Kolkata: Calcutta University on Tuesday held its first senate meeting in five years to discuss the names for the convocation ceremony, scheduled to be held on March 23. Computer scientist Vijay Pandurang Bhatkar’s name was proposed for a DSc (Honoris causa), while that of contemporary Bengali poet Ranajit Das and Father Thomas Chathamparampil were proposed for a DLitt (Honoris causa).The senate, CU’s highest decision-making body for events, such as conducting the convocation, had last met in 2020 before CU’s convocation. The senate has since been reconstituted with five new nominees, sent by Raj Bhavan.Bhatkar, an Indian computer scientist, IT leader, educationist, and best known as the ‘architect of India’s national initiative in supercomputing’, has received Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards. He is also the founder and executive director of the Centre for Development of Advanced Computing. Das is a poet and educationist Fr Chathamparampil is the former vice-chancellor of Christ University.The names for the recipients of 10 medals were also finalised at the senate meeting and the list will be sent to governor-chancellor C V Ananda Bose for final approval.CU’s convocation is planned to be held at the centenary auditorium, marking its return to the College Street campus after a gap of six years. The 2019 and 2020 convocations were held at Nazrul Mancha. A total of 1,106 PhD certificates will be awarded this year.
