Mohan Kuthar
Daijiworld Media Network – Mangaluru
Mangaluru, Oct 24: “India aims to become a developed nation by 2047, and the youth of today will be entrusted with significant responsibilities across various sectors of the country by then. The nation's future depends not only on the education its youth receive but also on the quality of their decisions, their outlook towards life and their willingness to learn continuously,” said Prof Jagadish Kumar Mamidala, chairperson of the review committee on the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.
He was delivering the convocation address at the 16th convocation ceremony of Yenepoya (Deemed to be University), held at the Yendurance Auditorium on the university campus in Deralakatte on Saturday October 24. He said Yenepoya, equipped with all the advanced facilities required to provide modern, high-quality education, was offering education that supported the holistic development of students.
Referring to developments in medical technology, Prof Mamidala recalled that in 1878, when infant mortality rates were high, the survival of prematurely born babies was a major concern in the medical field. Technologies such as incubators played a significant role in infant care. Such developments demonstrated the importance of scientific thinking, technology and knowledge from different disciplines working together to find solutions to problems, he explained.
He observed that modern technology provides information at an extraordinary speed. Technologies such as QR codes have made accessing information easier. However, merely having access to information is not enough. Students must develop the ability to question information, critically evaluate decisions and arrive at the right conclusions, he advised.
Technologies connecting the physical world with the digital world are bringing major changes to everyday life. Barcodes and QR codes are good examples of this transformation. By scanning a QR code using a mobile phone camera, information can be accessed within seconds. Such technologies have evolved through efforts to identify problems and find solutions. Therefore, people must cultivate new ideas irrespective of the field in which they work, he said.
Prof Mamidala is the chairperson of the Ministry of Education's committee reviewing the National Education Policy 2020 and the chairperson of the Board of Governors of the Indian Institute of Management Calcutta. He previously served as chairperson of the University Grants Commission (UGC) and vice-chancellor of Jawaharlal Nehru University. He was also a professor at IIT Delhi and is a recipient of the Padma Shri.
Dr Yenepoya Abdulla Kunhi, chancellor of Yenepoya University, presided over the ceremony.
Honorary doctorate conferred on Dr Sudhir Srivastava
Dr Sudhir Srivastava, founder-chairman and chief executive officer of SS Innovations International, was conferred an honorary doctorate at the ceremony.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Srivastava said the goal should be to ensure that every patient receives the best possible healthcare by prioritising innovation in the medical field, quality treatment and compassion.
He explained that telesurgery technology plays a significant role in making the expertise of specialist doctors accessible to patients. It helps reduce the need for patients to travel long distances for treatment while enabling medical expertise to reach places where it is needed.
The ceremony was attended by Dr B T Nandeesh, controller of examinations; Dr R Ashwin Dutt, registrar; Dr Vijay Kumar, director of Zulekha Institute of Oncology; Dr Akhtar Hussain, trust secretary; executive committee members Dr Vedaprakash Mishra, Dr T V Kattimani and Dr Ramamurthy Naidu; Javed Abdulla; and Dr Habeeb Rahman, among others.
Gold medal winners
The gold medal winners from various disciplines were announced during the convocation.
Athmika Nair received the gold medal in medicine, Hasna T in nursing, Nikitha Ghosh in neuroscience technology, and Suhaina Ayesha in physiotherapy.
Aditya Ramdas won the gold medal in the Bachelor of Computer Applications (BCA) programme covering Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics and the Internet of Things (IoT). Ummunooha H A received the gold medal in the Bachelor of Business Administration (BBA) programme in Business Analytics and Digital Marketing.
Nandana M P won the gold medal in psychology and counselling, Mohammed Jamsheer in pharmacy, Mekha Benny in Ayurveda, Vismaya U S in homoeopathy, and Mohwesha Mohammed in naturopathy.