The 52nd Annual Convocation of Indian Institute of Management, Calcutta took place on April 1, 2017 where President Pranab Mukherjee delivered the Convocation Address and awarded diplomas to 434 graduating students.
Describing India as a land of tolerance, the President said the atmosphere in educational institutions should be free from both physical as well as mental violence. “Indians could be described as argumentative but never intolerant,” he added.
“Being a fellow Calcuttan and a son of the soil, I frankly express some of my views and I speak by my heart. I am ready to accept that I am argumentative but I am not ready to accept that I am intolerant.
“India is a land of tolerance, India is a land of Buddha, India is a land of Gandhi, India is a land of Chaitanya. We accept, we absorb, we embrace and we do not reject anybody. Please keep that in mind,” Mukherjee said.
“Let there be debate, let there be dissent, but let there not be confrontation, intolerance. To my mind, this is essential to reach the standard you want to achieve,” he added.
The President said higher academic institutions in the country have always been known for its liberalism, confluence of various thoughts, ideas, disciplines and views.
“Free-thinking and expression of liberal views, expression of dissent are the characteristics of the higher learning, higher education system in India. Let us commit ourselves that yes, we will accept criticism of others. But let us not be described as intolerant by others,” he added.
The President said he was happy to note that the IIM campus has retained its distinctive charm. Yet, the initiatives underway to expand the facilities and enhance the infrastructure of the campus are visible, he added.
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IIM Calcutta was established on November 14, 1961 to give shape to the vision of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. The IITs and IIMs were envisaged by him as national institutions of excellence in engineering and management education that would mould high calibre of human capital.
Over the years, IIM Calcutta has endeavoured to walk this path of excellence. Mukherjee said.
The President said he had been repeatedly emphasizing that institutions of higher learning in India should find their place in the top global rankings. He was happy to note that a couple of Institutions were finding their rightful place in the rankings.
He awarded diplomas to 434 students and also inaugurated a new amphitheatre. While 68 students were awarded diploma in Post Graduate Programme for Executives (PGPEX), 40 were awarded diploma in Post Graduate Programme for Executive for Visionary Leadership in Manufacturing (PGPEX-VLM). The Fellowship Programme diploma was conferred on 13 students.
