M A I N   N E W S

KU honours Sreedharan, Dua
Golden jubilee celebrations get under way
Yoginder Gupta
Tribune News Service

The Haryana Governor and Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Dr A.R. Kidwai, confers the degree of Doctor of Science (honoris causa) on Mr E. Sreedharan, Managing Director, Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, at the golden jubilee function of the university at Kurukshetra on Wednesday.

The Haryana Governor and Chancellor of Kurukshetra University, Dr A.R. Kidwai, confers the degree of Doctor of Literature (honoris causa) on Mr H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief, The Tribune Group of Publications, at the golden jubilee function of the university at Kurukshetra on Wednesday. Tribune photos by Neeraj Chopra

Kurukshetra, January 11
Kurukshetra University began its golden jubilee celebrations today with honouring two illustrious sons of the country — Mr E. Sreedharan, Managing Director of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation, and Mr H.K. Dua, Editor-in-Chief of The Tribune Group of Publications.

Mr Sreedharan was conferred the honoris causa degree of Doctor of Science (D.Sc), while Mr Dua was decorated with the honoris causa degree of Doctor of Literature (D.Lit) at a special convocation here by the Chancellor of the university, Dr A.R. Kidwai, who is also the Governor of Haryana, amidst thunderous applause.

Inaugurating the celebrations, former Union Minister and Chairman of the Indian Council for Cultural Relations Dr Karan Singh said Kurukshetra was associated with the epic war of Mahabharata, in which no one gained. All the prominent dynasties of the time were eliminated.

More than the war, Kurukshetra was known for the Bhagwad Gita, encompassing Lord Krishna’s philosophy of “Karma”, which was universally relevant. Dr Karan Singh said “vidya” freed one from fear, ignorance, ritualism and narrow mindedness. Therefore, institutions of learning should impart holistic education, and not degrees, based on four pillars — “learning to know (gyan yoga), learning to do (karam yoga), learning to live together and learning to be”.

He said “Divya Shakti” could not be bound by any religion. No one had the right to claim religious supremacy over the other. Reciting several Sanskrit shlokas, Dr Karan Singh said Kurukshetra University was set up to promote the “mother of languages”. In the anxiety to promote other vistas of education, the primary object of the university should not be forgotten.

Speaking on the occasion, Haryana Governor A.R. Kidwai said India had missed industrial revolution because it was under foreign subjugation. But now it could not afford to miss the revolution in telecom and electronics, particularly when it had the second largest bank of scientific and technical manpower.

While the future for the Indian youth was bright, there was need to raise the level of their skills. He said, according to world economists, India would be a developed nation by 2020 and the third world power by 2045. The prediction was a big challenge, which the people must accept.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda said no education system could be confined to the needs of the past. The youth must be prepared to face the challenges of globalisation. He said his government was committed to impart qualitatively superior education in the state.

He also paid tributes to former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri on his death anniversary today.

Vice-Chancellor Dr R. P. Hooda gave a brief profile of the university and elaborated the future expansion plans, including a proposal to set up “East campus” of the university along the G.T. Road.

In its citation, the university described Mr E. Sreedharan as “a great architect of modern Indian Railways... and a perfect blend of innovative ideas and brilliant feats of civil engineering” He “is reckoned among the most notable of nation-builders today. He is a charismatic craftsman accustomed to turning ambitious dreams into material reality.

“More than the present-day generation of the country, it is the posterity that will think of him with love and respect for the miracles of civil engineering he has hitherto accomplished.

“The rare capability with which he has executed the Metro project, including many more, has made him a household name”, the citation added.

Mr H.K. Dua was described as “doyen of journalism”. The citation said, “he has always commanded respect as a conscientious journalist committed to promoting the right kind of thinking on a wide range of issues. His adherence to professional ethics and resistance to the general decline have indeed earned him a unique reputation in the world of journalism.

“His incisive understanding of men and matters has helped him unfold the complexities of many an event of national and international dimensions. His alert and fertile imagination, as reflected in his writings, produces freshness of thought and lucidity of expression. He has that rare insight which can penetrate the minds of world leaders with ease and bring to the fore their thoughts through very searching questions.

“His editorials are marked by that judiciousness of perception which many a professional in the field would like to emulate. A determined custodian of national interests, Mr Dua has meticulously employed his journalistic acumen to the promotion of public cause.

“His bold and forthright comments on national and international affairs in his columns have greatly endeared him to a wide spectrum of readers. The different viewpoints that he dishes out through his opinion pages stimulate lively debates on vital issues of national concern”, the citation added.