipal