Award Ceremony

67th Sylff Endowment received by Jadavpur University on November 12, 2003.

Venue: Raj Bhavan
Time: 5:30 pm

The programme was opened by the Project Director, Joyashree Roy, with her introduction welcome speech. Other than welcoming all the invitees, which included Vice Chancellors of the neighbouring universities, the Heads of department of Arts Faculty of Jadavpur University, the Deans of three faculties, and honoured guests from the Tokyo Foundation and the Nippon Foundation, Hon’ble Higher Education Minister, Prof. Satyasadhan Chakraborty, she spoke a few words of introduction about the Sylff programme and the unique opportunity it would give the students willing to pursue higher studies in areas of Social Science. In her speech she mentioned the proactive efforts of Jadavpur University in order to get the SYLFF Fellowship. She also went onto explain that Sylff programme desired to bring out and nourish the leadership potentialities among the students and therefore looked forward to creating young leaders who would grow with a broad outlook and think beyond their discipline and geographical boundaries. She ended her speech with a vote of thanks and a request for cooperation and a wish to see many more Sylff institutes in India.
The Vice Chancellor of Jadavpur University spoke about the extraordinary career of Mr. Sasakawa and his strong presence in the global scenario.

This was followed by a few words from the Hon’ble Higher Education Minister of West Bengal, Prof. Satyasadhan Chakroborty. He began by thanking the Nippon Foundation and Tokyo Foundation for standing by the students of West Bengal and lending them a helping hand. He kept emphasizing throughout his speech that it was not possible to mature intellectually in isolation and in the field of research Knowledge can be generated only when there is an interdisciplinary exchange of ideas. He pointed out that West Bengal is a pioneer state in the field of knowledge and research and that we can proudly boast of 5 Noble Laureates. His speech expressed the pride he took in his students and Universities and the rich tradition they stood for and the immense work they have been doing. Finally he thanked Tokyo Foundation and Nippon Foundation for including Jadavpur University in their Programme.

Then Mr. Sasakawa, President of the The Nippon Foundation was invited to speak a few words. He began by expressing his appreciation towards Jadavpur for arranging the programme. He charted out the history of the programme and pointed out that the field of overseas assistance has been active around the world for long. He also spoke in length about his involvement in the ‘Elimination of Leprosy Project’. He also spoke about his 3 earlier visits to India- to the states of Bihar, Madhya Pradesh and Orissa where he met the chief ministers and the health ministers with regard to his Leprosy programme. To him the biggest challenge was to be able to reach unreachable patients.

He spoke about the SYLFF award and addressed a hearty welcome to Jadavpur University as the receiver of the endowment. He pointed out that the Nippon Foundation doesn’t just give funds but helps in the process of building network and make the SYLFF scholars leaders in national and global level.

He went on to speak about Rabindranath Tagore the first Asian to be awarded the Noble Prize. He mentioned that Rabindranath Tagore had visited Japan four times and shared a great friendship with Japanese thinker Okokora. He feels that Japan and India shares a spiritual friendship and through such programmes it can build global ties.

After Mr. Sasakawa, His Excellency Viren J Shah welcomed the guests and said what a privilege it was to him to be associated with the programme. He commended Jadavpur University for its efforts, progress, development and contribution towards society and nation building. He thanked The Nippon Foundation for awarding Jadavpur University with the prestigious award which would help the university in further reaching out to the best and bright students intending to pursue higher studies. He believes that the socio economic empowerment of the poor and weak people of India could only be brought about by a dedicated and sensitive band of educated and motivated young people who are intellectually strong and morally upright and are willing to make a dent in the numerous socio–political problems of our country. He feels that a scholarship programme like SYLFF can make that happen and he closed his speech by offering his thanks to The Nippon Foundation for selecting Jadavpur University.

This was followed by a Press Conference and gifts were handed over between the Delegates to the Ministers. This was followed by tea and snacks after which all the guests were ushered into the Brown Room, where the Students and Staff put up a cultural show.

The Registrar of Jadavpur University recited a poem by Rabindranath Tagore in Bengali and also its English translated version. This was followed by a chorus sung by students of Jadavpur University. The last item of the cultural programme was theatre where students of the Jadavpur University English Department enacted the first act of Kalidasa’s Sakuntala.