Jalandhar/Ludhiana (Punjab) : Lovely Professional University (LPU) has celebrated its 12th Annual Convocation, marking a major academic milestone for over 50,000 graduating students, with Hon'ble Vice-President of India CP Radhakrishnan attending as the Chief Guest.
Addressing the convocation on Friday, the Vice-President congratulated the graduating students and said that while living for oneself is not wrong, "living only for yourself is." He urged students to give back to society and uphold the values of integrity, compassion and service. Describing convocation as a moment of fulfilment and responsibility, he said the role of universities extends beyond imparting education to shaping national character.
The Vice-President appreciated LPU's initiatives, such as the promotion of Made-in-India products on campus and the Jai Jawan Scholarship for families of armed forces personnel. Expressing concern over drug abuse among youth, he appealed to students to stay away from drugs and actively help prevent their peers from falling into addiction.
The convocation was presided over by the Hon'ble Governor of Punjab and Administrator of Chandigarh, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, who congratulated the graduates and emphasised that education must focus on character-building, ethics and
civic responsibility. He said India's vision of becoming a global leader by 2047 depends on the capability and integrity of its youth and called upon students to contribute constructively to nation-building.
Adding global significance to the ceremony, LPU conferred the Degree of Doctorate Honoris Causa upon Rt Hon Mary Elizabeth Truss, Former Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, in recognition of her leadership and public service.
Addressing the graduates, she described India as a key force in the emerging global order and encouraged students to take risks, innovate, learn from failures and lead with conviction.
Ashok Kumar Mittal, Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) and Founder-Chancellor of LPU, said the university is committed to nurturing leaders, innovators, and problem-solvers who can address national and global challenges. He urged students to translate their education into meaningful societal impact.
The convocation honoured students from the graduating batches of 2023-24 and 2024-25 across regular, online and distance education programmes. A total of 320 students received academic medals, including 37 gold medallists, while 861 PhD scholars were awarded degrees for their research contributions.
The ceremony was attended by several dignitaries, including Lovely Group Chairman Ramesh Mittal, Vice-Chairman Naresh Mittal, Pro-Chancellor Dr. Col. Rashmi Mittal, Punjab Horticulture Minister Mohinder Bhagat and LPU Director General HR Singla.