Jammu: The Cluster University of Jammu on Saturday held its maiden convocation since its establishment in 2017, with women students emerging as the star performers by bagging 130 of the 163 gold medals awarded.
Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha, who declared the convocation open, lauded the “remarkable” achievement of the women graduates, describing their success as a reflection of confidence, determination and the transformative power of equal opportunities.
Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Education Minister Shamim Firdous and Member of Parliament from Jammu, Jugal Kishore Sharma, also attended the convocation.
Vice-Chancellor K S Chandrasekar presented the university report, highlighting that the varsity, with about 17000 students and scholars, is currently running 34 UG programmes, 17 PG programmes, 12 PhD programmes and 11 integrated programmes.
Addressing the event, Sinha called the graduates “pioneering torchbearers” of the university’s tradition, and congratulated all students, gold medallists and their parents.
He complimented the women students for winning 130 of the 163 gold medals.
“When given opportunities, daughters do not merely attain positions but redefine the meaning of achievement. Their gold medals are badges of confidence for generations to come,” Sinha said.
Highlighting Jammu and Kashmir’s “intellectual heritage”, Sinha noted that Maharishi Kalhana, author of the Rajatarangini, Maharishi Abhinavagupta, and the saint-poets Yogini Lalleshwari and Sheikh-ul-Alam promoted harmony among faiths and the pursuit of truth.
He said the graduates were carrying forward a tradition of knowledge more than a thousand years old.
“India is witnessing a historic period of transformation and emerging as one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing major economies with the national resolve of building a developed India by 2047,” he said.
He highlighted the country’s digital public infrastructure, unprecedented growth in the space sector, research and innovation, and rising investment in quantum technology, artificial intelligence, semiconductors, green energy and biotechnology.
“Building a developed India by 2047 is our national resolve. By then, many of you will be at the highest peaks of your careers. Therefore, a developed India is not a slogan for another generation; it will be the essence of your life’s achievements. It will be a symbol of the success of your tenure, and it will be the greatest pursuit and accomplishment of your lives,” Singa said.
The LG said India has nearly 223,000 startups and 135 unicorns, and added that many founders come from small towns, reflecting a genuine democratisation of opportunity and entrepreneurship.
Offering a fresh perspective on the “demographic dividend”, LG said he preferred to call it a “demographic responsibility”.
“Society would benefit when youth connect farmers to markets, women’s self-help groups become employment-generating enterprises, and engineers develop affordable medical tools for remote areas,” he said.
The LG highlighted the significance of humanities.
“Technology tells us what we can do, while the humanities teach us what we should do. The nation needs engineers as well as historians, and scientists as well as musicians.
“If we wish to strengthen the intellectual wealth and capability of society, we need scientists as well as musicians. For this, the young generation must be prepared to struggle with unwavering courage.
“Turn crises into opportunities. This is what great personalities did, and the world remembers them today. I believe that talent has no fixed address, and greatness does not arrive after checking postal addresses of certain individual. Greatness seeks courage and struggle,” he said.
The LG also offered three practical suggestions for internships. First, present a well-studied solution to a company’s challenge rather than simply seeking an opportunity, strive to be so valuable that the team feels one’s absence, and choose internships that teach something new.
On artificial intelligence, he said the relationship between AI and humans would be one of partnership, not competition. He noted that AI will change the way we work, but determining the purpose of work will remain a human responsibility.
The LG also observed that AI can provide new answers based on old knowledge, but the courage to discover new questions will remain with human beings.
“AI will have speed and data, but humans will provide direction, compassion and the courage to ask new questions. AI should be guided by civilisational norms, values and accountability, and that its development should rest on human welfare, not just profit and productivity,” he said.
On the occasion, the LG also gave five resolutions to the students. First, never stop learning, create opportunities rather than only seek them, uphold honesty and ethics, support those who follow, and express love for the nation through action.
“Your degree is not the end of your journey; it is a step to begin a new one. I believe that today’s skills may become irrelevant ten years from now, but the habit of continuous learning will never become irrelevant. Therefore, make the pursuit of knowledge a permanent part of your nature.
“Knowledge without character is meaningless. Therefore, do not merely aim to be a topper, become individuals who have the courage to speak the truth, the resolve to do what is right, and who treat every human being with dignity and respect.
“The future awaits you. Move forward with courage. Give compassion and sensitivity a place in your heart. Take the light of knowledge into your hands and begin a new journey of life. I reiterate that technology will expand in the future, but the responsibility to give that future a new meaning will belong to human intelligence, to all youth,” the LG said.
