LUCKNOW, Sept. 9 -- Space hero, Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, will be the chief guest at the 23rd convocation ceremony of Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Technical University on Tuesday, where 53,943 students will be awarded degrees. The event will be presided by UP governor and AKTU chancellor, Anandiben Patel. Shukla will be awarded an honorary Doctor of Science degree. The two top medals of the university will be conferred on female students. This year, 15,857 female students and 38,086 male students will be awarded degrees, which means 29.39% and 70.59% of the degrees will be conferred on female and male students, respectively, shared vice-chancellor Prof JP Pandey addressing the media on Monday. "The degrees will be uploaded on DigiLocker using Blockchain technology. This will enable the university check fraud and streamline hiring process. It gives individuals greater control over their own data and enables instant and secure validation of qualifications and characteristics," said Pandey. However, female students continue to rule the medal tally with 53 medals - that is 61.63% share in the total medals. Male students though outnumbering females receiving degrees will be conferred 33 medals - that is 38.37% share of the total medals. The Chancellor's Medal will be conferred on Naincy Purwar, 20, a student of computer science and engineering (artificial intelligence and machine learning) at Pranveer Singh Institute of Technology, Kanpur. "I always wanted to be an engineer besides having interest in AI. My parents, teachers and brother, an electrical engineer, supported me a lot. I used to study four hours daily besides attending college lectures. I never thought I would top the university, but my mother had always aspired for it," said Purwar who wants to pursue M.Tech from an IIT and join a government PSU in future. The Kamal Rani Varun Gold Medal bestowed upon a B Tech student from scheduled caste with maximum marks will be conferred on Unnati Gaur, 22, a student of electronics and communication engineering at RD Engineering College, Ghaziabad. "My father wanted to pursue engineering but could not do so due to family circumstances. He runs an electrical store, which motivated me to study engineering. I used to study for two hours everyday after returning from college...had never thought I would bag one of the two prestigious medals of the university," added Gaur....