It gives me great pleasure to be here once again in Nagaland. The people of the Northeast are known for their rich cultural traditions and their hearty hospitality.

At the outset, I extend my greetings on the festive occasion of the thirteenth annual convocation of Assam University. I take this opportunity to congratulate all the awardees of medals, various degrees and diplomas and wish them a very bright future.

It gives me immense pleasure to be here today for the third Convocation of Nagaland University, a premier centre of higher learning in the North Eastern Region.

Thank you for your words of welcome. It is a great pleasure to be amongst the distinguished literary personalities present here today. I recognize among you many friends and I am delighted to see you present on this occasion.

As I stand here to deliver the Convocation Address for the third time in Himachal Pradesh University, I notice the same exhilaration and excitement in the students. Convocation day marks the completion of an extremely important phase in the life of an individual.

I am extremely happy to be here in Shimla to deliver the First Rabindranath Tagore Memorial Lecture.

It gives me great pleasure to be here today for the inauguration of Maharaja Agrasen University, which is an outcome of the vision, commitment and effort of the Maharaja Agrasen Technical Education Society.

I am indeed happy to have this opportunity today for the Seventh Convocation of the Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT), a premier Institute of higher learning in defence related engineering and technology.

1. It gives me immense pleasure to be here this afternoon.

2. Some journeys in the lives of great men are destined to be transformational, both for themselves and for their people. So was it with Swami Vivekananda’s voyage to Chicago 120 year ago today.

I am indeed happy to be here this afternoon to attend the First Convocation of the Indira Gandhi National Tribal University. This is a long awaited and proud moment for all the distinguished students who have received degrees.