Photo feature: Why this convocation ceremony in Ahmedabad is unique in the world?

Gandhinagar, 18 October, 2011

So how is Ahmedabad based Gujarat Vidyapith’s convocation ceremony is different than similar ceremonies in other universities or colleges?

Well, you might have already some idea by looking at the pictures above. But the details are finer.

Here in Gujarat Vidyapith the students sit on floor(not on chairs)wearing khadi cloths and khadi topis known as Gandhi topi. Girls don’t wear Gandhi topi but they wear white Khadi sarees. This is regular dress code for every convocation ceremony here.

In Gujarat Vidyapith, it is compulsory for students to produce Khadi by rotating charkha everyday in prayer meeting. The students deposit khadi that they produce into a big bowl during the convocation ceremony. An exhibition of charkha, relevant photographs etc is held on the sideline of the main ceremony.

Convocation ceremony begins with prayer and during prayer, or even during speeches, those on stage keep on making khadi using charkha. Most of the speeches are delivered in local or national language.

Gujarat Vidyapith was established by Mahatma Gandhi. Legends like Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel, Dr. Rajendra Prasad were some of the succeeding Chancellors of this institute. Present Chancellor Shri Narayan Desai is son of Mahatma Gandhi’s personal secretary late Shri Mahadev Desai.

The students of Gujarat Vidyapith are not allowed to keep mobile phone with them in the campus. There are many other rules like this that make this campus distinct. There are some foreign students also in Gujarat Vidyapith, and they too follow all rules willingly.