I am indeed privileged to stand before you to make a ritual address this day on 26th October, 2008, on the occasion of the Fourth Annual Convocation of the University. The establishment of KIIT, its graduation to a university, its expansion and efforts to reach new heights are now history. The history inspires each one of us to forge ahead in creating history. Four years of past since KIIT was accorded the status of a University by the Ministry of Human Resource Development, Government of India and in these four years KIIT passed through many hurdles successfully crossing each one of those with courage and dignity. KIIT’s indomitable spirit has been appreciated and hailed by distinguished personalities from all over the world. That KIIT has achieved some degree of excellence is proved by the presence of the galaxy of luminaries including Noble Laureate Prof. Richard R. Ernst, Lord Falconer and Prof. Martin J. Hunter in this Convocation.

Before I proceed further I would like to welcome our guests from the overseas who came all the way to share their wisdoms with all of us in general and the recipients of degrees and diplomas in particular. Besides I would like to address my loving KIITians who will be leaving us for a better future. They are the stars of this convocation and I would like to congratulate them for their success.

Convocation is an annual affair in the calendar of every university. It is important because on this day the university looks back towards its achievements. On this day the university feels proud seeing the young boys and girls coming out in flying colours with degrees and diplomas in hand to begin a new journey. KIIT is witnessing the same for the fourth time today and this day is significant not only to KIIT but also to the entire State of Odisha.

Convocation does not signify the handing out of degrees and diplomas to the successful students, but signifies the responsibilities attached to it – the responsibility of educating others by your work, the responsibility of eradicating poverty by your efforts and the responsibility to drive away ignorance by your light of education. KIIT has been doing it since its inception and expects the young KIITians to give back only a portion of what they have learnt back to the society; because one can be big only by giving something to the society.

Responsibility does not however mean to enforce our ideas on others. Responsibility can never imply to restrict the freedom, the liberty of action of others. Everybody in the changed world must agree that research to evolve new ideas should not be the new yardstick to measure success for a just world. Research can be counter-productive if not coupled with teaching. And teaching without motivation does not yield any result. It is necessary that the society needs motivators who can motivate the young minds for ushering a new world order - a new world in which every child will be the change agent of the society.

The children who are stepping out to a new world today from this university must remember that the world expects lot more from them. While congratulating the children for venturing out with the education imparted here, I would like to remind them the struggle of their parents to see them what they are today. I would like to extend my congratulations to the proud parents who I know will remember this day with much greater fondness than their graduating wards.

I am reminded of what Desomond Morris , a great scholar said that the human child and the chimpanzee when are born have the same brain size. But the human child becomes an intelligent human being, whereas the baby chimpanzee becomes a chimpanzee in about three years. The human child becomes an adult only at the age of eighteen. This prolonged childhood is the secret of success. If we develop the attitude of continuous learning then life becomes and interesting experience and, what is more, we start living in different dimensions.

The motto of KIIT is continuous learning. Day after day KIIT is scaling new heights and the result is for everyone to see that this young institute has been bracketed within eighteen best universities of the country in private sector both in quality and infrastructure. KIIT does not have the opulence to compete with universities established by corporate sector or government coffer, but surely has the quality teachers and brilliant students.

I am tempted to quote further Dr. Kalam because I also believe that you must do that which you desire more than anything else in the world and which makes you happy. Such work can never be an aberration. Total commitment is a crucial quality for those who want to reach the very top of their profession. The desire to work at optimum capacity hardly leaves any room for anything else.

The last but not the least, we in KIIT, have tried synergizing scientific knowledge with social values. The Kalinga Institute of Social Sciences promoted by the social commitments of KIIT has created a niche for itself. The underprivileged tribal children from all parts of the State are coming here to get the best of education from Kindergarten to Post-graduation without paying anything either for the food, accommodation, clothes, healthcare or education. Through our limited resources we have been able to provide this facility to only 10,000, though we wish to make a level playing field for everyone living even in the lowest strata of the society. This is our commitment and our single-minded devotion to do something for the society has made us to forge ahead despite all odds.

I would like to conclude with what Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru, one of the greatest humanist of this century and the First Prime Minister of India, said. As Nehru put it, “A university stands for humanism, for tolerance, for progress, for adventure of ideas and for the onward march of human race towards ever higher objectives”. KIIT has given you the ideals of humanism, tolerance and the much needed education. And now I urge upon you give at least a tiny portion of your comfort, thought and knowledge for the poorer sections of the society. Because giving knowledge and education to an unprivileged is equivalent to giving sight to a visually impaired person.

I wish all the recipients of the degrees and diplomas a huge success in whatever field they will be after this day. I would continue to pray Lord Jagannath to bless them forever and I wish that they will bring laurels to this institution by their exemplary works in their respective fields.

Thank you all very much for listening me so very patiently.