The special qualities of Professor G V Loganathan and Minal Hiralal Panchal and 30 other faculty and students of the Virginia Tech university community, who were killed a year ago on April 16, were read aloud in a remembrance ceremony attended by thousands on the Virginia Tech Drillfield in Blacksburg, Virginia.

With heads bowed in silence, except for the occasional cough or the frequent sniffles, the several thousand gathered at, what was called, 'April 16, 2008: A Day of Remembrance' listened to Loganathan being described as "a beloved husband, dedicated father, committed to this family here and in India. A valued friend and colleague; kind, gentle, and wise".

It was pointed out that he was an "accomplished scholar, one of America's most respected hydrology and water resources systems experts", and the recipient of "numerous teaching awards including Tech's prestigious Wine Award" for Excellence in Teaching. He "patiently taught the most difficult courses", and according to one student, "The best professor I ever had".

Panchal was said to have "strengthened her family with childlike enthusiasm, infectious laughter, and a kind heart".

She was "passionate for architecture and the built environment", and was "focused on goals and dedicated to challenges. She loved swimming, painting, writing poetry, and reading modern fiction. She listened to Indian Western fusion music and soft rock".

"She radiated love and respect to friends and family," and was "the apple of her parents' eye," it was noted.

Virginia Tech president Charles W Steger, who opened the event and welcomed those assembled, said the memory of what happened still hurts, but the character of those who were lost, the grace and strength of their families in facing such tragedy, and the courage of others who are continuing to heal, both physically and emotionally, is a source of inspiration.

"An entire year has passed since the heartrending events that we mark today," he said, "and while the passage of time has helped us in many ways, we remain deeply and profoundly saddened by the events of that tragic day".

Steger said, "Neither the searing heat of summer nor the icy winds of winter has relieved us of our pain. So, just as we have turned to each other for comfort so many times over the past months, it is fitting that we gather today to support one another yet again, as we remember those whose lives were lost and those whose lives were forever changed on April 16, 2007".

"While what happened here one year ago has surely touched us all, for 32 families, today marks a moment in which they must confront the deepest of all losses - the loss of a loved one, the loss of a life well-lived, and the loss of a bright and promising future".

Steger said, "It is our hope that the remembrance of each victim will provide families and a community that still grieves with them a cherished glimpse of the loved ones who will remain forever in our hearts".

"So, on this solemn day of remembrance and all those to follow, let us remember our loved ones and challenge ourselves to continue our personal journey to live meaning lives, to embrace the future with hope and a sense of purpose, to reach our highest promise".

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine, who closed the event, said the 32 who were slain by the lone gunman, a Virginia Tech student, exemplified the Virginia Tech motto Ut Prosim, which means 'That I May Serve'.

Earlier, Kaine in calling for a day of remembrance to honour those killed, had ordered state flags to be flown at half-mast for the day and had asked for a statewide moment of silence at noon followed by a statewide tolling of bells.

Following Kaine's remarks, the majority of the crowd slowly left the Drillfield, according to a university report, but some people had gathered in small groups to talk and comfort each other, while many others had lined up to file past the university's April 16 memorial - a semicircle of 32 Hokie Stones, each bearing one name.

President Bush and First Lady Laura Bush, who visited the university on April 17, 2007, issued a statement, saying, "We join our fellow Americans in praying for the families and friends whose hearts ache for their lost loved ones. We continue to be amazed by the extraordinary Hokie spirit and inspired by the survivors of this tragedy. Students, teachers, and alumni have overcome evil with good by supporting each other with love and compassion. We are humbled by their resilience and confident in the University's bright future".

Loganathan, was on the faculty of the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering and had joined Virginia Tech in December 1981. He was one of the university's most accomplished educators and one of the nation's most respected researchers in the fields of hydrology and water resources systems.

Born in Tamil Nadu in 1954, he attended Madras University and the Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur before coming to the US to pursue a doctoral degree which he did from Purdue University.

Panchal, born in Mumbai on July 17, 1980, received her bachelor's degree from Rizvi College of Architecture in 2003, and was pursuing a Masters of Science program in architecture at Virginia Tech's School of Architecture and had been at the university for less than one academic year when fate intervened.