Updated on: Saturday, April 27, 2013
President Pranab Mukherjee conferred honorary doctorate degrees to three eminent personalities at the 45th convocation of the Utkal University here while 229 persons were honoured with PhD degrees and gold medals to 97 students.
The honorary doctorate degrees were presented to former Orissa High Court Judge R K Patra, eminent neurologist Dr Sanatan Rath while Art of Living exponent Sri Sri Ravi Shankar was given the honour in absentia.
While Mukhejree handed over the honorary doctorate degrees, Odisha governor S C Jamir gave away PhD degrees and gold medals to meritorious students.
"As students of a young and dynamic nation, you must take a leadership role. To be truly prosperous, you must learn to give as you learn to receive. You should see how your knowledge can be used for the welfare of society that sustains us," Jamir told the students.
Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik in his address lauded the role of youths in nation building and said 42 per cent of the state's population was youth. "My government has formulated a Youth Policy for overall development of young persons," he said.