At the first convocation ceremony of NICMAR University, a strong emphasis was placed on the importance of integrity, perseverance, and learning from failures as essential traits for self-development and the growth of innovative technologies. Ajit Gulabchand, Chairman of NICMAR’s Board of Trustees and Head of HCC Limited, addressed the graduating students, advising them to view failures not as setbacks but as stepping stones to success.
With over 790 students graduating from various programmes, the ceremony highlighted NICMAR’s role in shaping future leaders for India’s infrastructure and real estate sectors. NICMAR University President Dr Anil Kashyap, Vice-Chancellor Dr Sushma S Kulkarni, Registrar Dr Prashant Dave, Controller of Examinations Dr Adinath Damale, and School Deans Dr Smitha Yadav, Dr Devang Desai, Dr Sagar Malsane, Dr Harish Singla, and others were present on the occasion.
During his speech, Gulabchand said, “You must have a good objective. Then, you must find an agent, which could be yourself, to carry out that objective. You need a variety of strategies to execute that objective successfully and deploy various tools to achieve it. Which management guru said this in terms of getting a project underway? This is what Krishna told Arjuna at the beginning of the Mahabharata War. It is in the Bhagavad Gita.”
He further stated, “Integrity is a characteristic, a virtue you need to develop, cultivate, and follow. Integrity allows you to create trust and build teams that rely on you. Integrity helps you to take ownership of tasks because you feel you owe it to improvements that should be made. Excellence in pursuit comes from integrity and commitment to doing things well. These are all traits you need to build a successful career. And if your career is not initially successful, get up from your failure and try again until you succeed. Integrity will lead you to excellence. Everything follows from this, and this is what you need to pursue when you leave here.”
Kashyap added, “NICMAR is not only an institution but a vision planted in 1983 by top industrialists of this country. As we stand here, NICMAR University of Construction Studies in Hyderabad has been operational since this academic year. Alongside that, NICMAR Construction Business School on the NCR campus, offering the PGM programme, is also operational this year. This means that NICMAR is now recognised for producing employment-ready graduates with academic and research rigour. Our vision is to become a global university with a difference. We want to embrace enterprising values and produce industry-ready graduates for a responsible built environment.”
“Students, your time at NICMAR University, Pune, may have ended unless you return for a PhD, but the real journey starts now in the profession. You are well prepared for the challenges ahead, and I am confident in your abilities. You now possess a unique combination of leadership and technical skills that will help you manage challenging projects, lead teams, and drive innovation. We see you as game-changers and torchbearers of the NICMAR family,” Kashyap said.
