Your Excellency, President of India, and Visitor, Mizoram University, Shri Pranab Mukherji, 

Hon'ble, Governor of Mizoram and Chief Rector, Mizoram University, Shri Keshari" nath Tripathi-ji,

Hon'ble Ministers,

Vice Chancellor, Mizoram University, Prof. R. LalthanTluanga,

Distinguished guests,

Faculty, staff and students of Mizoram University,

Parents and families of our students, Ladies and gentlemen,

Today is not a day for making speeches as we can see from the programme.

I am delighted to attend the 10^th Convocation of Mizoram University today. I thanked the President of India for his benign presence on this auspicious occasion. His Excellency, the President of India has a demanding schedule. His presence amongst us today is testimony of his commitment to education in India for the future destiny of this great Country. 

I am also happy to greet the Hon'ble Governor of Mizoram, Shri Kesharo Nath Tripathi. (We have the dubious distinction of having the most number of Governors in recent times!!)

Members of the faculty, thank you for the opportunity to be with you today.

Today, I join and thank the families of the graduating classes. With their love, hard work, and sacrifice, they have helped create the next generation of leaders.

My congratulations to all those passing out today. I am honored by your invitation to be at your convocation.

I share the joy and pride of everyone associated with the achievements of Mizoram University's new graduates.

We have high expectations from you. May you bring reason, and hope to all whom you work with in your professional and personal lives, and may you find your work deeply rewarding.

We all know Mizoram is high in literacy percentage. We must take this advantage to a new level - our human resource, the knowledge and skills should be put to good use to drive the economy. All societies, it has become clear, must invest in higher education for their talented men and women or risk being relegated to subordinate, vulnerable positions in the world.

Towards this, the University must strive to expand its research programmes. The true sign of maturity and excellence in a University is its ability to contribute to the knowledge of mankind, in its own society and beyond. It is equally essential that its faculty be challenged, as a matter of University policy, to expand the boundaries of human knowledge.

MZU must pledge its energies and imagination to advancing effective public policy. 

I am sure that in due course, more Centres of Learning will be developed. When this happens, MZU will be a most exciting innovation: a genuinely international, inter-cultural university, exchanging students ' and faculty among/ campuses that share -a-Gemmon goal of intellectual excellence. 

My great hope and prayer is that, in times to come, Mizoram University will be one of the Universities in the Country that are on the frontiers of scientific and humanistic knowledge, radiating intelligence and confidence.

All of you will now begin to build a reputation in your field to help ensure a better future for our State and Country. We need you to build a new prosperity for the 21st Century.

In conclusion, I want you to know that you have responsibilities, to use your talents for the benefit of the society.

Thank you.

Lal Thanhawla