Infosys Foundation chairperson Sudha Murty on Saturday exhorted the student community to give back to their alma mater a part of their earnings. “All earnings are not for you; you are entitled only to part of it,” she said.
Delivering the 39th annual convocation address of Mangalore University through virtual mode, Ms. Murty said: “Giving back is always a joy”. Giving her own example, she said if there was no BVB College of Engineering and Karnataka University at Hubballi-Dharwad, she would not have become an engineer. Then she would not have supported N.R. Narayana Murty to set up Infosys. As such, every educational institution in one’s life plays a very crucial role, Ms. Murty said.
Quoting the 33 tenets of Taittiriya Upanishad that were taught at the Ghatikotsava of Gurukulas, Ms. Murty said they taught students how one should lead life after academics. These tenets were mentioned during annual convocations of universities in earlier days, she remembered. When one earns money more than one’s requirements, it might push one’s next generation to bad habits. As such, the same should be shared with the less privileged to enjoy happiness in life.
Stating that life outside academics would totally be different, Ms. Murty urged students to be careful and work hard. Unlike academics where teachers forgive students’ mistakes, there would be none to forgive mistakes in the real world. Every day, they would have examination that does not have any syllabus. She told students not to get bogged by failures nor get elated by success. Series of successes would make one arrogant, she said.
Similarly, students should keep updating their knowledge; the day one stops acquiring new knowledge, one becomes an old person. Knowledge is endless and that was why scholars and teachers were revered, Ms. Murty said. She had a few compliments for coastal people, saying they were extremely honest, hardworking and smart; could be because the land had seen trade, met many people, many cultures, and many languages. Though she loved to attend the Convocation in person, she could not because of COVID-19, Ms. Murty said.
Earlier, 117 students were awarded Ph.D besides presenting gold medals and rank certificates in the convocation. In all, 33,806 students passed out during 2019-20, including 6,397 PG students.
Vice-Chancellor P.S. Yadapadithaya, registrar in-charge and registrar (Evaluation) P.L. Dharma, deans of faculties and others were present.