10th convocation of MLCU held

By Our Reporter

SHILLONG, Aug 24: The 10th convocation of Martin Luther Christian University (MLCU) was held here on Thursday where 686 graduates received their degrees, 325 students their master’s degrees and four their PhDs.

The number of graduates is a tenfold increase over the 62 graduates at MLCU’s first convocation in 2008. More than five thousand graduates have emerged from MLCU in the last decade.

Presiding over the ceremony as Visitor of the university, Governor Banwarilal Purohit exhorted the graduates to contribute to the building of the region and the country. He said that graduation is a historic occasion in one’s life and a graduate’s future aspirations should be built on great role models.

He described Dr APJ Abdul Kalam as an ideal role model, citing his humanity, scientific endeavours and commitment to excellence.

Convocation speaker Paul Thomas, founder of the Evangelical Social Action Forum (ESAF), spoke of his journey to redress poverty and margilization.

ESAF was started by Paul, his wife Meree and a few friends, at a small house med “Little” in Thrissur, Kerala, as a Christian response to a tiol need.

Today, ESAF Bank is a leading micro-credit company with branches in several States, serving 1.6 lakh families. In Jharkhand, ESAF has created an integrated tribal fince and livelihood venture in 11 districts.

He spoke of the concept of “the partiality of prosperity” and the need to reduce the great social disparities as India marches towards economic development.

Dean Dr Jennifer War presented the annual report of the university, in which she highlighted the 38th rank of the university among private universities in India, as per a recent survey of India Today magazine.

She charted the progress of the university in promoting research in socially relevant topics and its continuing commitment to learning with a community interface.

The PhD research projects included studies on single mother headed households, masculinity in Khasi men and documentation of the musical techniques of the duitara, a traditiol Khasi stringed instrument.