Following the ceremonial procession of the Academic Council and the Manipal Kulgeet, Chairperson Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh formally declared the ceremony open. He welcomed the Chief Guest, dignitaries, parents and graduating students.
The second day of the convocation, scheduled for 1st November, will be attended by Shri Jayant Chaudhary, Hon’ble Minister of State (Independent Charge), Ministry of Skill Development and Entrepreneurship, and Hon’ble Minister of State for Education, Government of India, as the Chief Guest.
Delivering the welcome address, Pro President Cdr. (Dr.) Anil Rana congratulated the graduating batch and encouraged students to carry forward the values they had acquired at the university. Addressing the graduands, he said, "As you step forward from MUJ into the next phase of your personal and professional journeys, I encourage you to carry with you the values, knowledge, and spirit of service that have been instilled during your time here."
Dr. N. N. Sharma, President of MUJ, presented an overview of the university’s journey since its establishment in 2011. Paying tribute to the vision and legacy of founder Padma Shri Dr. T. M. A. Pai, he urged the Class of 2026 to express gratitude to their parents, teachers and mentors for their unconditional support. He also highlighted the university’s national and global presence in research, academic rigour and sustainability.
Addressing the graduating students, Chief Guest Dr. H. S. Ballal invoked Swami Vivekananda’s message, "Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached." He welcomed the graduates into the comity of educated scholars and praised MUJ’s leadership for establishing the young institution as a prominent name nationally and internationally across academics, research and sports.
Recalling founder Dr. T. M. A. Pai’s belief that eradicating illiteracy automatically conquers poverty and ill health, Dr. Ballal expressed pride on behalf of the parent university over MUJ’s rapid growth, international collaborations and world-class infrastructure. He specifically referred to an advanced laboratory inaugurated on the campus earlier that morning and encouraged graduates to develop a global outlook as they entered an increasingly interconnected world.
Following the address, Dr. N. N. Sharma presented a memento to Dr. Ballal as a token of appreciation from the university.
During the ceremony, Dr. Dasari Nagaraju, Controller of Examinations (CoE), presented the key academic facts and figures for the graduating class. He also administered the professional oath to the graduates after Chairperson Lt. Gen. (Dr.) M. D. Venkatesh formally conferred their degrees.
Across the two-day convocation, Manipal University Jaipur is conferring a total of 4,184 degrees and awarding 62 Gold Medals, comprising 45 undergraduate, 16 postgraduate and one Ph.D. medal.
On the first day, more than 1,570 graduates, 21 Gold Medalists and 18 Ph.D. scholars were felicitated. The special medal recipients for 2026 included Aadrian Routh and Anushka Kothiyal, who received the Chairperson’s Gold Medal for Overall Excellence; Priyanka Sharma, recipient of the President’s Gold Medal for Excellence in Research; and Tathya Govil, who received the President’s Gold Medal for Excellence in Extra-Curricular Activities.
Other awardees included Sujit Subhash Sonune, who received the Dr. K. Kasturirangan Gold Medal for Entrepreneurship and Leadership Qualities, and Muskan Mittal, recipient of the Smt. Chandravati Gold Medal for Excellence in Design Education and Research.
The first day’s proceedings concluded with a formal Vote of Thanks delivered by Dr. Amit Soni, Registrar, MUJ. He expressed gratitude to the Chief Guest, Academic Council, Board of Management, faculty members, parents and organising committees for their participation and contributions.
The ceremony concluded with the National Anthem as the Academic Procession recessed from the venue. With 4,184 degrees and 62 Gold Medals being conferred over two days, the 13th Convocation marked an important academic milestone for Manipal University Jaipur and its graduating Class of 2026.
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