ISRO Chairman Dr K Sivan called upon graduates to respond to the global challenges and come up with strategies that enable humankind to adapt to the unprecedented challenges faced by the world.
Speaking during 19th convocation of NITK-Surathkal on a virtual mode on Saturday, he said, “we are facing global challenges of climate change and natural calamities which may alter the face of earth in the future, which in turn will impact our lives. The future generation has a challenge to sustain ourselves in this changing scenario."
Stating that there are huge opportunities open for the engineering graduates to take up entrepreneurship, Dr Sivan said that immense possibilities are opening for Startup entrepreneurship.
"India is now in a Startup boom. Many professionals are quitting their well-paid job and responding to the demands of indigenous consumers through Startups", he said.
"The space sector has also undergone reforms under Atmanirbhar Bharat. The government wants to set up a space industry ecosystem to generate more revenue through reforms in space."
He called upon the graduates to choose what is close to one’s heart and not to copy others, this in turn will ensure excellence in professional life.
Minister of Education Dharmendra Pradhan in his address said that the NITK has constituted a committee to implement National Education Policy 2020 and a few features of NEP is being incorporated in the curriculum during 2021-22.
He lauded the efforts of the NITK in developing a system to measure moisture content of Cashew, which is helping the cashew industries in the region and also for developing a technology to produce and preserve ready-to-cook, non-acrid edible aroids.
He urged the graduates to discharge their social responsibility by giving back to the society.
In his presidential address, NITK Director Prof Umamaheshwar Rao called upon the graduates to connect with the society and own up the issues in the society and be part of the solutions for the problems faced in the society.
A total of 1681 candidates -- 120 PhD, 766 post graduates and 795 BTech students received the degrees. Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) was conferred on Suhas L Yathiraj, District Magistrate of Gautham Buddha Nagar, UP and silver medalist at the 2021 Tokyo Paralympics.