Vice President Dhankhar to skip MS University Vadodara convocation

Vadodara: Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will not attend the convocation ceremony of Vadodara’s Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) as the Chief Guest, scheduled for December 29th. This decision follows the Centre’s announcement of a seven-day state mourning from December 26, 2024, to January 1, 2025, after the demise of former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on December 26, 2024, at AIIMS Hospital in New Delhi.

During this mourning period, the National Flag will be flown at half-mast at all locations where it is customarily displayed, and all official entertainment will be suspended. Consequently, the Vice President will not attend the 73rd convocation of the university.

The long-awaited convocation, which typically occurs in September, has been delayed to December due to the Vice Chancellor’s extended wait for an unnamed dignitary to serve as the chief guest. Last week, Vadodara MP Dr. Hemang Joshi met with the Vice President and invited him to the event. The Vice President’s office granted approval on Monday, but due to the national mourning, the Vice President will not attend.

Around 9,000 out of 13,500 students who will be awarded degrees have confirmed their physical presence. The university will also confer 325 gold medals to 195 students. DeshGujarat