Presidency University Chancellor Nissar Ahmed to be awarded D.Lit by Bengaluru City University
Bengaluru: Nissar Ahmed, Chancellor of Presidency University and Co-founder and Chairman of the Presidency Group of Institutions (PGI Group), will be awarded an honorary doctorate during the 2nd annual convocation of Bengaluru City University, said Vice-chancellor Lingaraja Gandhi.
The Doctor of Letters (D.Lit) degree will be conferred on Nissar Ahmed, who is a native of Mangaluru, during the convocation ceremony to be held at the ‘Jnana Jyoti’ auditorium of the University on Monday, July 10. Governor of Karnataka and Chancellor of the Bengaluru City University Thawar Chand Gehlot will preside over the program. Renowned cardiologist and director of the Sri Jayadeva Institute of Cardiovascular Sciences and Research Dr CN Manjunath will be the chief guest and deliver the convocational address.
Minister for Higher Education and Pro-chancellor of the University Dr. MC Sudhakar will be present at the event.
Nissar Ahmed is an entrepreneur and philanthropist who has contributed greatly as an educationist. He began his journey in the field in 1976, co-founding the PGI Group with his late uncle Abdul Hameed. The untimely demise of his uncle, however, forced Nissar Ahmed to take charge of the Institute single-handedly, at the age of 24 years. Since then till now, the PGI Group has grown from having a single school to owning seven schools, a college as well as a university with over 16,000 students. Also, since its inception, the PGI Group has been contributing greatly to the holistic development of education provided in the state.
The schools of the PGI Group are situated in Bengaluru and Mangaluru, and offer education under both ICSE and CBSE syllabus. The two PU colleges are at Hebbal and JP Nagar in Bengaluru. The Presidency College, which is affiliated to the Bengaluru University, offers undergraduate and post-graduate courses.
As a philanthropist, Nissar Ahmed has contributed to institutional social responsibility by taking welfare measures through the Presidency Foundation, including the NSS Cell and the Rotary Club. He undertook several public development works and organized charitable programs and health camps at villages near Bengaluru. Nissar Ahmed also helped the people greatly through his financial contributions during the pandemic.
He has been honoured with several awards and also titles so far, in recognition of his contribution to the field of education. His name was listed among the 50 leading ‘Edupreneurs’ in India by Education World – 2013; the PGI Group was bestowed with the title of ‘Most Promising Education Institute 2013-2014’ by Lord Swaraj Paul, Member of House of Lords, UK Parliament, in 2014; Nissar Ahmed was recognized as ‘The Doyen - Guardian of Knowledge’ for his exemplary contribution to education in Karnataka by the Hindu Group in 2017; he was also the recipient of the ‘Lifetime Achievement Award in Education Leadership’ by Education World Magazine in 2019.
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UDF leaders see local body poll trends as pointer to 2026 Assembly elections in Kerala
Thiruvananthapuram (PTI): Buoyed by the strong performance of the Congress-led UDF in the local body polls, KPCC president Sunny Joseph said on Saturday that the front's results indicated the people had rejected the LDF government.
According to early trends, the UDF was leading in more grama panchayats, block panchayats, municipalities and corporations than the LDF.
The local body polls were held in two phases in the state earlier this week.
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Speaking to reporters here, Joseph said the people of Kerala had extended their support to the UDF.
"We could expose the LDF government’s anti-people stance and the people understood it. The LDF’s fake propaganda was rejected by the people. The UDF is moving towards a historic victory," he said.
He said a united effort, proper preparations, good candidate selection and hard work had resulted in the Congress and the UDF’s victory in the elections.
Asked about the prospects in the Thiruvananthapuram Corporation, Joseph said the party was studying the matter and would comment later.
LDF convenor T P Ramakrishnan said the results would be closely examined.
According to him, the government had done everything possible for the people.
"Why such a verdict happened will be examined at the micro level. People’s opinion will be considered and further steps will be taken," he said.
He added that decisions would be taken after analysing the results. "If any corrective measures are required, we will initiate them and move forward," he said.
AICC leader K C Venugopal said the results showed that people had begun ousting those who, he alleged, were responsible for the loss of gold at Lord Ayyappa’s temple.
"This trend will continue in the Assembly elections as well. It is an indication that the people are ready to bring down the LDF government," he said.
Venugopal said the UDF had registered victories even in CPI(M) and LDF strongholds.
"I congratulate all UDF workers for their hard work. Congress workers and leaders worked unitedly," he said.
Referring to remarks made by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan against the Congress on polling day, Venugopal said the voters had responded through the verdict.
"I do not know whether the chief minister understands that the people are against him. Otherwise, he does not know the sentiment of the people. The state government cannot move an inch further," he said.
He said the results indicated a strong comeback for the UDF in Kerala.
Asked whether the Sabarimala gold loss issue had affected the LDF in the local polls, Venugopal said the CM and the CPI(M) state secretary did not take the issue seriously.
"We took a strong stand on the matter. The BJP played a foul game in it," he alleged.
On the BJP's role in the local body elections, Venugopal alleged that the party operated with the CPI(M) 's tacit support.
"The CPI(M) supported the central government on issues such as PM-SHRI, labour codes and corruption in national highway construction. The CPI(M) is facing ideological decline, and the state government’s policies are against the party’s own decisions," he said.
Meanwhile, LDF ally Kerala Congress (M) leader Jose K Mani said the party could not win all the wards it had expected in the elections.
He congratulated winners from all parties and said the party would closely examine the losses and identify shortcomings. "Later, we will take corrective measures," he added.
Senior Congress leader and MP Rajmohan Unnithan said the trends in the local body elections indicated that the UDF would return to power in the 2026 Assembly elections.
"We will win 111 seats as in 1977 and return to power in 2026. The anti-government sentiment of the people is reflected in the elections," he said.
Unnithan said the people were disturbed and unhappy with the present government.
"The trend indicates the end of the LDF government," he added.
CPI(M) MLA M M Mani said the people had shown ingratitude towards the LDF despite benefiting from welfare schemes.
"After receiving all welfare schemes and living comfortably, people voted against us due to some temporary sentiments. Is that not ingratitude," he asked.
Mani said no such welfare initiatives had taken place in Kerala earlier.
"People are receiving pensions and have enough to eat. Even after getting all this, they voted against us. This is what can be called ingratitude," he said.
Muslim League state president Panakkad Sayyid Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal said the results were beyond expectations.
"The outcome points towards the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, indicating that a change of government is imminent. We are going to win the Assembly election," he said.
