The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Mandi has emerged as a premier centre for engineering education and research, fulfilling the aspirations of people of the region, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday.
In his message on the sixth convocation of the institute in the hill-state of Himachal Pradesh, Modi stressed that it was one of the youngest IITs in the country as he congratulated the graduating students.
The prime minister’s message was read out by IIT Mandi director Timothy A. Gonsalves at the function.
On the occasion, degrees were conferred upon a total of 211 students including 29 PhD scholars, 11 MS (by Research), 28 MSc (Chemistry), 11 MSc Mathematics, 20 MTech and 112 BTech students.
The number of Research Scholars graduating this year increased to 40 from last year’s 31.
Delivering the chief guest address, Padma Shri Ashok Jhunjhunwala, Institute Professor, IIT Madras, said, “A lot has to be done in the area of energy-storage to enable renewables to become the dominant source of energy for the nation and the world.”
“And the students could dream of a fossil-free future, probably the only way the earth will have a future,” he added.
He further stated that most of India’s vehicles would be running on electric power by around 2030.
Presenting the annual report, Gonsalves said, “We now have a total of 1,276 students including 274 Ph.D., 46 M.S. and 17 I-Ph.D. Research Scholars.”
“In the 2017-18 placement season, 58 companies visited our campus at Kamand, which is the highest ever at our Institute till now. Among these companies more than 83 per cent were core companies,” he said.
IIT Mandi researchers published 292 peer-reviewed articles during the Academic Year 2017-18, he added.
Subodh Bhargava, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT Mandi, said, “This year faculty members visited SAARC countries to recruit students.”
“IIT Mandi has also been appointed the nodal Institute for collaboration with German universities in the recently launched ‘Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration’ (SPARC) by the Union Ministry of Human Resource Development.” he added.
The Guest of Honour Sonam Wangchuk, Education Reformer and Founding Director, Students’ Educational and Cultural Movement of Ladakh (SECMOL), said, “Mountains have a lot of problems. It is an asset that an institute like yours is in the mountains… Youngsters should come up with solutions.”
Wangchuk was presented the Award of ‘Eminent Technologist of the Himalayan Region 2018’ during the convocation.
Courtesy: TOI
