The Union Minister of Tourism (Independent Charge), Culture (Independent Charge) and Civil Aviation , Dr Mahesh Sharma awarded degrees/diplomas to 1605 graduates of Indian Institute of Tourism & Travel Management( IITTM ) at its 2nd Convocation in Noida today. Dr Mahesh Sharma is the Chairman, Board Of Governors of IITTM , an autonomous organisation of the Union Ministry of Tourism . The Minister also gave away awards of excellence to outstanding students for their meritorious performance. The convocation was presided over by Dr.Lalit K. Panwar, Secretary (Tourism) ; and Prof. T. V. Kattimani, Vice-Chancellor of Indira Gandhi National Tribal University was the guest of honour.
Speaking on the occasion , the Minister announced that the Tourism Ministry is processing the proposal of setting up of a National Tourism University at Noida. The proposal will be ready soon, he added. A proposal to set up a Museum of Culture in Noida is also in the pipeline, Dr Sharma disclosed.
Congratulating the graduates, the Minister said that they are now the Brand Ambassadors of the country to promote tourism . With your degrees, you have entered into a world which has a great potential, he said. The Minister exhorted them to strive constantly to uphold the knowledge, values and competencies acquired by them to make a mark for themselves in life , thereby ascending the prestige of IITTM.
The synergy between Tourism, Culture and Civil Aviation can take make India a hub of International Tourism, Dr Sharma explained. The Minister said that the Tourism sector not only generates foreign exchange, it also generates a lot of employment especially for women and is a source of women empowerment. He hoped that the graduates of IITTM will help to actualise India’s hospitality mantra of Athithi Devo Bhav.
Indian Institute of Tourism and Travel Management (IITTM), an autonomous organization of the Ministry of Tourism, Government of India, is one of the premier institutes in the country offering education, training, research and consultancy in sustainable management of tourism, travel and other allied sectors. Since its establishment in 1983 at New Delhi, it has been devoted to the pursuit of higher knowledge in tourism and its dissemination to a diverse audience. Over the years, Institute has established a distinguished identity of its own and reached at a commanding position among sectoral B-Schools in the country. IITTM has five state of art campuses at Gwalior, Noida, Bhubneshwar, Nellor and Goa where PGDM courses on Tourism & Travel, Tourism & Leisure, International Business, Services and Tourism & Cargo are taught.
In this convocation a total of 1605 students from batches of 2009,2010, 2011 and 2012 of all campuses were conferred post graduate diplomas, which includes Tourism & Travel(Gwalior), International Business(Gwalior), Services(Gwalior), Tourism & Travel(Bhubaneswar), International Business(Bhubaneswar), Tourism & leisure (Noida) and Tourism & Cargo(Nellore). Students were also awarded with various medals and cash awards. Under Behram Dumasia Gold Medal which is given to toppers of International Business, Services & Tourism & Leisure, 12 students were awarded. Four students who were topper in Tourism from International Business & Services were awarded with Naksnband Gold Medal. Four students of Tourism & Leisure bagged the prestigious Inder Sharma Cash award worth Rs. 20,000/-. S.K. Mishra cash award of 15,000/- was given to four overall toppers of Tourism &Travel . IITTM best students award was given to 25 students and 27 students bagged the IITTM merit award.