‘I Am Not Baba Bageshwar’: PM Modi Draws Laughter At IIT Delhi Convocation

Prime Minister Narendra Modi drew laughter and applause during IIT Delhi’s convocation ceremony on Saturday with a light-hearted reference to Baba Bageshwar while discussing the thoughts, ambitions and future plans of graduating students.

Addressing the gathering, PM Modi said he was not Baba Bageshwar but could imagine what might be going through the students’ minds. He suggested that some graduates would be thinking about their future careers and salaries, while others might be preparing to move to new cities or establish start-ups.

Despite choosing different professional paths and pursuing individual dreams, the graduates would share the satisfaction of reflecting on their academic journey from orientation to convocation, he said.

PM Modi encouraged them to cherish the special occasion and remember the people who supported them during their time at the institute.

Baba Bageshwar, whose name is Dhirendra Krishna Shastri, is the head priest of the Bageshwar Dham Temple in Madhya Pradesh’s Chhatarpur district. He attracts large gatherings for his spiritual discourses and ‘divya darbars’.

IIT Delhi awarded degrees to more than 3,000 students, including 587 PhD scholars, during the ceremony.

PM Modi congratulated the graduates and wished them success in their future endeavours.

The Prime Minister said he felt as proud of the students as their families did. He added that they were not merely receiving degrees but carrying forward their dreams of contributing to India’s development.

PM Modi also presented prestigious academic honours to meritorious students and urged graduates to remain grateful to their friends, teachers and support staff.

During the event, the Prime Minister virtually inaugurated Param Pragya, an AI-powered high-performance supercomputing facility at IIT Delhi’s Sonipat campus.

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