On Thursday, February 26, Vice President C.P. Radhakrishnan addressed the 21st convocation of Kashmir University at the Hazratbal main campus in Srinagar.
He began his speech by speaking in Kashmiri and asked the audience if everyone was okay.
“I ask you not to say ‘Mera Kashmir’ or ‘Tumhara Kashmir’, but always say ‘Hamara Kashmir’,” the Vice President advised the graduating students.
He told the audience that both Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha and Chief Minister Omar Abdullah have been his friends for over three decades.
“I am today the happiest person for three reasons: our state’s education minister is a woman, second, the university’s vice chancellor is a woman, and third, most of the gold medal winners are also women. My additional joy is that this is my first visit here as the Vice President of the country. When my good friend, Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, invited me to address the convocation, I immediately said ‘yes’. The true legacy of the University is its graduating students: the character they instill and the contribution they make to society,” he said.
The Vice President said that the university’s alumni include high court judges, civil servants, doctors, engineers, and Dr. Karan Singh (the first Chancellor of Kashmir University). The university has completed 78 years of its historic journey. “I may be here, or I may not be here; you will soon be celebrating your centenary year,” he said.
He said that with its campuses in Anantnag, Baramulla, and Kupwara, the university has expanded its reach. The university has NAAC accreditation of ‘A+’. It is ranked eighth among the public universities in the country. Since 2019, over 10,700 research papers from the university have been published.
“Dear graduates, today belongs to you, but it also belongs to your parents, who have made all efforts to ensure you reach this stage. Convocation is not just a ceremony, but a day built with patience, hope, and opportunity. You are graduating at a time when the world is changing rapidly. Twenty-five years ago, the pace of change was not so fast. The world you are entering in 2026 is different from the world when you joined the University. The world is changing, and change is the only constant. India is emerging not just as a seeker of innovation, but as a provider of innovation. The purpose of technology is not just progress,” he said.
He also spoke about Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s innovative ideas, such as startups and Make in India. “The one thing I ask you is to focus on Swadeshi innovations. We need not worry. We have to abandon our colonial mindset. The Prime Minister gave us the slogan of ‘Mera Bharat Mahan’. Initially, the cost of Covid vaccination was not Rs 7,500, but $7,500. “We made the vaccine available free to our people and also to other countries. Modiji did not aim for patents,” he said.
The Vice President appealed to the graduating students to stay away from narcotics and to ensure that people around them are free from drug abuse.
He also advised the youth not to be addicted to digital screens. “Everything must have its limits. You are stepping into life, and life will ask you questions that will not be from the syllabus or what you were taught in university. Challenges will test your patience; you must be patient, failures will test your courage, and you must be courageous,” he told the graduating students.
Finally, he wished everyone well and thanked the Lieutenant Governor, the Chief Minister, the Vice Chancellor, and those who made this day possible and memorable.
Earlier, Vice Chancellor Nilofer Khan said in her convocation report that the university was established in 1948 as the J&K University and was bifurcated into Jammu University and Kashmir University in 1969.
“In its 78-year history, the university has undertaken a journey of ambition, achievement, and excellence. At today’s convocation, 59,558 degrees, 44,910 undergraduate degrees, 13,545 postgraduate degrees, 465 MD, MS, and M.Ch degrees, 638 MPhil degrees, and 168 PhD degrees have been awarded. A total of 239 gold medals have been awarded. Of these, 186 medals have been awarded to female scholars. The university has 14 schools, 84 teaching departments, and three satellite campuses in Anantnag, Baramulla, and Kupwara. There are 209 affiliated and constituent colleges in medicine, engineering, and other fields."
“The University of Kashmir is the oldest university in J&K. It has NAAC A++ accreditation and is ranked 34th in the NIRF rankings. The University is among the top eight State Public Universities in the country. The alumni of the university include Padma awardees, high court judges, civil servants, journalists, and other professionals. Recently, one of our teachers and alumni, Prof. Shafi Shauq, was honoured with the Padma Shri award. We have students from foreign countries, including those from Nigeria, Ethiopia, Malaysia, and other countries,” the Vice Chancellor said in her report.