CHENNAI : Indian Institute of Information Technology, Design and Manufacturing (IIITDM) Kancheepuram conducted its ninth Convocation today (24th September 2021) in a virtual mode with a total of 293 students graduating on the occasion. The Institute was established as a Centre of Excellence for technical education and research by Ministry of Education, Government of India.

The Institute is planning to launch a M. Tech. in Mechanical Engineering with a specialization in AI and Robotics, and M. Tech. in Power Electronics and System Design shortly. This year, it commenced an M.Tech. programme in Computer Science with specialization in Data Science and AI.

The degrees were awarded in the virtual presence of Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy, Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Prof. S. Sadagopan, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIITDM Kancheepuram, Prof. D.V.L.N. Somayajulu, Director, IIITDM Kancheepuram, Faculty, Staff and parents.

Delivering the Convocation Address, Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy, Secretary, Department of Defence (R&D) and Chairman, DRDO, said, “Today, the country is looking for innovation from youngsters to come out with the products of first-of-its-class in the world… What is that which can make this country prosperous? It is the technology which can make this country prosperous. And for the country to become prosperous, the seed is with the institutes like IIITDM where people have to learn science and technology and come out with design and manufacturing where lot of innovation comes out.”

Elaborating on how DRDO can support such innovation, Dr. Satheesh Reddy said, “DRDO has got a scheme called ‘Technology Development Funding.’ It funds youngsters who are coming out of the colleges as just young graduates and who can join these incubation centres and who has an idea then to convert that idea into a design and a product we support them with Rs 1 Crore…for an idea which actually works for the defence of the country or the security of the country…Or if you are establishing an industry and there you are coming out with a design and if we see that the design is useful to the defence of the country or the security of the country, there to come out with that product, we can fund you up to Rs. 10 Crore. ”

Speaking on IIITDM Kancheepuram, Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy concluded, “I think it (IIITDM Kancheepuram) is one of the very specialized institutes in the country which has multidisciplinary faculty…An Institute which is actually connecting the technology, the design and manufacturing – all the phases integrated into one institute. I think I am first time attending an institute of this class in the Convocation. I am happy to see that the innovation promoting establishment is also there in this Institute where incubation of these young people, their products happens in that system what has been created in the Institute.”

CONVOCATION 2021 – STATISTICS

Students of IIITDM Kancheepuram received offers from top companies such as Microsoft, AMD, ZOOM India, IBM, Larsen and Toubro, Ericsson, Microchip and Samsung, among others. In the year 2020-21, more than 80 companies visited the campus for placement and recruited 160 students. There is a significant improvement in the average and maximum packages offered to IIITDM Kancheepuram Students

Addressing the students, Prof. S. Sadagopan, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIITDM Kancheepuram, “You, the graduating students, are a generation of students whose experience of education is significantly different from that of the previous generations. The pandemic forced you to stay away from the campus for more than a year. As you have written history by receiving degrees in these testing times, everything is possible, if you are ready to rethink the way you approach the problem.”

RANKINGS

IIITDM Kancheepuram was ranked in the top 25 among all Central Institutions in Atal Ranking of Institutions on Innovation Achievement (ARIIA 2020). Bringing new laurels, the Institute has also been declared as a ‘National Resource Centre’ (NRC) for Design and Manufacturing.

Delivering the Annual Report, Prof. D.V.L.N. Somayajulu, Director, IIITDM Kancheepuram, said, “The pandemic forced us to conduct our classes online but our research labs are still operating in the best way possible. We have 14 patents and 199 research publications in the academic year 2020-2021. We have completed 22 sponsored research projects and 42 projects are progressing well in our research labs so far.”

Further, Prof. Somayajulu said, “The Institute has acquired various projects funded by both government and private funding agencies: At present, the Institute has to its account projects worth Rs. 21.94 Crore. In the financial year 2020 – 2021, we have been granted projects worth Rs.  4.5 Crore.”

CONVOCATION 2021 – GOLD MEDAL WINNERS