Graduation is not only a ceremony, it is a transition. It marks the closing of one chapter and the opening of another. You are stepping into a world full of opportunity, but also full of uncertainty. Technology, such as artificial intelligence, is transforming our societies faster than ever before, global challenges such as climate change, inequality, and geopolitical tensions continue to test humanity, and the nature of work and knowledge is evolving. This means that your journey after this day may not always be smooth. There will be times when you will doubt yourself, when the future seems unclear.
The very fact that you are here today proves that you have already overcome challenges. You have shown persistence, curiosity, and determination. These qualities will guide you through whatever lies ahead.
As a physicist, I have spent much of my life exploring the mysteries of the Universe. Physics research tells us that every process takes time, and progress is often invisible until a breakthrough happens. Success in life works in the same way. It requires a strong will, continuous effort, and the belief that even when results are not yet visible, your work is building toward something meaningful.
My personal story
When I was a graduate student, I worked in an experiment, called Kamiokande, which was located deep underground in a mountain area in Japan. At that time, I studied whether protons decay, which was a very interesting topic at that time. Although I was unable to observe proton decay, I received my PhD in March 1986 for this research. I continued this study after receiving my PhD. During these studies, in late 1986, I noticed that the background events to the search for proton decays, namely neutrino interactions in the Kamiokande detector, did not agree with the theoretical expectation. I thought that I had made a serious error in my analysis, and felt that I had to find out what it was. This is how I began my research on neutrinos.
In 1988, when we wrote a paper on this topic, there was no experiment that supported the Kamiokande neutrino data. An elder colleague suggested me to study more useful or important topics. However, I continued working on this topic, not because success was guaranteed, but because I believed the problem itself needed to be studied and was worth pursuing.
Then more than 10 years later, in 1998, using the data from the Super-Kamiokande experiment, we discovered that the neutrino problem was due to neutrino oscillations, which means that neutrinos have a very small mass. Neutrinos were assumed to have no-mass by the highly successful Standard Model of particle physics. The discovery of neutrino oscillations therefore opened a window to study physics beyond the Standard Model. Scientific discovery, like personal growth, is not linear. It is full of dead ends, unexpected turns, and so on. Then, suddenly, breakthroughs could occur. But they are the result of thousands of hours of unseen effort.
You will encounter situations where there is no clear answer. You will face choices where the most meaningful path may not be the safest. In those moments, I encourage you to embrace curiosity and courage. The world needs people who are unafraid to ask difficult questions, who innovate, who imagine, and who build.
The future is not decided by those who are the strongest. It is shaped by those who are willing to keep trying. Whether you become teachers, scientists, engineers, policymakers, or leaders in your community-your contributions matter. Society progresses not only because of a few extraordinary individuals, but because many people choose persistence over resignation, and responsibility over indifference.
Cultivate three qualities
A sense of purpose: Purpose is the compass that guides your decisions. Without it, success can feel empty, and challenges overwhelming. Purpose gives you strength when you face obstacles.
Resilience: Life does not always go as expected. Plans change. Sometimes, even your best effort may not lead to immediate success. The ability to stand up after falling is one of the greatest skills you can develop.
Compassion and humility: No one succeeds alone. Be grateful to the teachers who guided you, the families who supported you, and the friends who stood by you. As you succeed in your work and life, lift others with
you.
Conclusion
You stand at the beginning of a journey filled with possibility. There will be challenges, but there will also be extraordinary opportunities. You have the ability to dream, to act, to transform your ideas into realities.
Please walk forward with confidence-not because the path will be easy, but because you have the strength to walk it. May your curiosity guide you; your determination sustains you, and your contribution help shape a brighter future for Nepal and for the world.
Thank you and congratulations!
(Taken from the address made by Nobel laureate Prof. Dr. Takaaki Kajita to the 51st Convocation of Tribhuvan University.)
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