Gauri Kirloskar urges graduates to define their own success

Pune: Gauri Kirloskar, Vice Chairperson and Managing Director of Kirloskar Oil Engines Limited, urged graduating students to build credibility, take ownership of their decisions, and not measure self-worth merely through titles or financial success. She was speaking as the Chief Guest at the 8th Convocation Ceremony of Vishwakarma University, Pune, held on Friday at the university campus.The university conferred degrees upon graduating students across various faculties during the ceremony. Addressing the batch of 2026, Gauri Kirloskar said, “Do not feel pressured to have your entire life mapped out today. Careers evolve, circumstances change, and sometimes the most meaningful opportunities are the ones we could never have anticipated. Be ambitious, but remain curious. Have confidence, but retain the strength to be humble. Most importantly, do not measure your self-worth entirely through titles, recognition or financial success.”Reflecting on the true essence of achievement, she added, “Over the time, I have come to believe that a meaningful life is also measured by the people who trust you, the people you help grow, the relationships you build and the contribution you make. That is a measure of success that remains meaningful long after titles and achievements have faded.”Presiding over the ceremony, Bharat Agarwal, President of Vishwakarma University, highlighted the evolving role of technology and urged graduates to leverage their human values in an automated world. He said, “In the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI), your human skills are what will truly set you apart. When artificial intelligence becomes accessible to everyone, standard intelligence stops being a distinct advantage. What machines cannot easily replicate is empathy, clear communication, trust, and leadership. This will define your success. Use AI as your tool, but let your humanity be your edge.”Vice-Chancellor Mukund Kulkarni welcomed the guests and presented the university’s annual progress report, highlighting its academic achievements, interdisciplinary research, and global recognition.A total of 1,636 students from eight faculties graduated during the 8th convocation ceremony, spanning disciplines across Engineering, Management, Law, Pharmacy, Design, Humanities, Architecture, and Media, including 15 PhD awardees.Vishwakarma University continues to be recognised for educational excellence, having secured top positions in global evaluations, including THE Asia Rankings, World’s Universities with Real Impact (WURI) rankings, the ‘Excellence in Globalisation’ award by FICCI, and a Diamond Rating by QS I-Gauge. The university received recognitions recently, including FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards and Best University for Industry-Academia Collaboration award by American Management Association.