1,082 graduates earn degrees at LUMS convocation

Ceremony greeted over 3,000 guests to celebrate fresh graduates

LAHORE: The Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) held its 29th Convocation on Saturday where 1,082 students graduated, the largest batch of the university to graduate in the varsity’s history.

The day was marked with a reunion of the entire university, with 1,082 graduating students, parents, staff and faculty from each school gathering to commemorate the achievement of the class of 2017. The day greeted over 3,000 guests and faculty members to celebrate the fresh graduates. The ceremony commenced with the entrance of the academic procession at the convocation venue.

The procession included students and faculty from all four schools; Suleman Dawood School of Business (SDSB), Mushtaq Ahmad Gurmani School of Humanities and Social Sciences (MGSHSS), Syed Babar Ali School of Science and Engineering (SBASSE) and Shaikh Ahmad Hassan School of Law (SAHSOL). The management honoured its students who performed meritoriously with awards and medals.

The keynote speaker at the ceremony was renowned entrepreneur, Arif Naqvi, the founder of Abraaj Group, one of the leading private equity firms in the world. Delivering the commencement keynote address, Naqvi congratulated the class of 2017 on graduating from one of the region’s finest academic institutions.

He encouraged the cohort to pursue their leadership goals, while embodying empathy and authenticity. Arif Naqvi said, “In my professional life, I have had the privilege of working with and backing extraordinary people. The nature of the business I lead demands me to always be on the hunt for great talent, great businesses and great leaders. All of us at some point have that desire to be a leader in a field that truly matters to us. And the two things I encourage you to foster as future leaders is resilience and service to others in a manner that is authentic to you as an individual and professional.”



“If you are truly going to be a leader, think of how you connect whatever it is you do in life, to making the environment around you a better and a more inclusive place. It will bring you success and it will bring you happiness,” he said.

LUMS Vice Chancellor Dr Syed Sohail Hussain Naqvi congratulated the graduating class and said that these graduates were poised to lead this country to join the ranks of developed nations of the world.

“This is the moment to reaffirm your faith in the values you have imbibed at LUMS. It is time to lead, serve and bring hope to this beautiful country that has given you everything,” he said.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 9^th, 2017.