Around 30 nations represented at Brisbane graduation
Published on 11 February, 2008
Around 30 nations were represented when 125 CQU students gathered to celebrate their graduation at Brisbane's Sebel and Citigate Presidential Ballroom, on December 11.
Professor Sarva-Darman Singh
The ceremony included graduates from the Brisbane and Gold Coast campuses.
Chancellor Rennie Fritschy and Vice-Chancellor Professor John Rickard officiated and there was a guest speech by Professor Sarva-Darman Singh*.
Professor Singh espouses a firm belief in the oneness and indivisibility of humanity - a spiritual belief he intertwined with encouragement and affirmations for those on the quest for knowledge. He also reminded graduates of the responsibility the attainment of knowledge brings in a theme that resonated strongly with our University's dictum of "forever learning".
His inspirational address opened the doors of possibility to the attentive audience, and gave a unique perspective of the potential of an ethical application of knowledge. It was refreshing in a world of increasing commercialism and consumerism to hear an alternative view. That it was delivered by such an accomplished and highly educated individual gave the graduates confidence that their own futures could be one in which they made a difference.
Joanne Bowyer delivered the closing address on behalf of the graduates.
Professor Singh espouses a firm belief in the oneness and indivisibility of humanity
The Campus Director's Award for Leadership not only recognises outstanding academic achievement, but also includes contributions to community, capacity to act as mentor to others, ability to respond to challenge and a commitment to the value of cultural diversity.
*Professor Sarva-Darman Singh, B.A. (Hons), M.A., Ph.D. (London), Ph.D. (UQ Qld), F.R.A.S. (London), was born at Angai, India. He won many academic awards, including 5 gold medals, during the course of his educational career at the Universities of Lucknow and London. He has held three Professorial chairs; and taught at the University of Lucknow, India; Vikram University, Ujjain, India; the National Academy of Administration, Mussoorie, India; and the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia. He has been Professor of South and South-East Asian History at the Institute of Asian Studies, Brisbane, of which he has also been the Foundation Director, since 2000. He has been the Honorary Consul of India for Queensland since 2003.
He has lectured at universities and institutions in India , Sri Lanka, U.K., France, Germany, and the U.S., South Korea, Fiji, New Zealand and Australia. Under the auspices of the Institute of Asian Studies, Brisbane, he delivers a series of free public lectures on History, Religion, Art and Philosophy of South and South-East Asia every year. They have continued since they began , in the year 2000.
He has published a number of books as well as numerous research papers. He has also researched and published papers on the history of Indians in Fiji and Australia.
He delivered the inaugural lecture at the World Association for Vedic Studies, Lucknow University, on November 30, 2002, on The Tradition of Religious Tolerance in Indian Culture.
He gave the Presidential Address at the International Seminar on Indian Diasporic Experience: History, Culture and Identity, on the 22nd of December, 2002, at the North Gujarat University, Patan.
He was the President of the India Club of Queensland in 1974; Foundation President of the Indian Cultural Association (Queensland) in 1983-85; and Chairman of the Asian-Australia Action Committee, Queensland, in 1985-86.
He firmly believes in the oneness and indivisibility of humanity, in which alone we may find a vision of the Divine. That leaves no room for hatred, intolerance and violence.