The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Jammu) held its 4th Convocation today. This highly anticipated event witnessed the conferral of degrees upon 268 exceptional graduates, comprising 179 B.Tech students, 73 M.Tech students, and 16 Ph.D scholars. The occasion was further graced by the recognition of 11 outstanding scholars who received prestigious medals for their remarkable accomplishments.
The ceremony received heartwarming messages from esteemed dignitaries, including Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi, Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Minister of Education, Skill Development & Entrepreneurship, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office; Shri Manoj Sinha, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu & Kashmir; Brig (Dr) BD Mishra (retd), Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh; Annapurna Devi, Minister of State for Education; and Dr. Subhas Sarkar, Minister of State for Education.
The convocation was further enriched by the presence of Prof A Sivathanu Pillai, a distinguished Padma Bhushan & Padma Shri Awardee, Former Chief Controller of R&D at DRDO, and Founder CEO and MD of BrahMos Aerospace, as the Chief Guest. In his insightful address, Prof Pillai inspired the graduating students to lead a life filled with dedication, hard work, and moral values. He urged them to become responsible citizens and upright individuals, sharing invaluable insights from his experiences in ISRO, Chandrayan-3, Aditya L1, Defence Technology, BrahMos, Industry 5.0, Start-Ups, and the Save the Earth initiative, among other notable endeavours.
The commencement speaker, Prof Noam Shpancer from Otterbein University, USA, delivered a motivating speech that encouraged students to embrace courage, curiosity, and caring. He emphasised the importance of these three Cs and quoted the renowned psychologist Sigmund Freud, who once said, "How bold one gets when one is sure of being loved."
Dr. Sharad Kumar Saraf, Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT Jammu, also graced the convocation with his esteemed presence. He extended warm congratulations to the graduating students, highlighting that they are not just graduates but ambassadors of the esteemed institution. Dr. Saraf expressed full confidence that they would carry forward the legacy of excellence and humanistic innovation.
As a cherished tradition, the convocation featured the unveiling of "Desire Wings," a magnificent sculpture dedicated to the outgoing batch of 2023. Prof Pillai, Dr. Saraf, Shri Kagliwal, Shri Dalmiya, Prof Gaur, and Prof Misra, among other dignitaries, were present for this special moment. This awe-inspiring creation was crafted by renowned artist Sumedh Rajendran from New Delhi and symbolises the boundless power of human imagination in bridging gaps and transcending borders.
IIT Jammu's 4th Convocation was a truly memorable and inspirational event that celebrated the academic achievements of its graduating students. The institution takes immense pride in nurturing young minds and extends its heartfelt wishes for success in all their future endeavours.