The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur celebrated its 59th convocation by awarding degrees to 3,104 students across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programs. The event took place in two sessions and featured prominent guests, including Pawan Goenka, chairperson of the Indian National Space Promotion and Authorisation Centre (IN-SPACe), as the chief guest.
Convocation Highlights and Guest Messages
The ceremony was overseen by Jayant Patil, the officiating chairperson of IIT Kanpur’s Board of Governors, and the institute’s director, Manindra Agrawal. During the event, the institute recognized exceptional academic achievements with its highest honors. Sagar K. V., from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, received the President’s Gold Medal. Director’s Gold Medals were awarded to Aditya V., a student in the BS program in statistics and data science, and Ritwik Shankar from the BT-MT aerospace engineering program.
Addressing the graduates, Pawan Goenka encouraged them to embrace challenges and contribute to India’s growth. He likened life to a long engineering project filled with trial and error, emphasizing perseverance and continuous learning. Goenka urged graduates to remember the national mission of achieving a "Viksit Bharat" (developed India) by 2047, inspiring them to leave a meaningful legacy.
Graduating Class Composition and Awards
The graduating batch was diverse, comprising 1,325 postgraduate students, 1,247 undergraduates, and 532 students from the institute’s eMasters programs. Among them were 390 PhD scholars, 502 MTech graduates, 852 BTech graduates, 212 BS graduates, 186 MSc graduates, 59 MBA graduates, 36 MDes graduates, 66 MS (Research) graduates, 107 dual-degree graduates, 35 double-major graduates, and 40 PGPEX-VLFM graduates.
In addition to the President’s and Director’s Gold Medals, the Ratan Swarup Memorial Prize was awarded to Dhruv Budhedeo from the Department of Aerospace Engineering. Numerous students also received academic excellence awards and institute medals recognizing outstanding research, leadership, and overall contributions to IIT Kanpur.
Messages from Institute Leadership
Jayant Patil congratulated the Class of 2026, reminding graduates that their degrees represent years of hard work and perseverance. He urged them to uphold IIT Kanpur’s legacy by embracing integrity, innovation, and lifelong learning as they advance in their careers.
Director Manindra Agrawal highlighted the importance of timeless values like honesty, resilience, humility, and respect. He noted that while technology can quickly process information, human intelligence is essential for asking the right questions, making ethical decisions, and understanding the broader impact of technology. Agrawal encouraged graduates to continue learning and adapting throughout their lives.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How many students graduated at IIT Kanpur’s 59th convocation?
A: A total of 3,104 students received degrees, including undergraduates, postgraduates, PhD scholars, and eMasters students.
Q: Who received the President’s Gold Medal at the convocation?
A: Sagar K. V. from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering was awarded the President’s Gold Medal.
Q: What key message did the chief guest share with the graduates?
A: Pawan Goenka encouraged graduates to persevere, take risks, trust others, keep learning, and contribute to building a developed India by 2047.
