Mangaluru
Mangalore University awarded honorary doctorate degrees to NRI entrepreneur and philanthropist Ronald Colaco, entrepreneur Prakash Shetty, and Thumbay Moideen during the 42nd convocation ceremony on Saturday. Governor Thawar Chand Gehlot and Prof. Sachin Chaturvedi conferred the honorary doctorates.
Ronald Colaco has been recognized for his contributions to social, charitable, and infrastructural development, particularly in Karnataka. He was honored in 2023 with the Distinguished Fellowship Award at the House of Lords, British Parliament, and in 2022 with The Certificate of Excellence by the World Book of Records, London.
Prakash Shetty, with over 25 years of experience in hospitality, founded and chairs the MRG Group, which includes hotels and restaurants. Thumbay Moideen, the founder and president of Thumbay Group, expanded his family business into a global conglomerate based in Dubai, operating in 20 sectors, including healthcare and education, and employing over 15,000 people.
Additionally, 155 university candidates and 22 international students received doctorate degrees in various disciplines: 51 in arts, 73 in science, 26 in commerce, and 5 in education. During the ceremony, 58 gold medals and 57 cash prizes were awarded to students. A total of 168 ranks were given, with 72 students achieving first rank, 52 at the postgraduate level and 20 at the undergraduate level. Mangalore University Vice-Chancellor Prof. PL Dharma was also present at the event.
