Former IIM Director’s Electrifying Call: Lead India with Courage and Creativity

A Convocation Charged with Purpose

At the Vadlamudi campus of Vignan University in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, the air was electric with ambition and optimism as 1,191 students received their degrees on August 4, 2025. The convocation ceremony was not just a celebration of academic achievement—it became a rallying cry for national transformation. Former IIM Raipur Director Ram Kumar Kakani delivered a stirring address, urging graduates to embrace innovation, perseverance, and social responsibility as tools to shape India’s future.

 

Key Highlights from the August 4 Convocation

- 1,191 students conferred degrees across online, open, and distance learning streams

- First batch of polytechnic graduates celebrated

- Former IIM Raipur Director Ram Kumar Kakani calls students torchbearers of innovation and change

- RR Sports Founder Galla Radha Rani awarded honorary doctorate

- Nearly 50% of graduates were women, reflecting rising gender parity in higher education

- Flexible learning models like Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone praised for inclusivity

 

A Call to Action: Innovation as a Civic Duty

Leadership Beyond Employment

- Kakani emphasized that education is not merely a personal milestone but a national responsibility

- Graduates were urged to become architects of progress in infrastructure, education, healthcare, and inclusive growth

- Innovation was framed as a moral imperative, not just a career strategy

 

Perseverance as Investment

- Honoree Galla Radha Rani echoed the theme, stating that perseverance is the real investment in life and leadership

- Her recognition as a sports entrepreneur highlighted the expanding definition of innovation beyond tech and academia

 

Institutional Vision and Academic Milestones

- Vice Chancellor Col. Prof. P Nagabhushan announced the award of degrees to 689 MBA, 397 MCA, 39 BBA, 31 BCA, and 35 Polytechnic students

- He praised the determination of distance learners and the growing relevance of flexible education models

- Chairman Lavu Rathaiah emphasized that true innovation begins with identifying societal challenges and applying technology to solve them

 

The university’s leadership underscored the importance of education that adapts to real-world needs, especially in a country as diverse and dynamic as India.

 

Women at the Forefront of Change

- Nearly half of the graduating cohort were women, signaling a shift toward gender-balanced leadership

- The convocation celebrated not just academic success but the breaking of barriers in access and opportunity

- This milestone reflects broader national efforts to empower women through education and entrepreneurship

 

Future-Ready Education: The Rise of Flexible Learning

- The ceremony spotlighted the success of online and distance learning programs

- Models like Anytime, Anywhere, Anyone are helping democratize education across geographies and socioeconomic backgrounds

- These formats are especially vital in reaching rural and underserved communities, aligning with India’s inclusive development goals

 

Conclusion: A Generation Poised to Transform India

The message from Vignan University’s convocation was clear: India’s future will be shaped not by passive graduates but by active innovators. With leaders like Ram Kumar Kakani and Galla Radha Rani setting the tone, the next generation is being called to lead with courage, creativity, and conscience. As these students step into the world, they carry not just degrees—but a mandate to build a stronger, smarter, and more equitable India.

 

Source: The New Indian Express