“As You Step into the World, Remember You Carry Trust, Encouragement, and Inspiration of the Entire Ashoka Community”: Somak Raychaudhury, Vice-Chancellor, Ashoka University

At Ashoka University's Convocation 2025, Professor Somak Raychaudhury delivered a touching address celebrating the achievements of graduates, reflecting on the university’s journey, and reaffirming Ashoka’s core values of curiosity, integrity, and service.

The Vice-Chancellor delivered a warm welcome address during the Convocation Ceremony 2025. He began by extending sincere gratitude to the event’s chief guest, Nobel Laureate Sir Paul Nurse, highlighting the significance of the day for the entire Ashoka community. He also applauded the outstanding musical performance by graduating students, emphasising how their soulful music perfectly set the tone for the celebration.

“Today is a moment of pride for all of us. We honour the achievements of our graduating students who have demonstrated not just academic excellence but also creativity, resilience, curiosity, and courage. This moment is the culmination of their long journey with us. It is also the beginning of what I hope will be a lifetime of learning and meaningful impact on society at large,” he said.

Reflecting on the university’s journey, Professor Raychaudhury noted that the past year marked a significant milestone, Ashoka’s 10th anniversary. Despite being a relatively young institution, he highlighted how it has grown impressively both in scale and substance.

Professor Raychaudhury also stressed Ashoka’s ongoing commitment to expanding access and equity, underscoring the university’s core values of inclusion, diversity, and service that define its spirit.

Addressing the graduating class, the Vice Chancellor said, “This is your moment. As you step into the world, remember you carry the trust, encouragement, and inspiration of the entire Ashoka community. We hope you leave with not only the knowledge you gained here and the skills but also with the values of curiosity, integrity, and service that define Ashoka.”

He concluded by expressing heartfelt gratitude to the families present on the occasion, thanking them for placing their faith in the university and for their belief in their children, which has played a key role in shaping the celebration of the day.