Sudha Murty chief guest at Anant National University 6th Convocation
�Anant National University hosted the 6th Convocation, conferring degrees on 293 students from the Bachelor of Design, Bachelor of Architecture, Master of Design and Anant Fellowship in Sustainability and Built Environment. Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri awardee, Member of Parliament – Rajya Sabha, Founder of Infosys Foundation, Chairperson of Murty Trust, author and philanthropist, Mrs Sudha Murty, was the Chief Guest. Mr Ajay Piramal, President, Anant National University, Dr Anunaya Chaubey, Provost, Anant National University, Dr Pramath Raj Sinha, Founding Provost, Anant National University and the members of the board were present during the convocation. Dr Swati Piramal, Vice Chairperson, Piramal Group, also attended the ceremony.
Mrs Murty, as the Founder Chair at the Infosys Foundation, embodies a design-driven, problem-solving ethos, a principle Anant National University champions. Her tireless dedication to healthcare, education, women’s empowerment and public hygiene has set benchmarks for social innovation and has been acknowledged with numerous awards. Recently nominated to the Rajya Sabha by the Hon’ble President of India, Mrs Murty continues to make strides in her impactful work.
Addressing Anant graduands during her convocation address, Mrs Murty called on Anant’s Class of 2024, “You are all creative individuals—creators, like Lord Brahma. Through design, you express your emotions and ideas. What truly stands out to me is how you connect with communities through your projects. In my experience, many young people today struggle to build meaningful connections, but that is not the case at Anant. This unique quality sets you apart.”
Mrs Murty also emphasised the importance of creativity as it remains the basic sign of progress and reminded the Anant students to continue being catalysts in changing the country through empathy and creativity.
She also shared that a few of Anant National University’s innovations impressed her, particularly ADEPT, Anant Design Entrance and Proficiency Test - the only multilingual design test in our country which breaks the language barrier and reaches out to creative youth, making design education more accessible.
Speaking on the occasion, Mr Ajay Piramal, President, Anant National University, said, “Anant is leading a design revolution by offering a world-class and affordable education that blends modern technology with traditional practices. We have remained committed to nurturing young minds through our DesignX approach, preparing them to address global challenges with creativity, innovation, inclusivity and impact. The achievements of this year have furthered our growth and impact, which is reflected in our vibrant community, which includes students, faculty and staff from over 300 cities across India and more than 30 countries.”
Congratulating the graduands, Dr Anunaya Chaubey, Provost, Anant National University, shared, “We want our students to cultivate creativity with a critical understanding of the world – not confined to traditional classrooms but through real-life experiences working with communities in real-time. Our mission is to prepare and empower solutionaries, keeping design thinking and community impact at the heart of our pedagogical interventions. Over the years, Anant has evolved a teaching and learning methodology which is learner-centric and not lecture-centric as we work towards shaping a just and equitable educational system.”
The ceremony also recognised 32 exceptional students across 10 categories spanning all programmes, including Academic Excellence, Outstanding Academic Performance, Best Innovation, Best Graduation Project, Best Thesis, Best Live-Action Project and Best Student.
For the Convocation Ceremony, the university campus transformed into a dynamic exhibition space, with galleries, auditoriums and studios displaying student projects, celebrating their journey of innovation and dedication.
In the past, convocations at Anant National University have been graced by Padma Vibhushan Shri B V Doshi, Padma Bhushan Shri N Chandrasekaran and Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu Shri R N Ravi.