The ICFAI University, Sikkim, conferred degrees on 220 graduates at its 19th convocation ceremony held at Chintan Bhawan, Namnang, on Saturday. Governor of Sikkim Om Prakash Mathur attended the event as the chief guest, while Padma Shri Dr. D. N. Reddy, founder and chairman of the Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, delivered the convocation address.
A total of 14 silver medals and 14 gold medals were awarded to meritorious students during the ceremony. The academic procession entered the venue for the first time with the recitation of the Inana Shloka and Vidya Dadati Vinayam, accompanied by the gown and hood tradition.
Addressing the graduating students, Dr. Reddy emphasised the importance of knowledge, integrity, humility and character in professional life. He said a degree from the university was recognised globally and described the institution’s legacy as one that promotes humility while instilling a sense of achievement and self-worth.
Recalling the establishment of Shri N. J. Yasaswy’s ICFAI in 1984, he said the institution aimed to provide students in Gangtok with access to national-standard education without requiring them to leave their home state. He also invited Vice-Chancellor Dr. Jagannath Patnaik to present the university report.
In his address, Dr. Reddy acknowledged the honorary doctorate conferred upon Justice Sonam Phintso Wangdi, former Judge of the High Court of Sikkim, and the Doctorate of Philosophy awarded to Ms. Droupadi Ghimiray and Shri Kedar Gurung. Both were Padma Shri recipients.
He also accepted the university’s honorary fellowship on a standard of excellence and spoke about the need to balance academic qualifications with practical wisdom. Referring to the challenges facing society, he cautioned against the dangers of tobacco and alcohol consumption, stress, inactivity and unhealthy lifestyles.
“Health is not a medical subject. It is a civic habit,” he said, urging graduates to maintain discipline, accuracy, kindness and punctuality in their lives. He further advised them to develop competence and character, noting that professional success requires more than academic credentials.
Governor Om Prakash Mathur congratulated the graduates and their parents and urged them to remember Dr. Reddy’s message that knowledge that does not arrive on time is wasted knowledge.
The Governor also congratulated Ms. Sandhya Gurung, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award and was described as the first coach from Sikkim to receive the Dronacharya Award. He highlighted the importance of preserving the university’s academic traditions while ensuring that education remains relevant to society and the needs of the state.
Calling upon the graduates to contribute to Sikkim’s development, Mathur urged them to uphold strong values, remain connected to their roots and make their skills available to the state, whether their professional journeys took them elsewhere or kept them close to home.
The university also conferred the N. J. Yasaswy Awards on four schoolteachers and three school students, along with the Employee of the Year Award to five staff members.
Dr. Rohit Rathi, Registrar of the university, proposed the vote of thanks, following which the visiting Governor formally declared the convocation closed.
