MANDI : Indian Institute of Technology Mandi celebrated its 9th Convocation on 23rd October 2021, with a graduating class of 452 students (348 male & 104 female). Padma Vibhushan Prof. Anil Kakodkar, Former Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission of India, Former Secretary, Government of India, and Former Director, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Prof. Prem Vrat, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Mandi, presided over the Convocation.

Virtually addressing the students at the 9th Convocation of IIT Mandi, Prof. Anil Kakodkar, Chief Guest, said, “My congratulations to all the graduating students. The world today has unprecedented challenges as well as opportunities before it. I am sure graduating from IIT Mandi would turn out to be a great asset for you, as you move forward in your career.”

“We are now in an era dominated by high end technologies like Semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence, Computing and Telecom, Advanced Aerospace and Pharmaceuticals, and soon new frontiers technologies exploiting Genetics, Quantum Physics, Cognitive and Brain Sciences, among others, would start dominating. The young engineers need to close in the gaps in these technologies which currently seem to be expanding for a better future”, added Prof. Kakodkar.

Degrees awarded were:

The Institute has seen a rise in the number of girl students passing out in all the streams. This year a total of 23 female students in undergraduate programme; 69 in postgraduate and masters programmes, and 12 in Ph.D. programme have graduated from IIT Mandi surpassing the numbers from the previous years.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Prem Vrat, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Mandi, said, “It is the beginning of a new journey for the graduating students, and I am sure a challenging, yet successful career path lies ahead of you. I sincerely hope that the knowledge and skill the graduating students have acquired and the ethos they have imbibed during their stay at IIT Mandi will stand them in good stead through the coming years of new challenges and opportunities.”

Congratulating the graduating batch, Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi, Director, IIT Mandi, said, “Despite the challenges posed by Covid, our faculty and students have achieved all round success in the past year. We will remember 2021 as the year when all of us stepped up to play difficult roles to navigate through these uncertain times. The graduating batch of this year deserves a special mention. I congratulate all the graduating students along with their parents on their hard earned academic recognitions.

Virtually delivering this year’s Valedictorian’s address, Mr. Rishi Sharma, President of India Gold Medal Winner, and B.Tech, Computer Science and Engineering, 2021 batch said, “IIT Mandi is a unique combination of a number of remarkable things. The curriculum seems to be ahead of many other engineering institutes in India and even internationally. On top of this, we were able to spend our four college years in this beautiful Himalayan setting. Where else could one get this type of education, the brand name of IIT, as well as enjoy the mountains, and rivers”

“On behalf of my graduating class, I am happy to say that we have seen the Institute grow. It is not what we take from our institute, it is what we give it back. Many from our batchmates have received offers from some of the reputed organizations and start-ups, some have published research papers and gone abroad for higher education in various esteemed institutes while several are working hard to ace competitive examinations – enhancing IIT Mandi’s brand image”, said Mr. Arnav Prasad, Director’s Gold Medal Winner, and B.Tech, Computer Science and Engineering, 2021 batch, IIT Mandi, during his speech