IIT Delhi 57th convocation tomorrow; PM Modi to address 3,036 graduates, inaugurate 'Param Pragya'

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi will hold its 57th convocation ceremony on August 8, where Prime Minister Narendra Modi will attend as the chief guest and address 3,036 graduating students, including 587 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) scholars, according to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO). During the ceremony, the graduating students will be conferred their degrees.

IIT Delhi Director Rangan Banerjee said the institute will confer degrees on 3,036 students this year, nearly 10% more than last year. The graduating cohort includes around 1,200 BTech students, 1,200 master's students and 587 PhD scholars. The institute will also award degrees to 245 women PhD scholars, while the first batches of the Bachelor of Design, MA in Culture, Society and Thought, and Executive MBA programmes will graduate this year.

As per the press release, the Prime Minister will also present the institute's highest honours to meritorious students. These include the President's Gold Medal, Director's Gold Medal, Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal, and Perfect Ten Gold Medals, recognising outstanding academic performance.

Apart from the convocation ceremony, Modi will inaugurate Param Pragya, an AI-powered high-performance supercomputing facility established at IIT Delhi's Sonipat campus.

According to an official statement, the new facility is expected to strengthen the institute's capabilities in artificial intelligence, data science, advanced computing and interdisciplinary research.

PM to inaugurate AI-powered supercomputing facility

The Prime Minister's Office said the inauguration of Param Pragya reflects India's continued focus on promoting cutting-edge research and artificial intelligence.

The official statement said, "The state-of-the-art facility is expected to significantly enhance the institute's capabilities in AI, data science, advanced computing, and interdisciplinary research."

Ahead of the convocation, the institute also highlighted recent academic and research initiatives, including MoUs with 21 institutions, of which 18 are National Institutes of Technology (NITs), under its Alliance Scheme for student and faculty exchange. It also announced a joint MSc in Biological Sciences and PhD programme with Sorbonne University, new research projects worth over Rs 700 crore this year, and annual research funding exceeding Rs 600 crore.

IIT Delhi highlights research

Ahead of the convocation, IIT Delhi highlighted several academic and research milestones achieved over the past year. The institute said it has signed agreements with 21 institutions under its Alliance Scheme involving National Institutes of Technology (NITs). It has also introduced pre-doctoral fellowships and small grant fellowships to support students pursuing research at the institute.

IIT Delhi also reported a 45% increase in international student enrolment, with 162 students from more than 13 countries, and said it executed 14 foreign-funded research projects during the past year.

According to IIT Delhi officials, the institute undertook 676 sponsored research projects over the last year and strengthened industry partnerships through support from hundreds of companies under corporate social responsibility (CSR) and other initiatives. It also collaborated with the National Sports University, Manipur, and the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports to advance sports technology.

The institute showcased 'Adivani', India's first AI-based translation tool dedicated to tribal languages, at an AI summit. It also said researchers have developed energy-efficient AI platforms, jointly developed several healthcare technologies with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), and filed several new patents.

IIT Delhi strengthens student support, innovation

Highlighting student welfare, dean of students Shantanu Panigrahi said the institute has strengthened mental well-being initiatives by offering yoga sessions, stress management programmes and counselling support. "We are here for the students," he said.

The institute's incubation ecosystem has also expanded, with nearly 500 startups incubated so far, including 39 startups currently operating within the incubation park. These startups have a combined valuation of around Rs 6,000 crore and have raised nearly Rs 15 crore in investments.

On faculty and infrastructure, dean of faculty Sidharth Pandey said more than 100 IIT Delhi faculty members have been featured in Stanford University's top 2% scientists list. He added that the institute is undertaking Rs 100 crore worth of renovation projects at its RK Puram campus and developing additional infrastructure on newly allotted land.

The convocation ceremony will begin at 11 am tomorrow, August 8, where the Prime Minister will interact with the graduating class and honour students for their academic achievements.