The First Convocation of B.S. Abdur Rahman University was held at Vandalur, Chennai, on Jan. 9. Former President of India Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam delivered the Convocation address and distributed medals and degrees to the first batch of 287 post-graduate (MBA, M.Tech). and M.Phil students passed out from the University.
On this First Convocation Dr. Kalam was awarded a Honorary Doctorate, Doctor of Science (Honorius cause) by the Chancellor of the University Mr. Abdul Qadir A. Rahman Buhari.
Dr. P. Kanniappan delivered welcome address and gave a brief report on the record of achievements of the university.
Dr. Abdul Kalam called upon graduates to be unique and avoid the folly of comparing with others in the race of achievement in career. He called upon graduates to be unique and excel in their own abilities and be creative and innovative. He cited the examples of innovations made by Write brothers, Thomas Alva Edison, Alexander Graham Bell, Srinivasa Ramanujam among other for their inspiration and achievement.
He said inter alia: ‘I have, so far, met 12 million youth in a decade’s time. I learnt, “every youth wants to be unique, that is, YOU! But the world all around you, is doing its best, day and night, to make you just “everybody else”. In the home, dear young fellows you are asked by your parents to be like neighbour’s children for scoring good marks. When you go to school, your teacher says “why not you become like the first five rankers in the class”. Wherever you go, they are saying “you have to be somebody else or everybody else”. Now, dear young friends, how many of you would like to be unique yourself.
‘The challenge, my young friends, is that you have to fight the hardest battle, which any human being can ever imagine to fight; and never stop fighting until you arrive at your destined place, that is, a UNIQUE YOU! Friends what will be your tools to fight this battle, what are they: have a great aim in life, continuously acquire the knowledge, work hard and persevere to realise the great achievement.’