IIT Roorkee Convocation–2023: Celebrating Academic Excellence

Roorkee:  : Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) celebrated the blissful Convocation-2023 with pomp and pageantry. The graceful ceremony commenced with singing of ‘Kulgeet’ (Institute song) by students. A total of 1916 degrees were awarded, comprising 1077 Undergraduates, 685 Masters and 154 PhDs. The event was attended by the awardees, their families, staff members and presided over by Shri B V R Mohan Reddy, Chairman, Board of Governors of the Institute. Shri Dattatri Salagame CEO, President, Bosch Global Software Technology, delivered the Convocation Address, while the degrees and the medals were given away by Prof. K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee in the ceremony which was attended by a large number of staff and faculty members along with Prof U P Singh, Deputy Director and Prof. Apurbba Kumar Sharma, Dean of Academic Affairs.

It was a proud moment for the degree recipients of the 176-year old premier Institute which has been leading the technical education in the country. The Institute is also in the fore front while implementation of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.  The institute has recently revised its undergraduate curriculum aligned with the NEP 2020 and aims to keep pace with the global aspirations of the students. It is also in the process of updating its Masters curriculum.

Shri Dattatri Salagame, a globally reputed technology and innovation leader, was the Chief Guest of the function. In his current role, Shri Dattatri is the CEO and President of the software giant Bosch Global Software Technology, which is the largest software and technology center of Bosch outside Germany. He has been a Boschler for 24 years, handling diverse roles in India and Germany. In his address, Shri Salagame highlighted, “As the higher education sector continues to evolve, institutions like IIT Roorkee must continue to adapt and innovate. I am extremely pleased to be present on this new journey the graduates will embark on. I am excitedly looking forward to these supremely brilliant to take the leadership role with the unique competency derived from the institute. It’s fulfilling to note that IIT Roorkee sets an example for other institutions to follow and contributes significantly to the development of the world.”

The ceremony was held with the dress code of Indian attire namely, Kurta for males and Saree for females. The event began with the address by Prof. Apurbba Kumar Sharma, Dean of Academic Affairs who congratulated the graduates. Prof. Sharma encouraged the graduates to strengthen their networking and communication abilities, develop relevant skills periodically, think like an entrepreneur and develop leadership qualities. This was followed by the welcome speech by Prof. K K Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee. Prof. Pant also presented an overview of the Institute’s achievements since the last Convocation held and 175 years of the institute’s vision to be a world-class educational centre. Some remarkable achievements of the institute, include equal opportunity for all, particularly those in Science, Technology, Engineering, Medicine and Mathematics (STEMM) areas, at all levels. Additionally, as per the NIRF Ranking 2023, the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, has been ranked as the top Institute of Architecture and Planning in India. Implementation and support to the Gender Advancement for Transforming Institutions (GATI), an innovative Pilot Project launched by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) which ushers a novel intervention programme for promoting gender equity in science and technology. A number of other accolades include the SAKUNTALA (Scheme for Aspirants of Knowledge Under Talent Advancement) Fellowship for the PhD aspirant female students, the ‘Golden Girl’ Scheme for the masters and PhD aspiring female students and multiple MoUs for the empowerment of youth at IIT Roorkee.

Director Prof K K Pant welcomed everyone, congratulated the graduates, and encouraged them to use their education for the betterment of society. He said, “In today’s rapidly changing world, the role of institutions in shaping the future leaders cannot be overstated. This is especially true in the higher education sector, where institutions like IIT Roorkee have been at the forefront of fostering innovation and excellence. IIT Roorkee’s focus on encouraging graduates to continue learning and be ready for constant changes is not only beneficial for individual growth but also for the nation as a whole”

Shri B V R Mohan Reddy, Chairman, BoG, said, “ The IITs are symbols of progress in nation-building in India, and IIT Roorkee has continued to hold the flag flying high for more than 176 years. The institute has been a cornerstone of India’s progress as it continues to produce exceptional talent, drive research and innovation, and address pressing societal needs. With its unwavering dedication to excellence, the institute stands poised to witness India’s ascent to new heights of greatness. I extend my heartfelt appreciation to Prof. K K Pant and the entire faculty at IIT Roorkee for their tireless dedication and exceptional contributions in transforming our institution into a thriving technology hub of the 21st century.”

The Convocation-2023 of IIT Roorkee was a momentous event celebrating the accomplishments of its graduating students. The convocation ceremony served as a platform to confer degrees upon the successful candidates and recognize their hard work and dedication throughout their academic journey.

In the ceremony, students who excelled in their respective departments were honored with prestigious Departmental medals and prizes. These awards recognized their outstanding academic performance and contributions to their fields of study. The Departmental medals served as a testament to their excellence and provided a fitting tribute to their efforts in the pursuit of knowledge and learning.

The convocation was an opportunity for the graduating students to meet their peers, faculty members, and distinguished guests to commemorate their academic achievements. It marked the successful completion of their educational journey at IIT Roorkee, signifying a new chapter in their lives as they transitioned from students to graduates.

Amidst an atmosphere of pride and jubilation, the convocation provided a moment of reflection and gratitude for the students, faculty, and staff who have collectively contributed to the growth and success of the institution. It was a time to honor the hard work, perseverance, and dedication of the graduating students, who have not only excelled academically but have also contributed to the wider community through research, projects, and social initiatives.

To congratulate the graduating class and acknowledge their hard work and dedication in obtaining their degree was a moment of great pride for the institute.  As the ceremony ended, medals and merit certificates were presented to students who excelled in their specializations, and degrees and diplomas were conferred to all graduates.

Following degrees were announced on the basis of academic performance of students under various programs-

S. No	Program	No. of students awarded degrees
1	Applied Science and Engineering	2
2	Biosciences and Bioengineering	27
3	Design Department	20
4	Water Resources Development and Management	18
5	B.Arch.	53
6	Nanotechnology	6
7	Disaster Mitigation & Management	10
8	Transportation Systems	7
9	Electrical Engineering	182
10	Electronics and Communication Engineering	129
11	Humanities and Social Sciences	18
12	Chemical Engineering	148
13	Department of Chemistry	58
14	Civil Engineering	228
15	Computer Science and Engineering	202
16	Earthquake Engineering	38
17	Paper Technology	19
18	Polymer and Process Engineering	13
19	Department of Physics	97
20	Department of Hydrology	34
21	Hydro and Renewable Energy	16
22	Management Studies	72
23	Department of Mathematics	72
24	Mechanical and Industrial Engineering	217

 

During the convocation event, the following awards were presented to the deserving graduating students:

 

• A total of 125 medals and cash prizes were distributed among 155 students.

• The recipients were honored with 46 Gold medals, including prestigious accolades such as the President Gold Medal, Director Gold Medal, and The President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal, along with various Department Gold Medals.

• Additionally, 8 other medals were awarded, including the Institute Silver Medal, Institute Bronze Medal, and several Donor-instituted Medals.

• The event saw the inauguration of ten new Department Gold Medals, which were generously instituted by donors: Mrs. Mavis Bertha Wilkinson Department Gold Medal, Frau Odillie Schiffer Department Gold Medal, Smt. Sukh Devi Kulshreshtha Department Gold Medal, Frau Gertrude Felden Department Gold Medal, Smt. Lalit Kishori Department Gold Medal, Mr. Bevan Ross Wilkinson Department Gold Medal, Shri Hari Chand Nagalia Department Gold Medal, Smt. Prem Lata Nagalia Department Gold Medal, Shri Suresh Chandra Kapoor Department Gold Medal, and Prof. Kumkum Garg Department Gold Medal.

• Among the awardees, 41 were female students and 114 were male students. Of these, 98 students received awards for their exceptional performance in undergraduate programs, and 57 awardees were from postgraduate programs, which included 3 Ph.D. students.

• The awards recognized excellence in various categories, with 81 awards for outstanding academic performance, 33 awards for remarkable projects and dissertations (including the best project award), 3 awards for exceptional Ph.D. theses, 5 awards for overall/all-rounder performance, 1 award for exceptional social service (The President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal), 1 award for outstanding community service (Kedar Nath Agarwala, I.S.E. Memorial Trophy and Cash Award), and 1 award for significant contributions in enhancing the entrepreneurship culture at IIT Roorkee (Hari Krishna Mittal Leadership Award).

 

List of Gold Medals Convocation 2023:

President Gold Medal – Aryan Jain, B.Tech. (Computer Science and Engineering)

Director Gold Medal – Atharva Karanjgaokar, B.Tech. (Mechanical Engineering)

The President of India Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal – Kavya Saxena, B.Tech. (Production and Industrial Engineering)

 

List of Institute Medals Convocation 2023:

Institute Silver Medal – Mohit Kumar, IDD-B.Tech. (Computer Science and Engineering) and M.Tech. (Computer Science and Engineering)

Institute Bronze Medal – Prerna Kumar, B.Tech. (Computer Science and Engineering)