A total of 394 degrees were conferred upon graduating students (2018-19 to 2023-24) from the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology (COAET) as well as the College of Community Science (COCS), during the prestigious joint Convocation and Prize Distribution Function-2025, held at Dr Manmohan Singh Auditorium, Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), today. A Gold Medal recipient in agricultural engineering (1959) from PAU’s COAET, Dr Manjeet Singh Chinnan, Professor Emeritus, University of Georgia, USA, was the chief guest, while Dr Satbir Singh Gosal, Vice-Chancellor of PAU, presided over the convocation. Dr Chinnan was accompanied by his wife, Dr (Mrs) Lata Mahajan Chinnan, also an alumna of PAU.
The students of B.Tech Agricultural Engineering, B.Sc (Hons.) H.Sc/C.Sc, B.Sc (Hons.) Nutrition and Dietetics, and B.Sc (Hons.) Fashion Designing were awarded degrees, gold medals, medals, prizes, awards and running trophies. Besides, the students of B.Sc (Hons.) Interior Designing were also feted with the gold medals and medals.
In his convocation address, Dr Chinnan congratulated the degree holders and award, medal and prize-winning students for achieving distinction in the pursuit of academics. He said, “Convocation is a not an ordinary day; it is a momentous occasion, a life changing event, marking the culmination of a phase of learning. It is a moment of great bliss and fulfilment which brings in an element of delight and accomplishment.”
Further addressing the agricultural engineering graduates, he stated, “You are not merely engineers; you are the guardians of food security; architects of rural prosperity; and catalysts of a digital agricultural revolution.” Dr Chinnan lauded the ranking of COAET as no. one in India, fourth in Asia and 17th at global level as per EduRank ratings 2025.
Elaborating, Dr Chinnan hailed the COCS’s rich legacy of excellence, dedication and service, contributing immensely to the well-being of the families, communities and the society at large. Voicing concern over gender inequality, he underlined the need for sensitization of men to gender issues for which “Community Science has paid and can pay a great service to the society.”
Referring to the challenges of making a shift from nutritional security to environmental sustainability and from gender equity to digital inclusion, Dr Chinnan called upon the youth to embrace opportunities, be bold, take risks and do not be scared of failures because many great accomplishments and breakthroughs come from those who have pushed the boundaries and learnt from their mistakes. Abbreviating Passion, Attitude and Unwavering as ‘PAU,’ Dr Chinnan urged the degree recipients to carry forward the legacy of this institute with pride.
Presenting the convocation report of COAET, Professor Manjeet Singh, Dean, College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, said that the College was achieving excellence by building robust industry-institution partnerships, introducing innovative academic programmes and establishing cutting-edge laboratories to cultivate a tech-ready workforce. With a strong focus on IoT-AI platforms, the College was dedicated to transforming conventional agriculture into smart, modern agriculture, making it digitally empowered, he informed.
Dr Kiran Bains, Dean, College of Community Science, remarked that the College was at the forefront of the Community Science education and research, aiming at community development through capacity building and entrepreneurial skills. The latest ICT approaches will be adopted and implemented for the wider coverage and benefit of rural clientele, she added, saying that the ultimate goal was to create a progressive society through holistic well-being.
Later, Dr Gosal honoured Dr Chinnan with a shawl and memento. Dr Gosal and both the deans also extended heartfelt congratulations to the degree holders and medal as well as award-winning students for completion of their degree programmes and achieving excellence in their respective subjects.