21-06-2025
At its 14th convocation ceremony, IIT Gandhinagar awards degrees to 668 students – its largest graduating cohort so far
As many as 668 students were awarded their degrees – the highest number in the history of the institution – as the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) held the convocation ceremony of its 'largest graduating class' at Mahatma Mandir on Saturday. In another record, 111 Ph D degrees were awarded to students at the institute's 14th convocation ceremony.
While reflecting on his professional journey and leadership experience, chief guest Aditya Ghosh, the co-founder of Akasa Air, highlighted India's economic growth and opportunities, emphasising the importance of pursuing passion, building trust, and lifelong learning.
He stressed the need for 'a growth mindset, challenging status quo, and integrating sustainability into all endeavours while underscoring the importance of humility, continuous improvement, and choosing the right role models'. He encouraged the graduates to focus on 'internal risks like complacency and arrogance, to view setbacks as learning opportunities, and to strive for impactful success, measured by the lives they influence positively'.
'Our biggest auditor is the person staring back at us from the mirror,' he noted, emphasising the importance of self-reflection and inner accountability. He gave the graduating class a powerful call to lead lives full of purpose, integrity, and continuous self-improvement, urging them to measure success not by wealth or titles, but by the positive impact they make in the lives of others.
This spirit of thoughtful leadership and service was also reflected in the address of Sanjiv Puri, the Chairman of IITGN's Board of Governors. Drawing on his experience as Chairman and Managing Director of ITC Limited, and as a national business leader, he urged students to take pride in their achievements and approach the next chapter of their lives with confidence and purpose. He motivated the graduates to lead with humility and contribute to building a more equitable and sustainable world.
At the event, Director's Gold Medal and the President's Gold Medal, two of the Institute's highest recognitions for academic and leadership excellence, were also awarded. Falak Vats received the Director's Gold Medal for PhD, while Hemant Poonia was awarded the Director's Gold Medal for M Tech. Aayushi Jain and Adit Atul Rambhia were recognised with the award for M Sc and MA programmes, and B Tech programme, respectively.
The President's Gold Medal was presented to Vala Kiritkumar Hemrajbhai (M Tech), Mohan Murlidhar Tiratkar (M Sc and MA), and Mithil Pechimuthu (B Tech) in recognition of their exceptional academic excellence, leadership qualities, and contributions to IITGN.
The institute conferred the Gold Medal for Outstanding Research to four students, 20 Institute Gold Medals to academic toppers from each graduating batch, one award for Outstanding Leadership, and 14 Commendation Awards for exceptional performance in areas such as sports, entrepreneurship, student initiatives, arts and culture, and social service, reflecting IITGN's 'commitment to holistic development and excellence beyond the classroom'.
Highlighting the academic and research progress of IITGN, Prof Rajat Moona, the institute's Director, said that a new B Tech programme in Integrated Circuit Design and Technology has been launched, alongside a major curriculum reform that enables B Tech students to pursue their 7th semester off-campus, engaging in internships, research projects, entrepreneurial ventures, or academic collaborations.
He spoke of IITGN-X, the Institute's education outreach unit, which has conducted two e-Master's degree programmes in Energy Policy and Regulation and Data Science for Decision Making, and is scheduled to launch a new programme, Applications of Machine Learning in Engineering, in August this year. Two new academic programmes, Master of Design and the Professional Leader's PhD, were approved, alongside ongoing dual-degree collaborations with Japan Advanced Institute of Science and Technology (Japan) and Asian Institute of Technology (Thailand).
Beside 111 Ph D scholars, the graduating class of 2025 comprised 141 M Tech students, 135 M Sc students, 36 MA students, 12 PGDIIT students, seven B Tech Dual Major students, 5 B Sc Engineering students, and 221 B Tech students.
