Embracing the rich scientific culture, Gagandeep Kang, a prominent virologist, urged the graduating students of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi during their 54th Convocation Ceremony to draw inspiration from this heritage, reports PTI. Kang is the first Indian woman to be elected a Fellow of the Royal Society and the second to the US National Academy of Medicine.
She is the only physician-scientist to receive the Infosys Award in Life Sciences.
"IIT Delhi has a long-standing tradition of producing outstanding alumni who have excelled in various fields, making significant contributions to both India and the world. This culture of rigour, dedication and pursuit of excellence has become the hallmark of an IIT graduate. As you enter the next phase of your life, hold on to this legacy of scientific culture and let it inspire you in all you do," said Kang, Professor of Microbiology at Christian Medical College, Vellore.
"You are stepping into the world equipped with the power of science and technology. Science has solutions to offer for many of the problems we face in society, and the privilege of receiving high-quality education and training from an esteemed institution like IIT Delhi comes with responsibility to use your skills for service," she said.
The IIT Delhi convocation saw the conferral of degrees upon more than 2,350 undergraduate and postgraduate students.
Meritorious students were awarded the President's Gold Medal, the Director's Gold Medal, Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma (former President of India) Gold Medal, the Perfect Ten Gold Medal and the Institute Silver Medal.
The event also celebrated outstanding alumni, including Ashutosh Sabharwal, Pawan Kumar Jain, Nalin Shinghal, Aarti Gupta, and Gurtej S Sandhu, who have made their mark in various fields. Additionally, recognition was given to recent graduates Aayush Jain and Ananth Govind Rajan for their accomplishments in their respective roles as Assistant Professors.
The alumni chosen for ‘Graduates of Last Decade' (GOLD) award are Aayush Jain (Assistant Professor, Carnegie Mellon University Pittsburgh) and Ananth Govind Rajan (Assistant Professor, IISc Bengaluru).
