PAU Convocation 2025: Governor of Punjab Lauds University’s Role in Nation-Building

Honouring Faculty Achievements Alongside Student Convocation should Serve as Model for other Institutes: Guv.

Ludhiana, February 8… Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), Ludhiana, held its Annual Convocation today at the Dr Manmohan Singh Auditorium , celebrating academic excellence, innovation, and service to society. Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Chancellor of PAU, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest, accompanied by Shri Vivek Pratap Singh from Vidhan Sabha with  PAU Vice-Chancellor Dr. Satbir Singh Gosal, Registrar Shri Rishi Pal Singh, and Dean Postgraduate Studies Dr. M.I.S. Gill being the other dignitaries of the day.

The ceremony began with a majestic academic procession led by the Registrar, senior faculty, deans, directors, board members, the Vice Chancellor, and the Chancellor. The university auditorium exuded grandeur as faculty and students in ceremonial robes gathered for the momentous occasion.

A highlight of the convocation was the Chancellor’s Medal, awarded to three outstanding students, alongside several Gold Medals for academic excellence. In a unique and commendable move, PAU also honoured faculty members for their exceptional contributions to research, mentoring, and agricultural extension. Recognizing this, Governor Kataria lauded PAU for setting an exemplary precedent by acknowledging faculty achievements during a student convocation, emphasizing that teachers are the true architects of society who shape future generations. He highlighted how, throughout Indian history, teachers (Gurus) have been revered, and this recognition is a practice that other universities should follow.

In his address, the Governor hailed PAU as a sacred institution built on the vision, hard work, and perseverance of its scientists and farmers, who revolutionized Indian agriculture. Recalling the dark decade of the 1960s, he emphasized how India, once dependent on imported wheat from the U.S., transformed into a food-secure nation, thanks to PAU’s pioneering role in the Green Revolution. From being an importer, India now exports wheat and rice globally, with Punjab contributing nearly 60% of the country’s wheat and 70% of its rice production.

Drawing parallels to Punjab’s legacy of excellence beyond agriculture, the Governor highlighted how Punjabis have consistently led in the armed forces, defending the nation with their valour. Similarly, he recalled the Paris Olympics, where Punjab’s hockey players played a key role in securing India’s historic medal win. He commended PAU’s sustainable agricultural advancements, including crop residue management, precision farming, AI-driven innovations, and developing short-duration, water-efficient crop varieties. He also urged the agricultural community to diversify into dairy farming, sericulture, and herbal cultivation, emphasizing the growing global demand for Ayurvedic medicinal plants as a potential export opportunity.

Encouraging the graduates, Governor Kataria urged them to go beyond conventional jobs and become “Ambassadors of Agriculture”, advocating multi-crop production, reduced cultivation time, and research on organic alternatives to pesticides. He reiterated that with over 60% of India’s population dependent on agriculture, the country cannot progress without modernizing and sustaining this sector.

In his Convocation Report, Vice-Chancellor Dr Satbir Singh Gosal provided a comprehensive overview of PAU’s academic achievements, infrastructural developments, and groundbreaking research initiatives over the past few years. He highlighted the university’s strides in modernizing agricultural education and expanding state-of-the-art facilities to support innovation. Dr. Gosal emphasized PAU’s unwavering commitment to excellence, ensuring that the institution remains at the forefront of agricultural advancements, sustainability, and farmer-centric solutions.