Latest news with #IITRopar
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IIT-Ropar to make city's biz honchos AI-ready
Ludhiana: There is good news for the city's industry leaders. Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar is set to train them in artificial intelligence. The institute has launched a dedicated AI programme, with a special focus on practical business applications. Called 'AI for Leaders', the course designed for top-level executives, will benefit more than 60 industries, most of them based in Ludhiana. The announcement was made during a high-powered session hosted by the Munjal Birmingham City University Centre of Innovation and Entrepreneurship (MBCIE) at Hotel Park Plaza recently. The event, attended by more than 100 business leaders and technocrats, formally positioned MBCIE as a satellite centre of IIT Ropar's Artificial Intelligence Centre of Excellence. Speaking at the event, Dr Pushpendra P Singh, dean (corporate, alumni, placement & strategies) and project director, iHub-AWaDH, IIT Ropar, shared key details of the programme. He said, "The 'AI for Leaders' course will run in a flexible hybrid format, with a minimum of 36 hours of online learning and a one-day in-person hands-on training. Participants can choose a convenient location for the practical session. " He said the curriculum will include prompt engineering and AI applications tailored to business verticals such as marketing, branding, PR, HR, project management, screening processes, and task automation. SK Rai, MD, Hero Cycles, underlined the importance of visionary leadership in tech adoption, in his welcome address. "It's not just about technology, it's about mindset. If leaders don't embrace AI, organisations will fall behind. This initiative gives us the clarity and support we need to take that step forward," he said. Sudarshan Iyengar, associate professor at IIT Ropar, called AI adoption "a strategic imperative."
India Today
20-07-2025
- Business
- India Today
Indian Army backs IIT Ropar's project to build next-gen surveillance drones
New drone systems under development at IIT Ropar may soon assist the Indian Army in critical surveillance and frontline operations. Inside its Centre of Drones and Autonomous Systems (CoDRAS), a team of researchers and students is working on technologies, learnt the Statesman, that aim to reduce India's dependence on foreign defence focus: building autonomous drones that can land on war-zone terrain and estimate geo-locations in real-time, efforts that reflect India's growing push for indigenous defence job of the team is to fit into a larger national plan which is to reduce India's dependence on foreign drone systems and make its aerial surveillance and response more self-reliant. As part of this, the team is creating next-generation flight algorithms, artificial intelligence for drone navigation, and secure communication elements are being designed to help India's defence forces monitor, respond, and operate with greater control, and without fear of sensitive data leaving national BACKS IIT ROPAR'S DRONE TECH PROJECTSTwo major projects are currently in advanced development. Both have been initiated at the request of the Indian first involves autonomous landing capabilities for drones in war zones, a task that requires precision, reliability, and the ability to adapt to dynamic and rugged terrain. The second project focuses on real-time geo-location and aerial latter project involves more than just mapping. Led by Principal Investigator Dr Jha, with Senior Research Fellow Shivam Kainth and Research Intern Kanwarveer Singh, the team is developing systems that allow drones to identify objects, detect movement, and track changes in physical landscapes, including in thick has direct applications for border surveillance, particularly in areas where human patrol is difficult and visual clarity is a related move, IIT Ropar has also signed an MoU with AVPL, a Gurugram-based drone technology both are planning to develop fully indigenous drones, including the hardware, software, and intelligence that runs will ensure that the entire supply chain, from design to deployment, remains under Indian is happening at IIT Ropar is quiet but determined, a steady step toward technological self-reliance, grounded not in theory, but in readiness for what may come next.- EndsMust Watch
Indian Express
19-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Indian Express
IIT Ropar's ‘pookie professor' joins student for sunglasses selfie at convocation; viral video wins the Internet
A delightful video from IIT Ropar's recent convocation ceremony has taken the Internet by storm, and for all the right reasons. The clip, which has racked up over 30 million views, captures a spontaneous and joyful exchange between a graduating student and the institute's director, professor Rajeev Ahuja. In the now-viral footage, a student named Kartik walks up to receive his degree and, mid-photo, turns to professor Ahuja with a mischievous smile and asks if he can wear shades for the picture. The professor chuckles and nods, giving his approval. But Kartik doesn't stop there, he offers a pair of shades to the professor himself. To everyone's surprise and delight, Ahuja swaps his regular spectacles for the sunglasses and joins Kartik in the photo, striking a pose that instantly wins over the crowd. The auditorium erupts in laughter and applause. The video was captioned, 'When your Professor says yes to black shades at convocation… and rocks them too while awarding degrees! Iconic moments only at IIT Ropar.' A post shared by Exploring IITs (@ Responding to the video, an Instagram user wrote, 'I actually liked that he asked his Prof before doing something he wanted to instead of making it a scene.' Ajiolife commented, 'You sure passed the degree but the professor passed the vibe check.' A third person wrote, 'Pookie professor.' A fourth individual commented, 'Back in NITT, we had the most amazing Director who was so much still everyone's hero when we reminisced him! Great Bosses and Great Academic Heads make fantastic places to be at!!' A post shared by Exploring IITs (@ In another clip from the same ceremony, the ever-sporting professor Ahuja is seen posing for fun pictures with other students, flashing Korean finger hearts and peace signs, a refreshing contrast to the usual formality of such events.
NDTV
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- NDTV
"Coolest Professor" From IIT Ropar Goes Viral For His Chill Vibe At Convocation
IIT Ropar Viral Professor 2025: A heartwarming video from IIT Ropar's convocation ceremony is melting hearts across the internet. The clip, which has amassed over 27 million views, captures a wholesome and light-hearted moment between a student and his professor. In the video, a student named Kartik walks up on the stage to receive his degree and while doing so, he asks his professor if he can wear sunglasses for the picture. The professor smilingly nods and gives him the approval. Kartik continues and asks his professor to also wear one. Without hesitation, the professor gestures with a playful "Laao" (Give me), takes off his regular glasses, and puts on the sunglasses offered - instantly winning the crowd with his cool and composed demeanor. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Exploring IITs (@ Internet Reacts To The "Pookie Professor" The internet is loving the professor's vibe, with users calling him the "coolest" and dubbing him the "pookie professor." One viral comment reads, "Coolest professor, for real pookie professor." Another wrote, "Aisa professor sabko mile (Everyone should get a professor like this)". Many praised Kartik on how he first asked the professor for his approval. One of the comment read, "I actually liked that he asked his professor before doing something he wanted to instead of making it a scene !". "The combination of coolest professor and student everrrrr", a comment with over 60 thousand likes showed how much people liked both, the student's respect for his professor and the professor's cool nature. Another comment with over 11 thousand likes read, "Rajeev Ahuja sir is a gem ". This video is a reminder that professors who connect with their students in a relaxed and respectful way often become the most cherished ones - the kind students remember long after graduation.
News18
18-07-2025
- Entertainment
- News18
‘He‘s Rajeev Ahuja?' Hunt On For ‘Pookie IIT Prof' After His Dab, Korean Heart, Goggles Go Viral
Last Updated: As students came up to receive their degrees, many of them politely asked Prof. Ahuja to strike their favourite poses for a photo. A video from IIT Ropar's 14th annual convocation has gone viral on the internet, and for all the right reasons. The video shows the institute's director, Prof Rajeev Ahuja, happily joining students for quirky poses like the dab, Korean heart and even the trending pookie pose. Internet users can't stop praising the professor for his cool and fun attitude. The convocation ceremony was held recently in Punjab. A total of 720 degrees were awarded this year. But what caught everyone's attention wasn't just the numbers — it was a heartwarming moment between the students and the director. As students came up to receive their degrees, many of them politely asked Prof. Ahuja to strike their favourite poses for a photo. To everyone's surprise, he agreed to every single one of them. With a cheerful smile, he did the dab, made finger hearts, and even posed like 'pookie." One clip shows him putting on sunglasses, which made the crowd erupt with cheers. That one move with the shades became a highlight of the event. The video was shared on the social media page IIT Ropar Diaries, where it gathered over 5 lakh views in just one day. The caption read, 'Convocation fit Degree The internet showered the professor with love and respect. One comment read, 'When your IIT is 2nd gen but the Director is the OG." Another said, 'The professor should live longer… teach longer… God bless him." Who Is Rajeev Ahuja Prof. Rajeev Ahuja, often seen as a serious academic, has now earned the title of 'coolest prof" online. But who is he? Rajeev Ahuja is a renowned Professor of Computational Materials Science at Uppsala University, Sweden. He is currently serving as the Director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Ropar, India. From November 2023 to May 2024, he also held the additional charge of Director at IIT Guwahati. Prof. Ahuja is among the most highly cited researchers in his field and is ranked among the top five materials scientists in both Sweden and India. He completed his Ph.D. in 1992 from IIT Roorkee, India. In the same year, he joined Uppsala University as a post-doctoral fellow. He was appointed as a Professor at Uppsala University in 2007. view comments First Published: July 18, 2025, 09:32 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
