Chief Justice of India Justice N.V. Ramana was conferred the Honoris Causa (honorary doctorate) at the 38th and 39th convocation of Acharya Nagarjuna University on Saturday.
CJI Ramana, who will soon demit the office of Chief Justice on August 26, 2022, was the Chief Guest of the programme and received the degree from Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan, who attended the event as the Chancellor of the University.
CJI Ramana congratulated the students who completed their academic courses and received their degrees and medals in 37th and 38th Convocation. He said students must never forget the sacrifices of their parents and the family. He also said that he feels extremely privileged to receive an honorary doctorate from his own University.
CJI Ramana recounted his olden days and said that a large part of who we are today, is shaped by the values, principles, and knowledge instilled by educational institutions in our early stages of self discovery and development. Not only does it shape our mind and personality, but it also serves as a launchpad for people’s aspirations and dreams.
During his speech, he said Acharya Nagarjuna University was designed to provide integrated education that places equal focus on developing moral character and achieving academic excellence. Now, in the past four decades, it has grown into a university with 450 affiliated colleges, imparting varied degrees in Engineering, Law and Pharmacy to name a few.
Speaking on professional education in India, CJI Ramana added that it was the advent of professional institutions in Independent India which provided accessible education to all classes.
While talking of the failures in education, he said there has been a total neglect of equally important subjects such as the humanities, natural sciences, history, economics and languages.
The CJI said the harsh reality is that even after the students enter professional universities, the focus is on classroom learning, and not on the world beyond. He added universities ought to be incubation centres of novel ideas and pathbreaking research.
CJI Ramana added that our institutes must focus on the value of social relationships and conscious citizenship. It should blend our historical baggage with a futuristic vision, to equip young minds with the right tools and attitudes to transform our society with awareness and right understanding.
The Chief Justice said that the youth of today must think of innovative ways of benefiting from untapped composite culture of India. He gave a call to all the changemakers- you must be “Conscious Changemakers”.
The CJI quoted Maha Kavi Gurajada Appa Rao garu, a great poet and reformist of 19th / 20th Century, who said, “Deshamante matti kaadoy deshamante manushuloy” giving a universal definition to the concept of nation. He said a nation is not merely a territory. A nation is essentially its people. Only when its people progress, the nation progresses. “Swanta laabham konta maanuku porugu vaariki todupadavoi” Gurajada garu went on to urge people to rise above their own interest and to extend a helping hand to those in need.
CJI said that he would like to congratulate the Vice-Chancellor Prof. Raja Sekhar Patteti, for successfully organising this convocation.
He thanked the Chief Justice and Brother and Sister Judges of the High Court of Andhra Pradesh who were with him in the Convocation.
He ended his speech, saying he did not see the Honorary Doctorate as an honour for him alone. It is a honour that we all collectively share as representatives of the institution of judiciary, CJI Ramana said.