The Atal Incubation Center is the crowning glory of Sri Krishnadevaraya University as it effectively powers the state’s entrepreneurial ecosystem, said University Chancellor and Governor Biswa Bhusan Harichandan.
He delivered the 19th convocation address on Saturday virtually via a video link.
The governor said that Sri Krishnadevaraya University has an excellent track record of teaching, research and expansion and has been selected by the NITI Aayog to establish the prestigious Atal Incubation Center and is one of the few best universities in the country to to get the recognition.
For over four decades, the SKU has endeavored to achieve the goal of promoting equity, accessibility, quality and accountability in higher education in order to eradicate the backwardness of the Rayalaseema region and bring about social and economic change, the governor said.
Vice Chancellor M. Rama Krishna Reddy briefly presented the development activities on campus.
Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) chairman G. Satheesh Reddy received an honorary doctorate from afar.
In his keynote address, he said India is striving to become the leading exporter of defense equipment by encouraging the establishment of defense equipment manufacturing units in the private sector.
Mr. Satheesh Reddy, Secretary of the Ministry of Defense, Research and Development, shared his association with the SKU while studying at JNTU-Anantapur.
Mr Satheesh Reddy said the country has made rapid advances in technology development.
India was the 4th nation to demonstrate its skills in ballistic missile technology. It had demonstrated its abilities in space exploration by sending a number of satellites over its own spacecraft such as the PSLV and GSLV, as well as Mars Mission, Chandrayan and the proposed Gaganyan for a manned mission to the moon. He said the DRDO had developed 75 products to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.
Educational reforms
Education Minister A. Suresh, who attended as a special guest, said the state had implemented several reforms and welfare systems in the education sector that enabled students from BPL families to pursue higher education.
The government had allocated 13,000 crore, 18% of the budget, to the education sector (3% of the GSDP).