Nobel Laureate Takaaki Kajita Attends TU Convocation, Pays Courtesy Call on President Paudel

Kathmandu, — The 51st Convocation Ceremony of Tribhuvan University (TU) was successfully held today, marking a historic milestone as a Nobel Prize laureate served as the chief guest for the first time in the university’s history.

Japanese physicist and Nobel laureate Professor Takaaki Kajita, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize in Physics, attended the ceremony as the chief guest. Professor Kajita is currently affiliated with the University of Tokyo.

More than 16,300 students were conferred degrees at the ceremony, which took place amid extensive preparations by the university. According to TU Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr. Deepak Aryal, the university had completed all logistical arrangements in advance, including venue construction and seating management for graduates and their guardians.

A total of 89,191 students successfully completed their academic programs at the bachelor’s, master’s, MPhil, and PhD levels this year. Of them, 16,380 graduates formally applied to participate in the convocation ceremony. The event witnessed the presence of approximately 41,000 people, including students, parents, and invited guests.

Following the convocation, Professor Kajita, accompanied by senior university officials, paid a courtesy call on Right Honorable President Ram Chandra Paudel. The meeting highlighted academic cooperation, the importance of scientific research, and Nepal’s higher education development.

Later in the day, Professor Kajita also delivered a special lecture at the Central Department of Physics, inspiring students and faculty members with insights from his scientific journey and research in particle physics.

Vice-Chancellor Prof. Aryal described the day as historic and memorable for the university, stating that hosting a Nobel laureate as chief guest has elevated the institution’s academic stature and global recognition.