At the 5th Convocation of HSNC University, Mumbai, Hon’ble Governor of Maharashtra and Chancellor of HSNC University, Jishnu Dev Varma; Provost Anil Harish; President, HSNC Board Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani; Vice Chancellor Col. Prof. Hemlata K. Bagla; IAS Dr. Prashant B. Narnaware, Secretary to Governor; Dr. Bhagwan Balani, Registrar, HSNC University; deans, principals, directors and officials came together to celebrate the graduating class of 2026 and to look beyond the degree towards the journey that lies ahead. At the heart of this year’s celebration were 45 gold medallists, recognised for outstanding academic achievement.
Governor Shri Jishnu Dev Varma gave that journey a memorable expression: “Dikshant is not Shikshant.” The message was simple, but profound. The completion of formal education is not the completion of learning. A degree may mark the end of a student’s time at University, but it cannot mark the end of curiosity, growth, discovery or contribution.
For a generation entering a world being transformed by artificial intelligence (AI), robotics, biotechnology, climate change and cyber-security, the distinction could hardly be more relevant.
In such a world, the Governor urged students to look beyond technical competence. “I often say that AI without compassion and empathy is meaningless,” he said, stressing that technological progress must be accompanied by ethics, values, health and social responsibility.
The degree is a milestone, not a destination
Drawing on Robert Frost’s evocative lines about having “miles to go before I sleep,” Governor Varma reminded the graduates that the road ahead would bring new opportunities, challenges and responsibilities. But his message went beyond careers. India needs not merely good professionals, he said, but good citizens and leaders of society. Leadership is not restricted to political office or formal positions of authority. Anyone who touches the lives of others and transforms them can be a leader. A degree, therefore, may open a door. It is character, continuous learning and the ability to contribute that determine where the journey goes next.
The Governor also reminded students that some of the most important lessons of University life are not found in textbooks: friendship, cooperation, tolerance, mutual respect, compassion and empathy. These are qualities that are experienced and lived and ultimately become part of the making of a leader.
Commending the University’s rapid growth, Governor Varma observed that the pace and scale of its progress were a reflection of the strength and vision of its leadership.
That journey, in many ways, mirrors the journey of HSNC University itself. Reflecting on that journey in her address, Vice Chancellor Col. Dr. Hemlata K. Bagla recalled how HSNC University was born in 2020 at an extraordinary moment in history, when the world was closing its doors during the pandemic, the University was opening the doors of a new institution. What began with three constituent colleges, H.R. College, K.C. College and Bombay Teachers’ Training College, has since grown into a vibrant, multidisciplinary University with eight constituent Colleges and eight professional Schools, spanning commerce, humanities, education, law, engineering, pharmacy, science, technology, management, performing arts, yoga and wellness, and interdisciplinary studies. But the expansion, she emphasised, is about far more than scale: the University is deepening its academic and research ecosystem, with new research centres in areas such as pharmacology, artificial intelligence and data science, recognised research guides and supervisors, research grants and travel support for faculty and students. Its innovation ecosystem is turning ideas into solutions, with students applying for 12 patents in two years, while international research collaborations, including work associated with the International Atomic Energy Agency, are strengthening its research culture.
For Dr. Bagla, the larger purpose of the University’s growth is to create opportunities, build capability and ensure that education extends beyond the classroom into society. But on this day, she emphasised that the spotlight is on the graduating students, their achievements and their milestone. As they stepped forward to begin their own journeys, she urged them to carry the spirit of HSNC University with them: curiosity in their minds, compassion in their hearts, courage in their decisions and Bharat in their consciousness. This, she said, was the DNA of HSNC University, a combination of knowledge, compassion, courage and a deep sense of responsibility that the graduates would now carry with them into the world. They were no longer simply students of HSNC University, but its true ambassadors, carrying its values, experiences and aspirations beyond its campuses.
Provost Anil Harish urged the graduates to keep climbing beyond the first peak, reminding them that careers can evolve, new opportunities can emerge and learning can take many forms. Quoting Alvin Toffler in “Future Shock”, he emphasised the importance of being able to learn, unlearn and relearn throughout life.
Anil Harish encouraged the graduating class to keep coming back to HSNC University, as learners, teachers, speakers, mentors and engaged alumni who can guide the generations that follow. His message extended the idea of lifelong learning into lifelong connection: the University’s relationship with its students should continue well beyond graduation, with alumni returning not only to benefit from the institution but also to give back to it. In this sense, the degree marks not a departure from the University, but the beginning of a different relationship with it.
For Dr. Niranjan Hiranandani, President, HSNC Board, the University’s next phase is about turning expansion into academic depth. From three constituent colleges at its inception, HSNC University has grown to eight, with new schools and disciplines widening its academic footprint.
Looking ahead, Dr. Hiranandani also outlined plans for a 20-acre campus at Alibaug, envisioned as a world-class academic ecosystem with contemporary learning spaces, advanced research facilities, technology-enabled classrooms, opportunities for innovation and entrepreneurship, sports infrastructure and an environment designed to foster interdisciplinary learning. The ambition, he said, is to create infrastructure that matches the aspirations of the next generation and enables HSNC University to compete with the finest institutions nationally and internationally. As Dr. Hiranandani observed, the first phase was about establishing the University. The present phase is about expanding and strengthening it. The next phase, he said, must be about creating an institution of global standards and national importance.
As the graduates left the Convocation stage, they carried more than a degree with them. They carried the experiences, friendships, values and lessons that will shape the journeys ahead. And HSNC University, too, moves forward, with a larger academic footprint, deeper ambitions and a growing generation of students ready to take those ambitions into the world. The 5th Convocation was a celebration of how far both have come and a reminder that the most important chapters are still to be written.
