In a remarkable testament to lifelong learning, 97-year-old Vinayak Pande is poised to become one of the oldest individuals in India, and potentially the world, to receive a Doctor of Literature (DLitt) degree. The Nagpur University alumnus will be honored at the institution's 113th convocation ceremony.
A Prestigious Honor After a Decade-Long Wait
The formal conferral of the DLitt in Economics will take place on January 9 at the National Fire Service College in Raj Nagar. Due to health reasons and medical advice against travel, Pande, who currently resides with his younger son in Bengaluru's Indira Nagar, will not attend in person. A relative will accept the prestigious degree on his behalf.
His journey to this accolade was arduous. Pande submitted his thesis titled "Global Economic Recession" in 2014. However, the path to evaluation was marred by significant delays, administrative hurdles, and periods of silence from the university, compounded by vacant vice-chancellor positions. "I had to write to the governor, who is the chancellor, explaining everything," Pande revealed. Following the chancellor's intervention, his viva voce examination was finally conducted in 2024, with the formal notification arriving in late 2025.
A Life Dedicated to Academia and Global Policy
Born on March 6, 1929, in Akola, Vinayak Pande's academic roots are in the Vidarbha region. After schooling in Akola, he attended the then-fledgling GS College of Commerce in Wardha. He began his teaching career as a lecturer in 1951 at People's College in Nanded after earning a BCom and later an MA in Economics from Nagpur University.
His career, however, extended far beyond the classroom. Pande served in various Indian government institutions, including the National Council of Educational Research, and later held professorships in Bhubaneswar and at the Indian Institute of Foreign Trade (IIFT) in New Delhi. His role involved analyzing global economic trends to identify opportunities for India.
In 1975, he achieved a rare distinction by being appointed as an adviser to the European Union, assisting in shaping what would become the European Common Market. The EU deputed him to South America to study common market systems, a mission he paralleled by assessing the region's untapped trade potential for India. His subsequent report highlighted the lack of substantive trade between India and South America, leading the Indian government to entrust him with focused research on the region for 17 years.
Research Knows No Age
Even after retiring from IIFT in 1992, Pande was retained as a consultant during India's economic reform years. Reflecting on his latest academic achievement, he stated, "I have always believed research has no retirement age." He humorously added that his doctors advised against traveling to the convocation, joking, "if you want to stay alive, don't travel."
University officials noted that the current Guinness World Record for the oldest doctorate recipient is held by Emeritus Professor Heinz Wenderoth, who received a Doctor of Science in 2008 at age 97. Pande's achievement places him in this rare global cohort of scholars honored at an advanced age.
Now living with his son Makrand, a retired banker, Pande remains intellectually active. His elder son, Milind, is a doctor based in the UK. "I did not chase this degree," Pande concluded. "Research is my habit. I did it all my life." His story stands as a powerful inspiration, proving that the pursuit of knowledge has no expiry date.
