Katra : Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar was at the 10th convocation of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU) in Jammu, where he stressed that national interest is above political or personal interests. The ceremony was held at the Matrika Auditorium in the presence of influential dignitaries such as Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, and Educational Minister Sakeena Firdous.
During his address, Dhankhar stressed the importance of nationalism, stating, “We are Indians and being Indian is our identity. Nationalism is our religion and it is our duty to keep nationalism at the highest level whatever the situation.” He highlighted India’s achievements under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s decade-long leadership and praised the “historic” abrogation of Article 370, which previously granted special status to Jammu and Kashmir.
The convocation saw notable academic milestones, with 909 students graduating in different fields. These comprised 684 Bachelor’s degrees, 147 Master’s degrees, 34 Integrated Master’s degrees, and 44 Ph.D. degrees. The gender breakdown was 501 males and 408 females. The ceremony also saw the award of 26 medals, nine certificates of distinction, and 10 Infosys foundation prizes for excellence to deserving students.Before the ceremony, Lt Governor Manoj Sinha, being the chancellor of the university, received the Vice President at Jammu airport.
