ISRO Space Applications (SAC) director Nilesh Desai was conferred with an honorary doctorate degree on Saturday at the 13th convocation of the Gujarat Technological University (GTU). Since it was the 13th convocation, Desai said 13 is his “lucky number”. Gujarat governor and chancellor of the GTU Acharya Devvrat and state Education Minister Rushikesh Patel presided over the convocation as chief guests. Meanwhile, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, who addressed the convocation with a prerecorded message, hailed the past 10 years of the BJP rule in the Centre as a period of “new India”, rectifying the “dysfunctional democracy” of “old India”. He also emphasised that the current batch of graduating students are the “luckiest generation in the history of independent India”. Expressing his gratitude for being conferred with the degree Desai said, “Your (GTU’s) decision to include a space scientist for your convocation function reflects a broader vision of this university and its management.” Desai added, “I am a space scientist, an engineer, a student of science and technology and yet I’ll say 13 is my lucky number. Having joined the SAC ISRO on February 13, 1986, after assuming charge as the 13th director of the SAC Ahmedabad and today, on this 13th convocation day, I’m getting this degree.” “I see it (conferment of degree to him) as a tribute not only to myself but to all the unsung heroes and heroines of the ISRO who had contributed to the success of the soft landing of Chandrayaan-3 on the south pole of the Moon,” he further said. Meanwhile, Chandrasekhar said, “You’re the luckiest generation of youth in the history of independent India. In front of you is a huge opportunity and rich environment where a large number of opportunities have been created for you to pursue your passion, your dreams and to create successful ventures.” He added, “You are lucky because you are young citizens of one of the greatest, fastest growing nations in the world. You are lucky because you are going to see in your lifetime the vision of a Viksit Bharat that was just a dream for many generations of Indians before you. And you’re lucky because you are emerging and getting into the workforce and becoming a participant in the economy at a time when India is among the top five economies in the world and within a few years, as Prime Minister (Narendra) Modiji has guaranteed, we will be in the top three economies of the world.” He further said, “The same India where we are living today, was an India that was seen for 65 years as a dysfunctional democracy, as a country where by the admission of then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi himself, every Rs 100 that was created and sent for the benefit of the citizen, Rs 85 was leaked and only Rs 15 was available for the benefit of the citizens.” “This was the old India. In old India, as of 2012, over 97 per cent of the Indian banking system network was borrowed by nine families of India, leaving very little capital credit for any young Indian with a dream to build a venture. ‘Gareebi Hatao (remove poverty)’ was just a simple slogan but through a determined government and policy action, now 25 crore Indians have been uplifted from poverty to join the mainstream of our economy,” Chandrashekhar said. While 147 students were honoured with gold medals, 28,787 graduates, 5,251 post-graduates, 51 PhD students, 14,452 diploma-holders and 70 postgraduate diploma holders were conferred with degrees and diplomas.
