Right Honorable Prime Minister and Chancellor of Tribhuvan University
Honorable Minister for Education and Co-Chancellor of the university
The two creators of Nepali literature being felicitated today
Vice-Chancellor
Members of Tribhuvan University Assembly and academics
Ladies and Gentlemen!
I thank Tribhuvan University family for organizing such a historical and dignified event and wish all the success of this Special Graduation Ceremony 2016 aiming to felicitate the two veteran authors of Nepali literature. I also thank Tribhuvan University family for providing me opportunities of interactions with academics, gifted literati, and dear students, the future pillars of the country.
In the new ambience of having promulgated the Constitution of Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal from the Constituent Assembly according to the years-long desire of Nepalese people, this Special Graduation Ceremony 2016 is of historical importance in itself. Now with the promulgation of the new constitution, sufficient avenues of opportunities have opened for the socio-economic transformation of the country.
For this, we need to adopt the dimensions of change in the economic sphere to make the country prosperous and affluent. The unity and partnership of all including the people of all levels and classes, responsible political parties, governmental and non-governmental organizations and institutions, professional organizations, private sector, writers, journalists is necessary to accomplish the cherished socio-economic transformation of the country.
In this sacred work of nation building and national prosperity, it is indisputable that the academic institutions like universities, the originating places of higher education, have great roles to play. The prosperity of a nation not only depends on the availability of natural resources but also depends on the availability of appropriate knowledge, skills, and technologies for the utilization of such resources. The developed and developing countries of the world have proven this fact from their experiences of planned development.
According to the need of the country, universities should continuously effort to spread the light of higher education on the one hand, and on the other, it is equally necessary to equip our new generation with our traditional knowledge, skill, and technology along with the modern ones.
In this context, it seems appropriate that the concerned people should pay attention to use the timely contribution of our students in the appropriate utilization of the available natural and human resources, the speedy development of agriculture with the help of modern technology, and the appropriate propagation of the world’s most beautiful tourist resources available in our country.
In the accomplishment of these challenging works, the role of Tribhuvan University as the country’s oldest and most accessible and most trusted institution is important and leading; and I expect that the university will play that role in an efficient manner. Having completed more than five decades of its inception, it is certainly a matter of pride for Tribhuvan University to remain active in the supply of the country’s academic and educational demands.
In these past years, the university has been developing and producing necessary highly skilled workforce required in the different sectors of the country. Despite all these accomplishments, like the common problems of the nation, the university has its own troubles. Amid the changing global circumstances and the changed national ambience, the nation’s aspirations and expectations are ever increasing; however, to match such expectations, the economic, technological, physical resources and capabilities of the university have not been developed. In those areas, there are numerous problems and challenges facing the university.
When we observe the development process in the world, there is a kind of competition going on among the developing countries of the world for their prosperity and development; and to be successful in these competitions, it is mandatory that universities should be made the centers of higher education and academic excellence.
The development of universities to that level guides the direction of country’s development. As the oldest and largest university, it is mandatory that Tribhuvan University should be developed as a center of education and academic excellence; and for this, the role of all the concerned is equally important. Therefore, I would like to appeal and expect that the university by being even more active and competitive in this direction should be capable of playing the leading role.
The role of the state is also equally important to solve the internal problems and challenges facing Tribhuvan University; and I believe that the government will provide complete help and show concern in this direction. The aim of university is to cultivate high level academic workforce. For this to happen, the creation of appropriate academic setting is necessary. The respect for high level academics is also necessary for the development of high level academic workforce.
From the point of view of fulfilling this sacred aim, today’s event marks the special importance and pride for this university. At this Special Graduation Ceremony where the two renowned scholars and literati —Rastrakabi (Poet Laureate) Madhav Ghimire and senior literary writer Indra Bahadur Rai—are being felicitated by Tribhuvan University with the honorary Doctor of Letters for their contribution to Nepali literature. It is an inspiring, important, and praiseworthy act.
Rastrakabi Madhav Prasad Ghimire who is being felicitated today with honorary Doctor of Letters is not only a creative literary genius but also represents a whole age in Nepali literature. The creator of timeless literary works, Rastrakabi Ghimire has been contributing to the prosperity different genres of Nepali literature still in the latter half of his life’s 9th decade. Besides, his contributions to the prosperity of Nepali literature in general, the nation shall always be indebted to Rastrakabi Ghimire who has adopted the singing of Nepalese pride, national history and territorial integrity, and self-respect as his main voice, thereby contributing to create national consciousness. I think that, by felicitating the frontier and respected literary creator like Ghimire with this degree, the university has not only bestowed mere honors to a celebrated scholar but also has accomplished an importantly mandatory national responsibility.
Though remaining outside from the viewpoint of political geography, Mr Indra Bahadur Rai’s contribution to the development and prosperity of Nepali literature and language has been incomparable. His incessant devotion to literature holds lasting importance in Nepali literature and carries recognition of an age. By introducing new and original experiments in Nepali literature, Mr Rai’s literary devotion has been dedicated to the process of making it prosperous. I believe that this devotion is certainly worth respecting, and Tribhuvan University has accomplished its academic responsibility by bestowing upon him the honorary Doctor of Letters.
Science and technology are the important foundations for the modernization and economic prosperity of nation. The university has been producing academic and efficient workforce in these sectors. This is also the necessity of the nation. Besides these, the prosperity of the soul and its refinement is also equally necessary for the prosperity of the nation.
For this, the making of cordial, hopeful, and beautiful dreamer citizen is equally necessary. This job is accomplished through literature. The country whose literature accomplishes this job in an efficient manner, such a country’s multifarious development takes place in equally speedy manner. I believe that both the literary writers being felicitated today have contributed in the making of sensitive and beautiful humanity.
In the history of university and even in the life of nation, this kind of special felicitation holds multifaceted importance. Felicitation of a creator not only honors an individual but also imparts deep inspirations and way-outs to future generations. In the great campaign of nation building, I believe that the contemporary and future generations would take inspirations from this event, and shall continue the sacred act of making and causing to make sensitive humanity. The meaningfulness of today’s Special Graduation Ceremony felicitating the two celebrated literary creators lies in this fact.
In the end, I like to reiterate my sincere thanks to the university for felicitating the great frontier literary writers amid this special ceremony today. I also congratulate the both literary personalities—Rastrakabi Madhav Prasad Ghimire and Senor Litterateur Indra Bahadur Rai— wish them healthy, long life with creative engagement.
Thank you!