St Joseph Engineering College hosts its Fifteenth Graduation Ceremony
Mangaluru: The Fifteenth Graduation Ceremony at St Joseph Engineering College (SJEC), Mangaluru, was held on 5 February 2021 in the Open Air Stage of the college.
The ceremony witnessed the awarding of Graduation Certificates by the institution to the Class of 2021 comprising of 463 Undergraduates (BE) and 104 Postgraduates (MBA, MCA MTech and PhD).
Dr Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, Chairman of New Mangalore Port Trust (NMPT), Mangaluru, graced the occasion as Chief Guest and presented the degree certificates to the graduands. Mr Basty Vikram Shenoy, Senior Programme Manager at ITC Infotech, Bengaluru and an Alumnus of SJEC from the batch of 2011, was the Guest of Honour on the occasion. Most Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of Mangalore and President of SJEC, presided over the ceremony.
Rev. Fr Wilfred Prakash D’Souza, Director of SJEC, welcomed the graduands from the Class of 2020 and dignitaries to the Graduation Ceremony. Dr Rio D’Souza, Principal of SJEC introduced the Chief Guest and the Guest of Honour.
Mr Basty Vikram Shenoy spoke about his own experiences at SJEC and recalled his days as a student. He opined that discipline is the hallmark of the college and has contributed in shaping up his career as a competent individual. He called upon the graduands to embrace service and excellence in their life as they are about to step out of the portals of the college and embark on their journey of life.
Dr Venkata Ramana Akkaraju, in his address, mentioned that technology plays a pivotal role in every spear of life ranging from science to medicine. He stressed on the importance of skill development and urged the students to develop a thirst for knowledge. He spoke about the gap in the technical education system and the ways to overcome them. He called upon the students to be innovators and be job providers instead of being job seekers. While congratulating the graduands, he said success is not final and one should constantly be in pursuit of excellence.
Dr Rio D’Souza, administered the graduation oath. Mr Akash Lobo G, graduand from the Department of Mechanical Engineering and Ms Diona D’Silva, graduand from the Department of Computer Applications were the Valedictorians from the Class of 2020 and delivered the Valedictorian addresses.
Scholastic achievers and Sports achievers were recognized and awarded by Most Rev. Dr Peter Paul Saldanha, Bishop of Mangalore and President of SJEC. Delivering the Presidential Address, the Bishop remarked that the graduands are the pride and joy of the college. He congratulated the graduates and asked them to learn the skills to be interdependent at their workplaces. He said humans are more important than machines and called upon the graduands to inculcate human values.
The members of the Governing Board and Governing Council were also present along with Rev. Fr Rohith D’Costa & Rev. Fr Alwyn Richard D’Souza, Assistant Directors of SJEC, Mr Rakesh Lobo, HR Manager of the college and Ms Lavina D’Silva, Co-Convener of the event.
Dr Rohan Pinto, Convener of the program offered the vote of thanks.
SJEC wishes the Graduates from the Class of 2021 all success in their future endeavours.
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India, Ethiopia elevate ties to strategic partnership as PM Modi holds talks with his counterpart
Addis Ababa (PTI): India and Ethiopia on Tuesday elevated their historical ties to a strategic partnership, as Prime Minister Narendra Modi held wide-ranging talks with his Ethiopian counterpart Abiy Ahmed Ali during which they discussed issues of bilateral and mutual interest.
Modi, who arrived here from Jordan on his maiden bilateral visit, was accorded a ceremonial welcome at the National Palace ahead of the bilateral talks, reflecting the vibrant India-Ethiopia relations rooted in shared history and a promising future.
"We are elevating India and Ethiopia relations to a strategic partnership. This step will provide new energy, new momentum and new depth to our ties," Prime Minister Modi said during the delegation-level talks.
He thanked PM Ali for his support in India's fight against terrorism. "The support of friendly countries in this struggle against terrorism holds great significance," Modi said.
"Today, we got the opportunity to deliberate on the key aspects of our cooperation, such as economy, innovation, technology, defence, health, capacity-building and multilateral cooperation. I am pleased that today, we have decided to double the student scholarship for Ethiopia in India," Modi said.
Modi said that India and Ethiopia have shared contact, dialogue, and exchange for thousands of years. The two countries, which are rich in languages and traditions, are symbols of unity in diversity, he added.
"Both countries are democratic powers committed to peace and the welfare of humanity. We are co-travellers and partners of the Global South. On international platforms, we have stood shoulder-to-shoulder," he said.
The two sides signed eight MoUs/agreements, including upgrading ties to 'Strategic Partnership', customs cooperation, establishing data center at the Ethiopian Foreign Ministry, UN Peacekeeping training cooperation, debt restructuring under G20, more ICCR scholarships and AI short courses for Ethiopians, and support for maternal and neonatal healthcare.
Modi said the African Union's headquarters in Ethiopia makes the country a meeting point of African diplomacy. "Inspired by the common vision of an inclusive world, in 2023, India ensured that the African Union became a G20 member," he said.
In 2023, during India’s G20 Presidency, the African Union was admitted as a permanent member of the G20.
Modi said that though this is his first visit, he felt a deep sense of belonging and warmth, reflecting the thousands of years of connection between the two countries.
On his part, Prime Minister Ali said the two countries share over thousands of years of connection through trade, diplomacy, education, culture and even in our food and traditions. "These ties continue to shape a deep friendship, collaboration and mutual respect between our people," he said.
"We also appreciate your consistent message that Africa's priorities must lead the partnership. These kinds of dignified, respectful messages for Africa are very important. Mr Prime Minister, keep pushing. That is the type of message we are expecting from all our trusted friends," Ali said.
He said this aligned fully with Ethiopia's development plan - African-owned, African-led, and African-defined.
"Today, we meet with a clear focus to shape a modern partnership, grounded in sovereignty, self-reliance and practical cooperation. Our cooperation is rooted in equality and South-South solidarity," he said.
"Our economy is performing strongly. Last year, we grew 9.2% and this year we are expecting 10.3% GDP growth. Besides GDP growth, our FDI inflow is also rising big time. India is the leading source for our FDI," he said.
"We have more than 615 Indian companies which are investing in Ethiopia. This all gives our cooperation a strong foundation of trust. I think our decision today that we elevate our historic relationship to a strategic relationship is the right decision," he added.
Ethiopia also conferred its highest award - The Great Honour Nishan of Ethiopia - on PM Modi. He is the first global head of state to receive this award.
Prime Minister Modi also went to the Friendship Park and Friendship Square in Addis Ababa with PM Ali.
In a warm and special gesture, PM Modi was earlier received by his Ethiopian counterpart at the airport and accorded a warm and colourful welcome.
"Ethiopia is a nation with great history and vibrant culture," Modi said.
PM Ali informed his Indian counterpart about the varieties of Ethiopian coffee during informal talks.
"At Addis Ababa airport, took part in a traditional Coffee Ceremony with Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali. The ceremony beautifully highlights Ethiopia’s rich heritage," Modi said.
In a unique gesture, the Ethiopian Prime Minister drove Modi to the hotel.
On the way, he took a special initiative of taking PM Modi to the Science Museum and Friendship Park, which was not in the itinerary.
"Gratitude to Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali for showing me glimpses of Ethiopian history and culture at the National Palace Museum in Addis Ababa. It was a powerful reminder of Ethiopia’s rich traditions," Modi said in a post on X.
The Nobel Peace Prize-winning Ethiopian PM’s special gestures show remarkable respect for Modi, sources said.
"Thank you Ethiopia for a welcome that was unforgettable. The Indian community showed remarkable warmth and affection. India-Ethiopia friendship is going to get even more robust in the times to come," Modi said.
When Modi arrived at the hotel, he was warmly welcomed by the members of the Indian community. Local artists performed dances. Some of them danced on the theme of the popular Hindi song 'Aisa Des Hai Mera' to welcome him.
On Wednesday, Modi will address the Joint Session of Parliament and share his thoughts on India's journey as the "Mother of Democracy" and the value that the India-Ethiopia partnership can bring to the Global South.
PM Modi arrived in Ethiopia from Jordan, where he held a one-on-one meeting with King Abdullah II at the Husseiniya Palace on Monday before the delegation-level talks.
India and Jordan also inked MoUs in the fields of culture, renewable energy, water management, digital public infrastructure and twinning arrangement between Petra and Ellora, aimed at giving a major boost to bilateral ties and friendship.
From Ethiopia, Modi will visit Oman on the final leg of this three-nation tour.
