Vidya Prasarak Mandal
Third Convocation Ceremony
05th September 2006 1700 Hrs

Venue: Thorale Bajirao Peshwe Sabhagruha,
'Jnanadweepa', Than College Campus, Chendani
Bunder Road, Thane (W) 400 601

Chief Guest
Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Chairman,

Atomic Energy Commission, India

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Diginitaries:

Procession of diginitaries
1.Dr. Vijay Bedekar
2.Dr. Anil kakodkar
3.Shri Karandikar
Conducted in traditional way

Deepa Prajwalan: Dignitaries lit the Ceremonial Lamp
to start the function
Dr. Vijay Bedekar presents Boquet to Dr. Anil
Kakodkar
Saraswati vandana by Polytechnic

Introducing the Chief Guest, information
on contributions of Dr. Anil Kakodkar in various
fields of national importance such as nuclear energy
development (Dhruv), Desalination, N-test etc. was
highlighted. Brief mention of the awards that
decorates Dr. Anil Kakodkar, Padmashri, 1999- Padma
Bhushan. Doctorates from Four different Universities
etc. was made.

Dr. V. V. Bedekar's Welcome Speech As just mentioned
this is 3rd convocation for successful completion of
diploma courses offered by VPM. VPM started in 1932
and registered in 1935.

VPM now has under its umbrella Marathi and English
medium school, Arts, Commerce, Science and Law
Colleges, Polytechnic, Management institue and a
centre for advanced studies Autonomous courses started
12 years ago. First was analytical Chemistry PG
Course. Dr. VN BRIMS has been conducting PGDBM, EMBA
autonomous program. Importance of education is a
given. Secondary education and tertiary education is
especially emphasised in eleventh plan. It is
difficult to cover the entire nation by government
alone in education.

Most of the successful institution were started by
Private initiatives. Still government holds the reins
of education. VPM has always tried to present role
models to inspire its students.

Recent announcement of Bhatnagar prize did not reach
as wide an audience as one would wish. The results of
research work carried out in laboratories are not
always brought out to public. Our contribution in
space and n-technology is tremendous. We are eager to
receive the Diploma at the hands of Kakodkar.

The oath reading repeated.by students.
PGDip. App. Ana. Chem.
PG IPR
PGDBM
E-MBA

Summary of Dr. Anil Kakodkar's Speech:
VPM' s President, Chairman, First of all,
congratulation all the students who got their
certificates and wishing you all the very best in
future. When information was sent to me, I am aware
of autonomous institutions, let me congratulate VPM
for its autonomous courses. Time has come It is
necessary to satisfy the requirement of job-market
rather than government recognised certificates. In
competitive environment, only the useful and the best
courses will survive. Choice of Syllabus eg IPR,
Horticulture are two antipodal course but both these
courses are very important. We often say that the new
economic world is called knowledge driven economy does
not reduce the importance of skills and labour, but it
has become necessary to add intellectual content and
it adds value and hence its important.

It is said that the developed countries, the economic
growth is high. But the population is stagnant. But
the youth in their country is dwindling. These
countries does not have enough youth to sustain their
pace.

If we look at India for next few decades half the
population will be youth. One of the issues is
opportunities. They are available worldwide and how to
use them is another. To utilise these opportunities
one needs to empower the youth. The earlier way of
thinking the secure government jobs as the prime
career option is passé. But outside government, jobs
will increase tremendously. The required trained
manpower is to be produced by the institutions. In
India human capital needs to be generated. For
progress, the standards of the education should gear
up to produce quality youth else instead of engine of
growth they will become a drag. It's a great challenge
and great threat the choice depends on the Institution
and students.

How to empower and what is empowering?

Good quality education consists of three parts: When
three parts advance in synchrony. Automatically
empowers youth

1. Knowledge: very important. Knowledge for knowledge
sake is very important and we have a tradition.

2. Skills: Technological, Business, Social
engineering. Equally important part of education.
There was a gap between knowledge and skill
acquisition. How knowledge can be used for upliftment
of society. The wall between the two should be broken
and should complement.

3. Values: Ability to analyse good and bad, right and
wrong.

Any education should have the right mix of three
components.

Last issue is Progress of individual, family, society.
IT professional's work has made India a brand to
contend with. Many of our students have established
their name, IIT Alumni has invested a lot. In the
spirit of guru-dakshina as per our tradition. This
should be the thought in every alumni. Our base is due
to our parents, guru and we stand in their shoulders.
Mahatma Gandhi said that one should consider himself
trustee of wealth one posseses. Responsible citizen.
Treat wealth not as ownership but as trusteeship. You
create a much wider base on which the country can
reach much higher at a much faster pace. I wish that
all the students would grow and and prosper further in
their life

Dr. Bedekar thanked Dr. Anil Kakodkar on behalf of VPM
and appraised that VPM every year conducts a seminar
every year to complement formal syllabus in aid of
learning.

1.National Conference - Linux Thane 2006 - Science
college

2.Arts & Commerce College: Bioethics

3.Law College: Human Rights

4.Polytechnic: Geoinformatics

Automatic weather station to be established.
5 tonne waste - energy from waste project

Vote of Thanks by Dr. Madhuri Pejavar.
Pasayadan

The function ended with the exit precession of
diginitaries