Following the advice of former President APJ Abdul Kalam during a convocation ceremony held last month,Babasaheb Bhimrao Ambedkar University has decided to do away with the colonial legacy of 'black gown' as the convocation outfit. The academic council of the University in its meeting here yesterday decided to do away with the ceremonial gown worn during convocations through ages and instead decided to opt for a colour code. White colour has been set for the convocation function with the choice of the outfit,which could be anything from shirt-trouser to salwar-kameej,kurta-pyjama or sari,University sources said. Former President APJ Abdul Kalam during the third convocation function of the University last month had described the gown as British and said that a nice Indian dress should replace them. Attending the convocation,Kalam had said that an Indian dress would be better in place of the old heavy gowns used during such functions. " .see all of you graduating students this nice gown and cap,this gown should go. this gown is British. We should have a simple Indian system may be a nice angvastram or a lucknavi dress,a good dress that is lighter and suitable for all seasons .hope that chancellors and vice chancellors would consider it," he had stated. Earlier a similar stand was taken by Union Minister of Environment Jairam Ramesh,who had removed his robe in Bhopal to prove his point.
