KIIT Confers Doctor Of Letters Honoris Causa On RPSG Group Chairman Dr Sanjiv Goenka At Bhubaneswar Ceremony

Bhubaneswar: Monday morning in Bhubaneswar belonged to a celebration of industry meeting academia. On October 5, the Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), organised a special ceremony to present one of the highest academic distinctions.

The recipient of honour was Dr Sanjiv Goenka, Chairman of the RPSG Group, as the university chose to confer upon him the Doctor of Letters Honoris Causa. The honour was not for a single venture, but for a sustained body of work that spans business leadership, contributions to education and the creation of lasting institutions.

On receiving the degree, Dr Goenka appeared visibly moved, telling the audience during his address that he accepted the honour with “deep humility and responsibility". He thanked KIIT wholeheartedly, saying he was grateful that the institute had thought him worthy of such a recognition. 

Graduates Emphasised They Are Entering An India Never Seen Before

After the first half of the ceremony, which was about honouring a career, the second was about inspiring those just starting their career. The RPSG chairman turned his attention to the rows of graduating students and spoke to them, not as a chairman of the RPSG Group, but like an elder offering perspective.

He stressed that the timing of their graduation could not be better, noting that the young men and women before him were stepping into a country that looks nothing like it did a generation ago. He emphasised that there are openings everywhere and the ability to experiment and build has never been greater.

His precise message to them was, “To the students who are passing out, I'd just like to say that you step into an India which is like an India never before, full of opportunities, full of chances.” He wanted them to approach the next phase of their lives with confidence, not apprehension, and with ambition rather than caution.

Ambitions Without Fear

Dr Sanjiv Goenka deliberately avoided giving a step-by-step career roadmap and instead, centred his address on conviction and personal resolve. He urged the graduating class to trust their own abilities and to stay committed to what they truly wish to achieve.

He pointed out that India's changing economic and business environment has created a landscape where young people are no longer forced to follow a set path. He said that they have the freedom to pursue ambitions on their own terms and to build something of their own.

His precise thoughts were encapsulated in the line he repeated through the address, saying, “All you need to do is believe in yourself, pursue your dreams, pursue your ambitions and the end is limitless.”

He closed with a simple, warm send-off for the class, “All the very best. Congratulations.”

6th Doctorate For A Career Beyond Business

Monday's recognition has a larger context for those tracking his journey. The D.Litt. from KIIT is not his first honorary degree and infact, it is the 6th such honorary doctorate conferred on Dr Sanjiv Goenka over the years.

Even while accepting his 5th, his response remained the same as he said that he did so with “a sense of deep humility and responsibility” and thanked the institution for considering him worthy. He once again used the platform to remind students and encourage them, saying, “You step into an India which is like an India never before, full of opportunities, full of chances……believe in yourself, pursue your dreams, pursue your ambitions and the end is limitless.”

The ceremony concluded with KIIT noting that honouring leaders who bridge industry, education and nation-building remains central to its academic tradition.

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