President Ram Nath Kovind: Universities great hubs of ideas, but not ivory towers

President Ram Nath Kovind on Sunday said that universities are great hubs of ideas but not ivory towers, and should act as agents of social change. The academic community should be engaged in research in areas that create not only a new knowledge base but also one that sustains human society, the President said. He was addressing the valedictory ceremony of the Platinum Jubilee celebrations of the Utkal University here. Institutions should spread Mahatma Gandhis core value of 'Ahimsa' in a world stung by violence, intolerance and strife, Kovind said.

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He also asked teachers and students to be sensitive towards the need to empower the marginalised in the country, saying education is an effective instrument for social empowerment. Environment, health and education should be taken up vigorously and institutions like Utkal University that are endowed with multi-disciplinary faculty are better equipped to undertake this task, the President said. "Education is the best tool of social empowerment. I am not only a passionate advocate of this belief, but stand before you as a proof of it too. Universities are great hubs of ideas, but they are not ivory towers. They are part of society and thus remain engaged with social change," Kovind said.

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Advocating the spread of Mahatma Gandhis core value of 'Ahimsa' among people, Kovind said, "In a time of violence, intolerance and strife, it is our duty to remind everyone, especially the young, of the core values that Gandhiji lived for and died for." The President said, the world has started taking note of the richness of the country's ancient knowledge systems and varsities need to harness this with Utkal University taking the lead in this regard. "One can study a lot of scriptures and still remain a fool. The real scholar is one who puts his or her learning into practice. So in your quest for knowledge, never forget to put it into practice in the world around you, and improve your intellect," the President told the gathering.

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As Utkal University celebrates completion of 75 years of its existence, Kovind said, it is time to take stock of its achievements and the areas where further improvements are possible. "I am confident that the university will remain committed to playing a significant role in higher education and research, nationally and globally," he said. The President also called upon the Utkal University alumni to consider creation of an endowment fund to be used for development of infrastructure and establishment of centres of excellence. Odisha Governor Ganeshi Lal, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, Union Petroleum and Steel Minister Dharmendra Pradhan and state Higher Education Minister Arun Sahoo were present at the programme.

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