85-Year-Old Graduate and Prison Inmates Honored at IGNOU Nagpur Convocation
The 39th convocation of the Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) Regional Centre in Nagpur celebrated academic achievement across generations and circumstances on Tuesday. A total of 1,373 graduates received their degrees during the ceremony held at Hislop College, with remarkable stories highlighting the power of education.
Lifelong Learning Exemplified by 85-Year-Old Graduate
Digambar Alsi, an 85-year-old former general manager of an electrical company, received his MA in Development Studies degree, demonstrating that learning knows no age limits. Alsi has already completed five different programmes from IGNOU's Nagpur centre alone. In total, he now holds an impressive collection of 28 degrees, including 19 from Nagpur University, 5 from IGNOU, and 4 from other educational institutions.
Prison Education Initiatives Bear Fruit
The convocation also recognized the educational achievements of incarcerated individuals. Two learners each from Nagpur Central Prison and Amravati Central Prison study centres received certificates in Food and Nutrition courses. According to Laxman Kumarwad, Regional Director of IGNOU Regional Centre Nagpur, prisoners receive a 90-day concession for each degree they complete, encouraging continued education behind bars.
Currently, 97 prisoners are enrolled in various IGNOU programmes, with 58 from Nagpur Central Prison and 39 from Amravati Central Prison actively pursuing their educational goals. This initiative underscores IGNOU's commitment to making education accessible to all segments of society.
Nationwide Celebration of Learning
The Nagpur ceremony was part of a larger nationwide event where over 3.24 lakh learners received degrees across India. Vice-President CP Radhakrishnan attended the main convocation function in New Delhi, emphasizing the national significance of open and distance learning in India's educational landscape.
Special Recognition and Inspirational Messages
The convocation also honored four divyang (differently-abled) students among the graduates. Bhimaraya Metri, Director of the Indian Institute of Management Nagpur, served as the guest of honor and highlighted IGNOU's crucial role in expanding educational access, particularly in the Vidarbha and Marathwada regions.
Metri also spoke about India's growing global stature, projecting that the country is expected to surpass a GDP of $5 trillion by 2026-27. He shared an inspirational message for the graduates: "A leader is one who thinks the unthinkable, achieves the unachievable, and sees the invisible."
The event showcased how IGNOU continues to break barriers in education, serving diverse learners from octogenarians to incarcerated individuals, and reinforcing the transformative power of knowledge across all walks of life.
