RBU can play important role in preserving India's culture: Guv

Rabindra Bharati University (RBU) can play an important role in preserving India's culture and heritage, Governor Keshari Nath Tripathi, who is also the varsity's chancellor, said today.

Addressing the 43rd convocation of the institute on the Jorasanko campus, Tripathi said, the university, which received 'Grade A' accreditation from NAAC (National Assessment and Accreditation Council) in 2016, has the "potential to become a centre of excellence".

"RBU can play a significant role in maintaining India's cultural diplomacy with other countries. It has scholars from South-East Asian countries, including Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, as faculty members," he said.

Stressing on the importance of adopting modern technologies for the overall development of the students, the governor said digitisation is need of the hour, but the youth "should not forget their past while embracing changes".

The university, built at the ancestral place of Rabindranath Tagore, is a leading light in liberal arts, fine arts, humanities and social sciences, Furqan Qamar, the secretary general of the Association of Indian Universities, said.

The state universities and their affiliated colleges account for over 80 per cent of the total enrolment in higher education, Qamar, who was also the guest of honour on the occasion, said in his address.

Vice-Chancellor of RBU, Sabyasachi Basu Raychaudhury, said the university has fully utilised the grant of Rs 12 crore it received from the UGC under the 12th five-year plan.

Three eminent personalities - painter Jatin Das, writer Nabaneeta Dev Sen and vocalist Pandit Amiya Ranjan Bandyopadhyay - were conferred D Litt (honoris causa) on this occasion.

Altogether, 95 scholars received their Ph.D degrees at the convocation.