President Kovind says no to honorary doctorate from Nauni varsity
Solan, May 21: President Ram Nath Kovind on Monday refused to accept an honorary doctorate that was to be conferred on him by the horticulture and forestry university at its annual convocation in Nauni near here.
The Dr Y.S. Parmar University of Horticulture and Forestry planned to confer a Doctorate of Science (D.Sc) degree on President Kovind, who gave away degrees and gold medals to meritorious students at the ninth convocation of the varsity.
"The President refused to receive the honorary degree," a university official told IANS.
"I respect your sentiments but I can't accept it," the official quoting the President as saying.
Himachal Governor and University Chancellor Acharya Devvrat and Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur were present on the occasion.
The President awarded eight gold medals at the event. Speaking in Hindi on the occasion, he said that the goal of education should not be limited to only getting a job.
Students can start their own enterprises by using their skills and learning, he added.
The President also urged the students to take advantage of various schemes and initiatives of the union and state governments to set up their businesses in the agricultural sector.
"There is immense potential in the field of fruit and vegetable processing. With their knowledge and enterprise, graduates from the university could help consumers in the country and abroad get better food products and help farmers get better value for their produce."
He said that increasing the income of farmers and development of rural India is the country's top priority.
Kovind said that research in horticulture and forestry held a special significance for farmers in mountainous states such as Himachal Pradesh.
Over the past three decades, the university has contributed significantly to the advancement of horticulture and forestry in the state.
The President congratulated the students for choosing to pursue education in the agricultural sector.
He said that he considered each student and teacher of this university to be a technically equipped friend and partner of the farmers of Himachal Pradesh, as well as those in other parts of the country.
Kovind is currently in the hill state on a five-day holiday.
The Governor, in his address, said that in order to promote zero-budget natural farming in the state, the university is implementing its farming model on its campus.
He said zero-budget natural farming would not only help in environmental conservation but also produce healthy food.
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NIA court declares absconding Delhi blast accused Muzaffar Rather 'proclaimed offender'
Srinagar (PTI): An NIA court here declared Dr Muzaffar Ahmad Rather, an accused in the white collar terror module busted by Srinagar police in October that was behind the November 10 car blast near Delhi's Red Fort, a proclaimed offender under Section 84 of the BNSS.
The proclamation notice, issued by a special judge designated under the NIA Act last week, was pasted on the house of Rather at Qazigund on Saturday, officials said.
The court has directed Rather to be present before it on January 28, 2026, they said.
“Proclamation is hereby made that Dr Muzaffar Ahmad Rather is required to appear before this court on 28.01.2026 at 10 am sharp to answer the complaint,” the court order read.
Rather, whose brother Dr Adeel Ahmad Rather was arrested in Saharanpur in Uttar Pradesh earlier, is believed to be in Afghanistan.
The entire module was busted after Srinagar police began an investigation into the pasting of posters that threatened police and security forces on walls in Bunpora, Nowgam, in mid-October.
The trail led the investigators to the Al Falah University in Faridabad, Haryana, where Dr Muzzafar Ganaie and Dr Shaheen Sayeed were arrested, and 2,900 kg of explosive material was seized in November.
Investigators believe a core trio of doctors -- Dr Ganaie, Dr Umar Nabi (the driver of the explosives-laden car that blew up near the Red Fort, killing 15), and Muzzaffar Rather -- were running the module.
Section 84 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS) deals with the procedure for declaring a person a 'proclaimed offender' when he/she absconds to avoid a warrant, requiring public proclamation through local reading, posting on their home/village, affixing to the court, and potential newspaper publication.
