Lumbini Buddhist University (LBU) has successfully conducted first and historic convocation on 29th April 2018, on the eve of 2562nd Buddha Jayanti in Lumbini. The convocation was chaired by the Prime Minister Rt. Hon. K. P. Oli, Chancellor of Lumbini Buddhist University and the Chief of Guest of Honor was Venerable Prof. Gellelle Sumanasirii Thero, the Vice Chancellor of Buddhist Pali University of Sri Lanka (BPUS). Altogether 126 graduands participated in the convocation, of which 20 students were conferred with Ph. D. Degree while 106 students were conferred with Master’s Degree in different streams of Buddhist Studies by the Chancellor and Prime Minister Rt. Hon. K. P. Oli. In the midst of the event, he awarded Sharada Bajracharya Memorial Prizes (cash prize) to Dr. Manik Ratna Shakya and Dr. Ajaya Kranti Shakya for their Ph. D. dissertations on Newar Buddhist Tradition. Similarly, he awarded Prof. Dr. Ranjana Bajracharya – Eng. Bhaktananda Bajracharya Gold Medal and Salt Trading Corporation Cash Prize to Mr. Ram Kumar Tamang who has secured highest marks in Master’s degree programs.
Prof. Dr. Naresh Man Bajracharya, the Vice Chancellor of LBU, while delivering the welcome speech presented a brief history of LBU and highlighted the progress made in expanding length and breadth of the academic programs of the university. At the same time, he also threw some light on the LBU Master Plan and ongoing infrastructure development activities along with planned infrastructure development projects. Finally, he expressed best wishes to all the graduates and urged to act for the betterment of country and people by putting into practice the teachings of the Buddha. Addressing the LBU graduates he emphasized having knowledge itself is not enough putting knowledge into practice with wisdom. He further urged the graduate students to be determined in putting the knowledge they accumulated into practice wisely for welfare and happiness of the larger number of people through generating the Bodhichitta.
The Chief Guest Prof. Dr. Gellelle Sumanasiri Thero, the Vice Chancellor of the Buddhist Pali University of Sri Lanka while delivering his keynote speech appreciated the Government of Nepal for establishing LBU at the sacred birthplace of Buddha to preserve and prosper Buddhism. He further added the establishment of the LBU is a milestone not only for the Buddhists in Nepal but also for the Buddhists all over the world. He further affirmed that the BPUS is inclined to support the LBU in every possible way. Concluding his keynote speech, the Venerable Thero reminded all the graduate that they must continue to nurture love and kindness for our world today with all its challenges because today’s world needs them more than ever before, wished them a prosperous and a glamorous future ahead!
Delivering convocation speech by Pro-Chancellor and Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Giriraj Mani Pokharel said stressed in developing LBU as a vibrant university that imparts teachings of Buddha, Buddhist philosophy and Buddhist canonical languages.