Hyderabad: On a Sunday morning, students of Mahindra University came in for a last formal academic event, the convocation, before they became a part of the real world.
In a befitting manner, they got some advice from Mahindra Group chief and university Chancellor Anand Mahindra and Dr Reddy’s Laboratories co-chairman and managing director G.V. Prasad. They shared some life lessons with the students at the fourth annual convocation of Mahindra University. They wanted the young to pick up lessons from nature to create a future that is sustainable to themselves as well as the future generations.
“You are inheriting a world that feels unstable and unpredictable. You have grown up watching the financial crisis, pandemic, climate emergency, political polarisation and rapid technological disruption all happening in front of you in real time. These probably made you skeptical and less trusting of authority. But at the same time you have also grown up to be fluent in use of technology,” said Mahindra.
“You have to preserve what we have. At the same time, you have to do the hard work of creating the garden of the future. You have to plant the seeds, nurture it and the garden will bloom for everyone, even those who come into the world after you,” the Mahindra chief said at the convocation held at its campus in Bahadurpally on the city outskirts.
Prasad, head of DRL, chemical engineer and bird photography enthusiast, used the example of a flock of birds to drive home the point of teamwork, collaboration, knowledge sharing, safety and protection. “Be curious and constantly learning. Be a collaborator at work and learn to build communities and workplaces that break barriers with Innovation,” he said.
“Learning isn’t just about academics and work. It’s about being open to ideas, experiences and different perspectives. Those experiences help in making meaningful decisions in business as well as in life. Of course, you can learn from books, people, failures, and moments of deep reflection, Prasad said.
Gold medals were awarded to 21 graduating students and 943 students from engineering, management, law, and education schools along with 13 PhD scholars received their degrees.
