Ashoka University Convocation 2024: Looking Back at a Decade of Excellence and Celebrating New Beginnings

On May 24th, Ashoka University witnessed a momentous occasion as 1,004 of its students gathered for their Graduation Ceremony. The atmosphere was charged with excitement and pride as graduates, adorned in their hats and gowns, prepared to embark on the next chapter of their lives. Faculty, family, and friends joined in to honour the achievements of the graduating class, reflecting on their journey and the indelible impact Ashoka University has had on their academic and personal growth.

Welcoming the graduating class along with their families, friends, faculty, and other representatives of the university,  Chancellor Professor Rudrangshu Mukherjee highlighted that this year’s convocation is extra special, as it coincides with the 10th anniversary of Ashoka University.

He continued by saying, “Ashoka University is that leap of faith that has become a living and enriching reality. Yet, what is 10 years in the life of a university, no more than a blink! Ashoka’s decade-long blink is the beginning of an epic journey. I urge the students here to always remember that you have become pilgrims in that epic journey. You came to Ashoka, which aimed to present to you the world of knowledge, but more importantly also to teach you how to grapple with that knowledge.” 

“Rules of evidence, methods of observation and experimentation, critical reasoning, questioning, and radical doubt. Ashoka attempted to imbibe in you an idea of the open-endedness of knowledge, and its transient nature. What we understand as knowledge today may be questioned, and be subverted by newer forms of knowledge in the future. Do not cease from exploration. This could be the only enduring message that Ashoka has gifted to you,” Professor Mukherjee urged. 

This year, Ashoka University proudly celebrated the graduation of students in two separate ceremonies. Among the graduating class was the University’s first Ph.D. in the Sciences, Basabi Bagchi, a landmark achievement for Ashoka. Additionally, there were 40 Master’s students, 354 ASP (Ashoka Scholars Programme) students, and 609 Undergraduate students. As the graduates walked across the stage to receive their degrees, cheers from the audience resonated throughout the venue. Proud parents and faculty members looked on with admiration, celebrating the culmination of years of effort and dedication.

The highlight of the ceremony was a musical performance by a group of talented students from the graduating class, who presented two compositions. The first was their own rendition of Rabindranath Tagore’s famous poem “Where the Mind is Without Fear” in Bengali, and the second was a song by the 19th-century Kannada Sufi poet Shishunala Sharif.

Following the performance, Vice-Chancellor Somak Raychaudhury addressed the graduates and shared his views, “Congratulations, Class of 2024, the world awaits your brilliance, your passion, your creativity, and your compassion. Don’t be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and bring fresh perspectives to all situations you find yourselves in. As you go forth, remember that you will always be a part of the Ashoka family. Today is your day, seize it, cherish it, and let it inspire you to greater heights.”

Pramath Raj Sinha, Chairperson, Ashoka University also shared his words of wisdom with the graduating class. “As you go out into the world, you will carry the responsibility of the tag of being an Ashoka Alum. Remember we are still a very new and young university. What you say and do, matters to you, matters to Ashoka. Remember, there is no bigger cause than Ashoka.”

The keynote speaker of the first ceremony, Manish Sabharwal, co-founder of Teamlease Services and a founder of Ashoka, shared practical insights with the graduating class.

“I hope you make five choices because choices matter much more than luck or skill. The first choice is to play the long game. If you play the long game, you don’t have to guess where you are. The second choice I hope you will make is to take more risks. You must remember when you graduate that the days are long but the years are short. The saddest phase of middle age is ‘I wish I had.’ You can always change the things you did, but you can never change the things you didn’t do. So you might as well take risks. The third most important choice from my perspective, which I would like to remind you of, is about having a lifelong learning plan. You also graduate to a new world of work. Employment has shifted from being a lifelong contract to a taxi-cab relationship. Choice number four, learn to work with people you don’t like. Teamwork implies working with everyone.”

The keynote speaker of the second ceremony, Shaheen Mistri, CEO of Teach For India and one of its founding board members, narrated three life-changing personal encounters with students, highlighting the values of loving, giving and interconnectedness, stating, “Why must love, giving, and interconnectedness matter to you? Perhaps life isn’t that complicated, perhaps you need to walk down the path sowing seeds of love, giving what you can, and asking for what you need. Perhaps that will build a strong, interconnected community. Perhaps that community is the preparation we need for the uncertainty of life.”

“Graduates, step onto the path of your greatest potential,” urged Mistri. 

The Graduation ceremony concluded with a rendition of the national anthem led by students, encapsulating the pride and unity of the Ashoka community.

Post the ceremony, delighted parents came forward to share how they felt about the growth and progress they saw their children make at Ashoka.

“When my son started studying at Ashoka, he was a high school pass-out, and we were all very apprehensive about what it was going to be like. But, I think it has been a fantastic three years for him—full of incredible growth and learning. As a parent, it has been really satisfying to see how he has evolved as a person and the role that Ashoka has had in his journey,” the mother of a graduating student exclaimed with pride. 

“Our daughter is extremely happy with the overall experience—the education imparted and the dedication and attention given by the professors and teachers. She also had the opportunity to meet senior industry professionals, which gave her great exposure. She is graduating today but has decided to come back for the 4th-year under the ASP programme. We are very happy with our experience and we wish Ashoka all the very best for the future,” another parent said, expressing his unwavering faith in Ashoka’s excellence. 

We extend our congratulations to the Class of 2024! Your journey has just begun, and the world awaits your contributions.