International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH) conducted its 19th convocation online this year due to the Covid-19 pandemic and live-streamed the eConvocation. It graduated 459 students and a record number of 11 PhDs and 86 Masters with a thesis.
The past academic year was unique due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The institute embarked on online classes and vowed to support those with difficulty in multiple ways to ensure they weren’t further disadvantaged. IIIT Hyderabad is probably the first institute to plan and close the Spring semester on time for all students; this convocation ceremony being held on the originally planned date is a testament to the resilience displayed by the institute.
Sadaria Aanshul Ashwin Kumar, B.Tech Computer Science and Engineering (CSE) was awarded the IIIT gold medal in recognition of his outstanding academic performance. The B.Tech Best All-rounder award was presented to Kanay Gupta in CSE. Thirteen students received program gold medals.
A total of 130 companies registered for conducting placements and made job offers to these graduating students. The COVID-19 has not affected placements this year. A total of 130 companies registered; 58 visited and 50 made offers to graduating students. The institute has achieved 97% placements as of today.
In her eConvocation address, Dr. Gagandeep Kang, Professor, Department of Gastrointestinal Sciences, Christian Medical College, Vellore & Director, Translational Health Science and Technology Institute (THSTI), told graduating students, “This is a special year, and you are a very special class. This is not a time that any of you will forget. Whether or not you know it now, it has changed you and it has shaped you and the coming years will determine how you will look back on the impact that this defining time has had on your lives. And while the celebration is not what you imagined, it does not change the fact that you are an achiever, that your investment of time, effort and struggle has resulted in your success. While we wait for the immediate crisis to settle and the world to evolve its way into a new way of functioning, I want to leave you with three actions for these times, using words from an inspirational leader. Seek out new perspectives, listen to what other voices are saying, reflect on them and define for yourself what your core values are and what matters to you. And as Mahatma Gandhi said ‘Understand and embrace your values, because they become your destiny’.”
Congratulating the graduating students and their parents, Prof. P J Narayanan said, “I congratulate the students graduating with different degrees in 2020, a year like none other in recent memory. You are all graduating to an altered world. We can either let the difficulties keep us down physically and emotionally or soar over the troubles and see new opportunities everywhere. I want each graduate – and each student, faculty, and others – to not let the external events dampen our spirits. Let us end the sea of troubles by opposing them using the arms that we have: our creativity and talent. I wish the graduates a long journey of lasting success in their lives! You will be in our thoughts forever. And, we will be with every step of your journey forward”.
Turing award winner Prof. Raj Reddy, Chairman, Governing Council of IIIT-Hyderabad also dialled into the eConvocation from the US to admit students to their degrees and congratulated the graduating students.
