A degree marks the culmination of years of study, but for the Class of 2026, the learning at Somaiya Vidyavihar University has extended well beyond the boundaries of their chosen disciplines. At its 5th Convocation, the University conferred degrees on 3,279 graduates, comprising 1,598 undergraduate, 1,666 postgraduate and 15 doctoral graduates. The ceremony also recognised 75 Gold Medal and 71 Silver Medal recipients for academic achievement.
 |
Chancellor felicitating the Chief Guest
The ceremony was presided over by Vice Admiral Atul Anand, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd.), Former Additional Secretary, Department of Military Affairs, Ministry of Defence, Government of India, who served as the Chief Guest. Addressing the graduating class, he shared golden words of wisdom that the students would carry with them into the next chapter of their lives.
“Your compass is competence. Your anchor is character. Your sail is courage. And your course is guided by dharma. Somaiya Vidyavihar University has given you more than a professional education; it has given you the opportunity to encounter different disciplines. Carry that breadth with you. Do not become merely employable. Become useful. Do not become merely successful. Become significant. And do not ask only, ‘What can I get from India?’ Ask also, ‘What can I give to India?,” said Vice Admiral Atul Anand, PVSM, AVSM, VSM (Retd.).
Students at Somaiya Vidyavihar University have had opportunities to explore interests beyond their primary fields. Through initiatives like 120+ Basket Courses, more than 4,000 students have participated in credit-bearing courses spanning sports, literature, languages, nature, aesthetic arts, Indian knowledge systems and spiritual traditions. An engineering student can study Indian philosophy, while a commerce student can take swimming or yoga as part of the academic programme. Through the REACH Fellowship, students have also spent months in rural Maharashtra and Gujarat understanding local communities and developing community-led solutions around issues including water stewardship and sustainable development.
For others, learning has meant taking an idea from the classroom into the real world. Orion Racing India has developed more than 20 race cars and participated in over 30 national and international competitions, with successive student teams building on the work of those before them. The University’s 10+ research centres provide opportunities to work across areas including computational chemistry, biology, materials science, artificial intelligence and environmental research. Through riidl and BioRiidl, more than 380 entrepreneurs have been supported, with INR 198 crore in total investments facilitated. Beyond the classroom, students also pursue sports, with training across 22 sports. More than 10,000 students pursue sports, with over 3,500 representing the institution at district, state, national and international levels. This includes participation in events such as the FISU World University Squash Championship, where Somaiya students represented India at the international university level.
Together, these experiences reflect the University’s guiding philosophy, ज्ञानादेव तु कैवल्यम् — Knowledge Alone Liberates, and its approach to education, one that encourages students to think, explore and apply knowledge beyond the classroom.
The question of what students carry with them beyond their degrees was also central to the address by Samir Somaiya, Chancellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University. Speaking to the graduating class, he shared a traditional Sanskrit blessing that he felt captured some of the qualities he wished for them as they begin the next chapter of their lives.
“बुद्धिर्बलं यशोधैर्यं निर्भयत्वमरोगताम् । अजाड्यं वाक्पटुत्वं च हनुमत्स्मराणाद्भवेत् ॥ .” Explaining the blessing, he said, “May the Almighty give you wisdom; strength; patience; fearlessness; good health; alertness and clarity of thought; and eloquence in speech.”
He then spoke about the kind of education the University seeks to provide through three ideas: “We’ve always wanted to build what we call Pesha, Soch, aur Charitra, a fantastic skillset in your chosen field, a wide world of thinking, and strong character,” he said.
Prof. Ajay Kapoor, Vice-Chancellor, Somaiya Vidyavihar University, encouraged the graduating class to connect their abilities with a larger purpose. “Find something you are passionate about, something that is also your natural skill. Bring them together and solve society’s problems. Do something that society, humanity, people need today and tomorrow. The fundamentals are very simple: if you do something that people want, people will hold you in high esteem. They will need you. They will pay for what you are providing. That gives you a living and a very, very fulfilling life,” he said.
The thought extends the idea of education beyond choosing a profession. The years at university can help students recognise what they are good at, what gives them energy and where those abilities can have practical value.
He also placed this advice in the context of a rapidly changing world, where technology is altering how knowledge is accessed and used. “Artificial intelligence will give you all the knowledge, much faster, much better organised, on anything you desire. But it is the wisdom, the Gyan, that you have to develop,” he added.
For the 3,279 graduates of the Class of 2026, the 5th Convocation marks the close of one chapter and the beginning of another. They leave with their degrees, but also with the experiences, relationships and perspectives gathered along the way. Through these experiences, they truly embrace the meaning of Somaiya Vidyavihar University’s philosophy, ज्ञानादेव तु कैवल्यम् — Knowledge Alone Liberates. They now step into the world with the belief that what they have learned will shape their paths, help them become better individuals and contribute meaningfully to the world around them.
