President Droupadi Murmu will attend Gujarat Vidyapith’s 71st annual convocation as the Chief Guest on October 11 at 5 pm, on the university campus at Ashram Road, Ahmedabad.
Convocation postponed from June
The ceremony, originally scheduled for June, was delayed while awaiting confirmation from the President’s office. Traditionally, Gujarat Vidyapith—founded by Mahatma Gandhi in 1920—held its convocation on its foundation day, October 18. In recent years, the university shifted the event to Guru Purnima in June, a Hindu festival dedicated to honoring teachers, reflecting the institution’s Gandhian ethos of spiritual and ethical values.
Following confirmation from Rashtrapati Bhavan, the convocation now coincides with President Murmu’s Gujarat visit from October 9 to 11. It will also be the first time Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel attends the ceremony after recent administrative changes at the university.
Degrees for 713 students
This year, 713 students will receive their degrees, with 459 expected to attend in person. The batch includes 347 girls and 366 boys, and nine students will be awarded medals for academic excellence. Gujarat Vidyapith currently has 2,310 undergraduate and postgraduate students, including 120 from outside Gujarat (44 boys, 76 girls) and two international students.
A historic presidential tradition
President Murmu will be the tenth sitting President of India to attend a Vidyapith convocation. The first, Dr Rajendra Prasad—also the university’s Chancellor—attended four times. Other Presidents who have graced the event include Dr S. Radhakrishnan, Dr Zakir Husain, Giani Zail Singh, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma, and Pranab Mukherjee in 2015.
In total, seven Presidents have served as Chief Guests at Gujarat Vidyapith convocations, underscoring the university’s longstanding connection with national leadership and Gandhian ideals.