XXIV CONVOCATION OF THE INSTITUTE

The 24th Convocation of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning was held in the sprawling precincts of Sai Kulwant Hall on the afternoon of 22nd November 2005. The Hall was filled to its seams and many who could not gain an entry into the Hall were watching the proceedings from outside the Hall. Sai Kulwant Hall was elaborately decorated for the occasion with flowers of many hues. The dais was set up in an aesthetic manner for this grand occasion. The procession comprising the Chief Guest Hon’ble Sri T.N. Chaturvedi, Governor of Karnataka, Chancellor, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, Vice Chancellor, Sri Anil Vinayak Gokak, Distinguished Guests, Members of the Institute Trust, Members of the Governing Body, Dean of Faculties and Members of the Academic Council began its march from the Poornachandra Auditorium at 2.45 p.m. to Sai Kulwant Hall. The Institute brass band led the procession with the Registrar of the Institute bearing the Institute Mace, while two students carrying the Emblem of the Institute joined the procession on either side of the Registrar. After the procession reached the dais, a group of students from the Institute chanted the traditional invocatory chants which exhorts to follow truth and righteousness and revere the mother, father, preceptor and guest as God. Then the Revered Chancellor, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba declared the Convocation open. The Vice Chancellor in his introductory speech welcomed the chief guest and the members of the Institute. The candidates for various degrees and Post Graduate Diploma were then presented to the Revered Chancellor by Prof. U.S. Rao, Principal of the Institute. At the behest of the Vice Chancellor, candidates to whom Degrees have been conferred repeated the pledge after the Vice Chancellor.

The Pledge

“I hereby solemnly declare and promise that, if admitted to the Degree for which I have been duly recommended, I will, in my daily life and conversation and in thought, word and deed, conduct myself as befits a member of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning; that I will, to the utmost of my capacity and opportunity, support the cause of sound learning, humanity, morality and spirituality; and that, as far as lies in me, I shall uphold and advance the social and, indeed, all round welfare of my countrymen and fellowmen.”

The names of the medalists who had achieved distinction in their respective disciplines were then read out by the Principal. The first to receive the honour from Bhagawan was Sri Srikant Khanna, a student of M.Tech. (Computer Science) who had shown exemplary conduct and behaviour and excelled not only in studies but also in sports and co-curricular activities during his years of study at the Institute was given the Sri Sathya Sai All Round Gold Medal.

Other students who achieved distinction in their respective disciplines were:

Sri Sandeep - M.Tech. (Computer Science)
Sri Kiran – MBA
Sri Sathish Narayan – MBA (Finance)
Sri Sivaramakrishna – M.Sc. (Chemistry)
Sri Hemant Kumar – M.Sc. (Physics)
Sri Naresh – M.Sc. (Mathematics)
Sri Premananda – M.Sc. (Bioscience)
Sri Amrit Thapa – M.A. (Economics)
Sri Anand – B.Sc. Hons. (Mathematics)
Sri Shyam Narayan – B.Sc. Hons. (Chemistry)
Sri Abhay Gowtam – B.Sc. Hons. (Bioscience)
Sri M. Ratnakar – B.Sc. Hons. (Economics)
Sri Harshavardhan – B.Com. Hons.
Sri Ganesh – Diploma in Indian Culture and Philosophy
Kumari Sowmya Vasudevan M.A. (English Language and Literature)
Kum. Shubha Venkateswaran M.Sc. (Home Science)
Kum. Priyanka Mishra – B.Sc. Hons. (Botany)
Kum. Visakha Pathak – B.Sc. Hons. (Zoology)
Kum. Sreeja – B.Sc. Hons. (Home Science)
Kum. Vineeta Pai – B.A.
Kum. Vijay Lakshmi – B.Ed.
After the Chief Guest’s Address, Bhagawan graciously consented to deliver His Benedictory Address. For the benefit of readers, we are giving a gist of Bhagawan’s Discourse.

Bhagawan began His Address by saying that there is an end to education. The end is Truth. Beyond Truth, nothing else is to be sought. Secular education is only to eke out a living. “The end of education is character”. We may acquire anything in life but without imbibing character, our life has no meaning. Modern education is making man self-centred. But true education is not limited to the self. Therefore, give up selfishness. When you get rid of selfishness, your heart will become sacred. Man has value only when he has character. Without character, he cannot be called a human being. For developing good character, Sathya and Dharma are the foundations. When the foundation of Sathya is gone, the building of Dharma cannot exist.

Then Bhagawan explained the meaning of Manava (man). Manava is one who has no attachment to the world. Man may acquire any number of materialistic possessions, but he is not able to get peace of mind. You will be good only when you have good thoughts and good behaviour. Love and compassion are the essential qualities of a human being. A sanyasi (renunciant) is one who has no contact with the world. Once you know that something is bad, be away from it.

Today students go in search of bad books. This is an unhealthy trend. One with good thoughts, good words and good actions is a student. One who acts contrary to it cannot be called a student. Today we need good students. That is why I have established a University. “As is the food, so is the head”. So, always eat good food. Green leafy vegetables are good for health. The students of our college and school are very good. Bhagawan brought His Divine Discourse to a close by saying that students of this University will be ideals and role models to the world.

Then the entire congregation rose for singing the Indian National Anthem. The function came to a close with the announcement that the students of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning will be staging a drama in the Poornachandra Auditorium.