President Ram Nath Kovind asked Ranchi University to feel proud of the fact that of the 56 gold medallists on Monday’s convocation, 47 were girls.

Presiding over the 33rd grand convocation of the oldest university of the state, President Kovind also asked students to become job creators, work emerging technologies to their advantage, take lessons from the grit of tribal leaders, and avoid falling prey to bad influences such as e-cigarettes.

Congratulating the girls who won gold medals, the President said: “The number of daughters getting gold medals here is five times more than sons. This is matter for pride for your university, teachers, parents and all students. Daughters doing well shows a glimpse of a better future of the society and country.”

Over 3,000 students of the university who pursued their undergraduate courses during 2016-19 and postgraduate courses during 2017-19 attended the convocation along with India’s first lady Savita Kovind, governor Draupadi Murmu and chief minister Raghubar Das, who also happens to be an alumnus of Ranchi University, state education minister Neera Yadav, vice-chancellor Ramesh Kumar Pandey, faculty members and others.

Students flaunt their medals. (Prashant Mitra)

Urging youths to become job creators, Kovind said: “Today’s era is full of opportunities and challenges. Technology and economic system provide many new opportunities to the youths who are aware and active. This (scope) wasn’t available to earlier generations. Several steps have been taken by the state and Centre to promote self-employment. Become job creators and help others prosper by utilising opportunities before you.”

In his speech, the lives of tribal leaders got special mention. Kovind remembered freedom fighters Birsa Munda, Santhal brothers Sido-Kanho, Latehar brothers Nilambar-Pitambar and Tilka Manjhi from Chhotanagpur Hills. He also highlighted the role of social reformer and freedom fighter Jatra Tana Bhagat who had taken birth in Gumla and led a non-violent agitation against the British. “As you all know, the Tana Bhagats followed Gandhiji during our freedom struggle. It is your responsibility to carry forward such great heritage and values,” President Kovind said.

Coming to the more present-day “sons and daughters of Jharkhand”, the President mentioned Ranchi University alumnus Justice M.Y Eqbal who became the Supreme Court judge, 1971 war hero Albert Ekka, the captain of the 1928 gold-winning Indian Olympics hockey team Jaipal Singh Munda, cricket star Mahendra Singh Dhoni and archery champ Deepika Kumari.

He asked the youths studying in universities to go to villages to know the realities of the country, teach the underprivileged the importance of education, sanitation, nutrition, and immunisation as well as government welfare schemes under “university’s social responsibility”, something dear to his heart. “I request Ranchi University to pay special attention to this.”

He added youths should stay away from e-cigarettes. “I hope young people don’t come under its influence,” Kovind said, expressing his happiness over the ban on e-cigarettes imposed by the state government this month on the advisory of World Health Organisation in April 2019.