BHU to host 103rd convocation on December 16; Ajay Kumar Sood to be chief guest

NEW DELHI: Banaras Hindu University (BHU) is set to host its 103rd convocation on Saturday, December 16. The convocation event will begin at 9:30 am at Swatantrata Bhawan. The gold medals for the academic session 2022-23 will also be distributed. Ajay Kumar Sood, principal scientific advisor, Government of India, will be the chief guest of the event.

Graduates from all departments and colleges will be awarded degrees shortly after the main function.

Ajay Kumar Sood will be delivering a convocation address. Sood also serves as chairman of the Prime Minister's Science, Technology, and Innovation Advisory Council. He also holds the position of National Science Chair Professor at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore.

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He has received several awards for his contributions to academics and scientific research, including the Padma Shri. He also received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize, the GD Birla Award for Scientific Research, the Indian Science Congress Association's Millennium Gold Medal, the UGC's Sir C V Raman Award, and the Homi Bhabha Medal of the Indian National Science Academy.

Last year, a total of 37,896 students received their degrees and 91 students were presented medals for their academic performance. The BHU gold medal for the sessions 2019-20, 2020-21 and 2021-22 were awarded during the 102nd convocation ceremony as the convocation was held after three years due to COVID- 19 pandemic.

This year, BHU has also re-constituted career guidance, placement and training, student wellbeing and skill development cells to improve placements and students' wellness. These cells aim to provide counselling, mentorship while equipping students with required skills and training for their mental and psychological wellbeing.