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“India is standing at the cusp of reclaiming its rightful glory, marking its remarkable place as the fourth largest economy and emerging as a global digital powerhouse,” said Justice Dinesh Maheshwari, Chairperson of the Law Commission of India and former Judge of the Supreme Court. He was delivering the convocation address at the 9th Convocation of the Central University of Karnataka (CUK) held at the university’s multipurpose hall near Kadaganchi on Saturday (November 8, 2025). Justice Maheshwari urged graduates to use their education for the greater good while remaining anchored in the nation’s civilisational values. “The journey ahead will be filled with manifold possibilities. However, your expansion must always be anchored in purpose and values,” he told students, reminding them that every degree comes with a moral responsibility. Speaking about the digital era, he observed that the greatest tool the graduates can possess in the digital age is not their degrees, but their discernment — the ability to understand the values of sharing, and to know what, how much, and when to share. “In a world of Artificial Intelligence, be the people who demonstrate authentic intelligence, infused with ancient insights,” he said. Highlighting the challenges of information overload, Justice Maheshwari said the true mark of intelligence has shifted from ‘how much you know’ to ‘how deeply you question’ as the availability of, and accessibility to, information have increased. Reminding the graduates of their constitutional duties, Justice Maheshwari noted that the most significant fundamental duty is the one that asks citizens to cultivate the triad of the spirit of inquiry, reform and scientific temper, grounded in humanism. Appreciating Karnataka’s rich intellectual and cultural legacy, he remarked, it had always been quietly radical. “Karnataka gave the world ‘zero’ and now gives the world AI engineers,” he said. The convocation was presided over by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Battu Satyanarayana, who presented a report on the progress of the university and delivered the presidential address. Controller of Examinations Kota Sai Krishna and Registrar R.R. Biradar were present. The event began with an academic procession, followed by Vande Mataram and Nada Geethe, and felicitation of dignitaries. A total of 756 students from more than 25 departments received degrees, including 18 PhDs and one MPhil. Of the 628 students who had applied for the convocation, 487 attended in person while 141 received degrees in absentia. Twenty-seven students who secured first rank in their respective courses were honoured with gold medals. Siva Sahithi Somisetty, who won a gold medal in B.Tech (Electronics and Communication Engineering), also received the Prof. A.M. Pathan Gold Medal for being the highest scorer across all departments.
