President Mukherjee calls for reverse migration of students
Noting that a large number of students still visit abroad for higher studies, President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday said efforts should be made to ensure migration of students in the “reverse direction”.
Delivering an address at the 8th convocation ceremony at Lovely University, he said many students go to countries such as Australia and New Zealand for higher studies. “I suggest let there be a reverse direction,” he said.
Punjab governor VP Singh Badnore, state Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) chief Vijay Sampla, cabinet minister Rana Gurjeet Singh were also present on the occasion.
The President said India had provided leadership in higher education for centuries as he pitched for efforts to reclaim that status.
He said India’s diversity is the product of “our civilisation and history”. He appealed to the students to work towards progress and peace.
VP Bandore exhorted the students to lead a life of purpose and do good work.
The President was awarded honorary doctorate by LPU chancellor Ashok Kumar Mittal.
Thirty-eight students were awarded gold medals by the president, while 15,988 regular and distance learning students drawn from different parts of the country as well as 50 other countries got degrees, diplomas and certificates.
It was the second visit of the President to LPU. He had earlier visited the varsity in 2013 during its third convocation.
(WITH AGENCY INPUTS)