Bangladeshi takes gold medal in computer science at South Asian University

Bangladeshis have received gold medals in computer science at the New Delhi-based South Asian University (SAU).

At the Third Convocation of the New Delhi-based South Asian University (SAU), Main Uddin of Bangladesh received a Gold Medal for his “outstanding academic performance’ in the MSc Computer Sciences programme.

With that, Main Uddin became the second Bangladeshi to have got the top award in computer sciences.

Niroshika Muhandiram was the only Sri Lankan national to have graduated from the New Delhi-based South Asian University (SAU) this year, but she walked away with the Gold Medal for her outstanding performance in the Master of Laws programme.

SAU had awarded its first set of PhD Degrees, along with 10 MPhil and 160 Masters degrees in the convocation this year.

A total of 176 students were conferred Masters, MPhil and PhD Degrees in various programmes that include Applied Mathematics, Biotechnology, Computer Science, Development Economics, International Relations, Legal Studies and Sociology.

Seven programme toppers were honoured with the SAU Gold Medal – one each from Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, and 5 from India.

Out of the total number of graduates, 21 were from Afghanistan, 17 from Bangladesh, 5 from Bhutan, 11 from Nepal, 5 from Pakistan and one each from Sri Lanka and France, while the rest, 99, are from India.

Ten students got their MPhil Degrees – two from Nepal, one from Bangladesh and 7 from India.

For the first time since its inception in 2010, the SAU handed out its PhD Degrees to 6 of its scholars - one each from Afghanistan and Bangladesh and 4 from India, representing various Departments and Faculties.

The convocation was presided over by Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, Minister for Education, Science and Technology, Government of Nepal.

COMPOSITION OF STUDENT POPULATION

As per SAU rules, 50 percent of the students should come SAARC countries other than India, and the remaining from India, the host country.

“We have been maintaining this ratio but there has been a shortfall of students from Bhutan, Maldives and Sri Lanka,” Dr Sasanka Perera, Vice President of SAU and Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences, told BDNews.com.

Himself a former Professor of Sociology from Colombo University in Sri Lanka, Dr Perera said that there has been a lack of initiative from the governments of the countries like Sri Lanka which send fewer students.

“We have been pushing the case for more applicants from these countries have made significant progress vis-à-vis Bhutan. From 5 or 6 applicants from Bhutan, a few years ago, it has now gone up to 120 and the number of Bhutanese admitted has gone up to 25, which is significant,” Dr Perera said.

Students have to sit for an entrance examination.

On Sri Lanka, Prof Perera said, he plans to visit the island soon to talk to university authorities and show them a promotional video he had made for a State broadcaster on the opportunities and prospects offered by SAU.  

Mandated to inculcate a sense of regional consciousness among the young minds of the South Asia region while imparting cutting-edge knowledge, South Asian University was established by the governments of the eight SAARC nations.

The university took off in 2010 with two Masters Degree Programmes. Today, SAU offers seven Masters and an equal number of Doctoral Programmes.

The Third Convocation at SAU was presided over by Giriraj Mani Pokhrel, minister for Education, Science and Technology, Government of Nepal. Among others who graced the occasion were Dr Vinay Sahasrabuddhe, president, ICCR and member of Rajya Sabha (Chief Guest) and Amjad Hussain B Sial, the secretary general of SAARC.

Speaking on the occasion, Pokhrel said: “South Asia has a common enemy called poverty and the young minds of the region should find ways and means to unleash the true potential of collective strength to transform the region through rapid economic growth and defeat this common enemy.”

SAARC Secretary General Amjad Hussain Sial said that with the knowledge and education that the graduates have acquired from the University will play an important role in the development of the South Asian countries and the region.

He also thanked the Government of India for allocating a 100 acre land in New Delhi and its magnanimous contribution for constructing the permanent campus of the university.

The construction of the permanent campus of the South Asian University is going on in Maidan Garhi in New Delhi.