Prime Minister Baburam Bhattarai has expressed concern over a rise in the brain drain and called on the students to put their skills and knowledge to use in the country.

Addressing the 17th convocation ceremony of the Kathmandu University (KU) on Sunday, the PM said preventing the flight of educated force has become a challenge to the country. Noting the peace process is nearing to its logical end, Bhattarai said the country needs skilled and educated workforce like never before.

“The country needs young, vibrant and talented youths like you,” he told the new batch of graduates. “Only skilled and educated youths can guide the country towards the path of economic independence.”

The prime minister, who is also the KU chancellor, urged the skilled youths to invest their talent and knowledge in the country and vowed to build a favourable atmosphere for that. At the event, 848 students were conferred degrees under the faculties of science (150), engineering (134), arts (179), education (53) and management (332).

Prime Minister Bhattarai awarded this year’s Chancellor Gold Medal to Thakur Prasad Bhusal for scoring the highest marks in the master’s degree. Elina Maskey and Nayan Shrestha received the Vice-Chancellor Gold Medal from the prime minister for securing the highest marks in the bachelor’s degree. Muktishanker Shrestha was awarded the Juddha Bahadur Shrestha Gold Medal, while Sarthak Karki got the Rana Bahadur Shah Gold Medal for scoring the highest marks in MBA.   

This year, nine students received their PhD. The KU conferred this year’s honourary doctorate on Karan Singh, former Indian central minister and member of the Indian National Congress Party. Singh, who has already received honourary doctorate titles from different universities in India, Japan and the US.

source: The Kathmandu Post, 6 Nov 2011