IIT Gandhinagar held its 15th Convocation, awarding 734 degrees across disciplines while Neelkanth Mishra urged graduates to build deep-tech, self-reliant, globally competitive India.
IIT Gandhinagar Celebrates a Milestone Convocation
The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar celebrated its 15th Convocation at the Helipad Exhibition Centre in Gandhinagar, marking a major milestone for the Class of 2026. The institute awarded 734 degrees to 733 students across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes, reflecting both academic growth and the expanding diversity of its academic ecosystem.
The ceremony brought together students, faculty members, alumni, families, and distinguished guests in a moment that recognized not only graduation but also the institution’s evolving identity. With students from across India and abroad, the convocation highlighted IIT Gandhinagar’s role as a nationally respected centre for research, innovation, and interdisciplinary education.
Class of 2026 Reflects Academic Diversity
This year’s graduating batch included 225 women and 508 men from 26 states and Union Territories, along with international students from Mauritius and Nepal. The institute conferred degrees across a wide range of programmes, including PhD, MTech, BTech-MTech Dual Degree, MSc, MA, Executive Master’s, PGDIIT, Dual Major BTech, BTech, and BSc.
The institute also noted a special milestone as the pioneer batches from the Executive Master’s Programme, MTech in Integrated Circuit Design and Technology, and MTech in Artificial Intelligence graduated this year. That development shows IIT Gandhinagar’s growing response to emerging fields and industry demands.
One student in the BTech-MTech Dual Degree programme received both degrees, taking the total number of degrees awarded to 734. The award count matched the institute’s growing academic breadth and its increasing emphasis on advanced and interdisciplinary learning.
Neelkanth Mishra Urges Youth to Build Deep-Tech India
The 15th Convocation address was delivered by Neelkanth Mishra, Chief Economist at Axis Bank, Chairman of the Unique Identification Authority of India, and Member of the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India. He spoke about India’s unique economic opportunity, the challenge of escaping the middle-income trap, and the need to become a technology and product-driven nation.
Mishra stressed that India cannot depend on global trends or foreign technology alone. He said the country must build its own innovation ecosystem, invest in deep-tech capabilities, and develop globally competitive products across strategic sectors. His remarks connected the future of higher education to the larger national goal of technological self-reliance.
He also told the graduating class that India’s future will be shaped not just by policymakers and economists but by the choices made by young people today. He urged graduates to take risks, pursue technological excellence, and help build a self-reliant and globally competitive India.
Leadership and Purpose in Education
Mishra’s message carried a strong call to action. He said that the country’s journey toward becoming a technological superpower would not be decided by politicians, bureaucrats, or economists, but by the decisions of the young men and women present in the convocation hall. He encouraged students not to take the easy way out and instead to embrace challenges with courage.
His comments fit well with the broader conversation around India’s economic transformation. As industries move toward AI, semiconductors, advanced computing, and other strategic technologies, graduates will increasingly shape the pace and quality of national progress.
The address also reinforced a theme often echoed at modern engineering and management institutions: education must prepare students not only for jobs but also for leadership, innovation, and social responsibility.
Institute Leadership Highlights Core Values
Prof. Rajat Moona, Director of IIT Gandhinagar, congratulated the graduating class and said that students were leaving the institute not only with degrees but with the ability to think critically, learn continuously, and contribute meaningfully to society. He expressed confidence that they would apply their knowledge, skills, and values to create a positive impact in their fields and communities.
He added that the world is changing rapidly, driven by technology, new ideas, and new opportunities. Prof. Moona urged students to remain curious, adaptable, and purpose-driven as they move into the next stage of life. He also emphasized that IIT Gandhinagar nurtures not just academic excellence but values such as integrity, empathy, and leadership.
Those values matter because the institute has built a reputation for combining rigorous academics with a vibrant campus culture. The convocation reflected that balance by celebrating intellectual achievement alongside character, service, and initiative.
Awards Ceremony Recognizes Excellence Across Fields
As part of the convocation celebrations, IIT Gandhinagar held its annual Awards Ceremony on June 19, recognizing students for excellence in academics, research, leadership, innovation, entrepreneurship, sports, arts and culture, and community engagement. A total of 46 medals and awards were presented.
Jaidev Sanjay Khalane, Sharma Kanhaiya Vijay, and Aditya Kant received the President’s Gold Medal for outstanding academic excellence, leadership qualities, and all-round achievement. Shambhavi Agrawal, Akshat Khanna, Sayan Bera, and Tejas Komalsingh Girase received the Director’s Gold Medal for academic performance and contribution to the institute community.
The awards also included four Gold Medals for Outstanding Research, 20 Institute Gold Medals for academic toppers, one Pioneer Batch Medal for Outstanding Leadership, and 14 Commendation Awards for excellence in sports, entrepreneurship, student initiatives, arts and culture, and social service.
The institute also conferred its prestigious Institute Fellow Award on Prof D P Roy and Prof G K Sharma for their contributions to the growth and development of IIT Gandhinagar. That recognition underlined the role of academic leadership in building lasting institutional excellence.
A Convocation That Looked to the Future
The ceremony ended with the Convocation Oath and the National Anthem, closing a day that celebrated achievement while pointing toward the future. For the graduating class, the event marked both a conclusion and a beginning. For the institute, it reaffirmed a commitment to interdisciplinary learning, innovation, and values-based education.
IIT Gandhinagar’s 15th Convocation stood out not only for the 734 degrees awarded but also for the strong message it sent: India’s future will depend on graduates who can combine knowledge, courage, and purpose in a rapidly changing world.
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