(Assam Don Bosco University, India) – Assam Don Bosco University celebrated its 15th Convocation Ceremony with great enthusiasm and solemnity. Addressing the graduating students, The Hon’ble Governor of Assam, Shri Lakshman Prasad Acharya highlighted the immense potential of India’s youth and their vital role in shaping the future of the nation. Focusing on the vision of Viksit Bharat (Developed India), he observed that the country’s transformation depends significantly on a generation of young people who are educated, skilled, responsible and committed to the common good.
The Governor, in his capacity as the Visitor encouraged the graduates to look beyond academic qualifications and to use their knowledge and skills for the advancement of society. He emphasised that education carries with it a responsibility to contribute meaningfully to the nation and to become agents of positive change in their respective fields.
A significant part of his address focused on the growing achievements of women in education, leadership and professional life. Referring particularly to the progress of women in Northeast India, Shri Acharya noted that they are setting inspiring examples through their leadership, resilience and academic accomplishments across diverse sectors.
The Governor also highlighted the wider socal significance of initiatives such as “Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao,” stressing that the empowerment of women through quality education is fundamental to building a progressive, inclusive and forward-looking society. He called for continued efforts to ensure equal opportunities and greater participation of women in the development of the nation.
Rev. Fr. Sebastian Kuricheal SDB, Provincial of the Salesian Province of Mary Help of Christians, Guwahati, and Chancellor of the University, congratulated the graduating students and highlighted the deeper purpose of education. He reminded the graduates that their degrees represented years of hard work, discipline, perseverance and sacrifice, especially acknowledging the support and sacrifices of their parents and guardians. He encouraged the graduates to view the convocation not merely as the end of their studies but as the beginning of a new responsibility to society.
Reflecting on the educational vision of St. John Bosco, Fr. Sebastian emphasized the Salesian principles of reason, religion and loving-kindness, which seek to educate young people through trust, understanding, respect and personal accompaniment. He stressed that education must form the whole person, expressed through the development of the “head, heart and hands.” Knowledge and professional competence, he said, must be united with compassion, humanity and a commitment to service.
Addressing the rapidly changing professional world, Fr. Sebastian encouraged the graduates to remain adaptable and committed to lifelong learning, particularly in an age shaped by artificial intelligence, automation and technological advancement. He pointed to the University’s emerging programmes and initiatives as evidence of its efforts to respond to contemporary technological, professional and environmental challenges.
The ceremony concluded on a note of hope and inspiration, with the graduates embarking on a new chapter of their lives equipped with knowledge, skills and a renewed sense of responsibility towards nation-building, equality and social transformation.
