GUWAHATI, June 23 - Asserting that IIT is the only brand created by India post-Independence, noted scientist and Bharat Ratna awardee Prof CNR Rao today underscored of the role of the institutes in taking the country forward.
�IIT is the only brand created by India after freedom. Don�t shake it off. Use it and be proud of it. It is a wonderful family to belong to. Had all IITians worked for the good of the country, India would have been different today. But unfortunately, some did other things,� the National Research Professor told the students while delivering the 19th convocation address of IIT Guwahati.
Praising the strides made by IITG, Rao called upon the graduates to �decide what they want to be� and not to move like a �wanderer�.
�If you ask me what message I have for the students... I would say you all should decide what you want to be. Do not move like a wanderer. Decide your mission and success is assured in India,� Rao, who is also the Linus Pauling Research Professor and Honorary President of the Jawaharlal Nehru Centre for Advanced Scientific Research, Bengaluru, told the students, also emphasizing the importance of dedication, doggedness and tenacity for success.
He said as the future depends on science and technology, countries like China and Korea are making huge investments in education.
�In China, unbelievable amount of money is being invested in education. They are producing 23,000 PhDs every year. They are doing the same amount of research as the US. A country�s prosperity is not determined by the size of its army,� he said.
Speaking about himself, Prof Rao said, �For 58 years I have been a professor. I have written 52 books and still doing research work. One should work till the last day of his life... and contribute to the country till the last day.�
Altogether 1,308 students, including 619 B-Tech and B-Des, 20 MA, 119 MSc, 390 M-Tech/MDes, and 155 PhDs, received their degrees at the convocation.
Prof Rao also gave away the President of India gold medal to the institute toppers among the B-Tech, B-Des, MSc and MA programme students and Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma gold medal to the student adjudged best in general proficiency.
Earlier, IITG Director Prof Gautam Biswas presented the annual report on the activities and achievements of the institute during the last financial year.
