The National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal hosted a ring presentation ceremony on November 29 for graduates of the 2020 and 2021 batches, many of whom completed their degrees during the COVID-19 pandemic without a formal farewell on campus.
A total of 1,731 graduates received silver rings bearing the NITK emblem and their year of graduation. This included 881 students from the 2020 batch (555 Bachelor of Technology (BTech), 247 Master of Technology (MTech), 10 Master of Business Administration (MBA), 10 Master of Computer Applications (MCA), 23 Master of Science (MSc), and 36 Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) graduates) and 850 from the 2021 batch (475 BTech, 253 MTech, 17 MBA, 57 MCA, 12 MSc, and 36 PhD graduates). Rings were presented in person on campus and also dispatched to those unable to attend.
The ceremony continued a tradition started over five decades ago by former faculty member Prof A S Adke. The ring is intended to serve as a symbol of lifelong association with the institute and as a shared identity marker among NITK alumni worldwide. Faculty members handed over the rings individually to attending graduates.
NITK alumnus Madhusudhan Ekambaram, chief executive officer and co-founder of fintech company KreditBee, was the chief guest. He spoke about his entrepreneurial journey, including repeated funding rejections before eventual success, and urged graduates to back their ideas with persistence and preparation.
Director Prof B Ravi reviewed recent developments in administration, academics, and infrastructure, including projects such as NITKere, the LHC-D complex, new hostels, the Sky Track, and new fests like Incub8, centred on entrepreneurship and innovation, and a dedicated sports fest. He also introduced the “4 Rs” framework for alumni engagement: Return, Reconnect, Relive, and Redefine.
Alumni from the 2020 and 2021 cohorts reflected on their time at NITK and the disruptions caused by the pandemic, while calling on peers to remain connected to the institute and contribute to future initiatives.