National Institute of Fashion Technology, Gandhinagar, hosted its convocation for the Class of 2025 on 11^th  September 2025.  

The academic procession was led by Dr Jayanti S Ravi, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department, Government of Gujarat & Secretary, Auroville Foundation, Chennai is a Chief Guest for the occasion accompanied by the Prof Dr Noopur Anand, Dean (Academics) and Ms Sinju Manajan, Head (AA), Director NIFT Gandhinagar, Prof. Dr. Sameer Sood, Shri Anoop Nautiyal, Community Leader, Mr  Vishal Gupta, CAC, all CCs, and faculty members.

The convocation commenced with the Lighting of the lamp and Saraswati Vandana". Director, NIFT Gandhinagar, Prof. Dr. Sameer Sood, delivered the welcome address and presented the Academic Report.

Prof. Dr. Sameer Sood mentioned in his academic report that the Class of 2025 includes 173 undergraduate students and 68 postgraduate students, bringing the total number of graduates to 241 (198 Female and 43 Male) who have completed their academic journey and are prepared to take on industry challenges while contributing to its growth.

Director NIFT Gandhinagar, Prof. Dr. Sameer Sood, emphasised goal-setting, passion, and determination, encouraging students to embrace practice, positivity, and self-improvement while avoiding procrastination and negativity. He stated that Concurrent with its academic pursuits, campus has initiated a range of activities, and some of the noteworthy endeavours and accomplishments of NIFT Gandhinagar Campus are:

1. Awards & Recognition -  NIFT Gandhinagar bagged prestigious awards, including Best Institution for Accessory and Jewellery Designing and the CITI Best Academic Institution (Textile) – Sustainability Award at Bharat Tex 2025. These recognitions highlight its leadership in design and sustainable practices.
2. Panel Discussions -  A series of panel talks brought together government, industry, and academia leaders. Topics ranged from Khadi's role in sustainable fashion, apparel sector transformation, GI for craft preservation, and artisan empowerment under Viksit Bharat.
3. Orientation Programme 2025 -  Held from 30 July to 1 Aug 2025, the programme welcomed new students with sessions on NIFT's academic system, craft clusters, international linkages, student development, and inspiring talks by alumni and experts.
4. National Handloom Pakhwada 2024 - The campus celebrated the 10th National Handloom Day with Gujarat CM and Ministers, hosted a Vibrant Handloom Exhibition inaugurated by Union Minister Shri Giriraj Singh, and organised Khadi Mahotsav workshops and discussions.
5. Vigilance Awareness Week 2024 -  Observed from 28 Oct – 3 Nov 2024, the week included pledge-taking, competitions, and interactive sessions under the theme "सत्यनिष्ठ की संस्कृति से राष्ट्र की समृद्धि", reinforcing a culture of integrity and ethics.
6. 40 Years of NIFT -  On 22 Jan 2025, NIFT Gandhinagar celebrated NIFT@40 with competitions, cultural events, fun activities, and the creation of a herbal garden of 40 plants, marking four decades of institutional excellence.
7. Industry Interaction -  Students and faculty engaged with design houses, retail outlets, and export firms, while alums and experts delivered talks. Projects with companies like Arvind, Aurus, Nandan Terry, Woods at Sasan strengthened real-world learning and collaboration.
8. Global Linkages (Twinning Program)-  Selected students gained international exposure through twinning programmes at prestigious institutes, including FIT New York, NABA Italy, and RMIT Australia, enhancing global learning opportunities.
9. Craft Cluster Interventions & Workshops-  From 6–8 March 2025, NIFT hosted 53 artisans from 33 clusters with sales of ₹10.55 lakh. Students explored diverse crafts like Zardozi, Pichwai, Sujani, Bhujodi, Block Printing, Mashru, Jat Embroidery, and Terracotta, alongside live demonstrations.
10. Student Development Activities (SDAC)-  Six active clubs organised engaging events: Literary Week, NGO drives, photography contests, environment campaigns, sports events, cultural celebrations, Spectrum 2025 fest, and Independence Day fashion shows, enriching campus life.
11. Campus Placements - NIFT Gandhinagar achieved 78% placement with the highest package of ₹20 LPA, ranking 1st in India for placements by India Today 2025. Over 469 companies participated, including Reliance, Shoppers Stop, and Raymond.
12. Faculty Achievements-  Faculty members pursued training in AI, 3D Clo, Fabric Science, Statistics, and presented papers at IFFTI, IIMs, IITs, AIMA, contributing significantly to research, publications, and academic discourse.
13. Student Research & Achievements-  Students presented papers at IIM Ahmedabad and IIT Gandhinagar, joined the Handloom Hackathon, and contributed to sustainability, eco-friendly product development, Bharat Tex 2025, and national-level design competitions.

Dr. Sameer Sood said that graduating students are fortunate to step into a New India, a nation rising with pride. India had become the fourth largest economy and was soon to be the 3rd, the 3rd largest startup ecosystem, a leader in digital transactions, and among the fastest-growing in infrastructure.

He highlighted the textile and fashion sector's role in this journey. With exports at ₹3 lakh crore, the Prime Minister had set a target of ₹9 lakh crore by 2030. Achieving this would triple the industry's scale, creating vast opportunities. Textiles, being India's second-largest employer, carried great responsibility in nation-building.

Looking back at history, he reminded them that India once controlled 40% of the world's textile trade but had now dropped to just 4%. It was their duty to restore this lost glory and make India the textile powerhouse of the world again. He said this would require hard work, discipline, resilience, and zero procrastination.

Quoting Swami Vivekananda and Saint Kabir, he urged students to act promptly, seize opportunities without delay, and never stop until they succeed. He reminded them that their individual achievements would also contribute to the success of society and the nation.

He shared the Prime Minister's mantra "daam kam, dam zyada"—reduce costs and increase value. India had to offer affordable production to be globally competitive while raising quality above global benchmarks. He encouraged students to embrace and carry this mission into the industry.

He concluded with Abhimanyu's story from the Mahabharata, he said true warriors are those who fight life's battles, win or lose. Ending with Atalji's poem, he reminded them never to see life only in terms of victory or defeat, since every failure was a stepping stone to success and true victory lay in persistence.

The Convocation Pledge was administered to the Graduates by the Prof. Dr. Noopur Anand Dean (Academics), NIFT.

Dr Jayanti S Ravi, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department, Government of Gujarat & Secretary, Auroville Foundation, Chennai, Chief Guest of the event, addressed the class of 2024.   

Dr. Jayanti S. Ravi said she was honoured to be part of NIFT Gandhinagar's convocation, describing it as both an ending and a new beginning where students' skills and vision would shape their lives, society, culture, and the nation. She congratulated the parents and faculty, asking the audience to applaud them for nurturing and guiding the graduates.

She recalled visiting the graduation exhibits a few months earlier, where she was deeply impressed by the creativity and stories behind students' work, from jewelry inspired by tribal traditions to batik designs based on Mumbai's trains. Dr. Ravi said these stories and experiences are what truly endure and enrich life.

Speaking about the changing and often chaotic world, she reminded graduates that resilience, values, and purpose are as important as prosperity. Quoting from Gurbani, Guru Gobind Singh ji, and the Upanishads, she urged them to pursue truth, dharma, curiosity, and lifelong learning. Dr. Ravi said that real wealth lies in material success, holistic growth, empathy, and gratitude.

She shared personal experiences, from train journeys during Bharat Darshan to her work with Swachh Bharat, emphasising how lessons can be found in every situation—even in the most unexpected places. Dr. Ravi said curiosity and excellence must never be lost, and education should nurture, not kill, creativity.

Authenticity, she said, is equally vital. Recalling her teaching experience at Harvard, Dr. Ravi said being faithful to one's identity earns respect far more than trying to conform. She spoke of her work at Auroville, highlighting Swami Vivekananda's R-A-M-A principle—how questioning the status quo moves through rejection, anger, mellowing, and acceptance.

In closing, Dr. Ravi said that success should not be measured only in salaries or awards, but in the purpose and contribution one brings to work. She urged students to move from being consumers to becoming contributors, weaving their careers like fabric—with courage, compassion, and creativity. As India moves toward its 100th year of independence, Dr. Ravi said the graduates must carry the torch as innovators and cultural ambassadors, ensuring their designs not only adorn but transform lives, radiating not just outer gloss but inner glow.

Shri Anoop Nautiyal addressed the graduating students by recalling his journey as part of the first batch of NIFT Delhi and his 35 years of professional experience, including two decades in the textile industry and later work on social and environmental issues in Uttarakhand. Crediting NIFT for shaping his career, which saw him rise to become the first Indian Country Manager at H&M, he shared three key lessons with the graduating students: never be a bad boss, always "walk as you talk" by aligning actions with words, and take responsibility for sustainability in the face of climate change. Reflecting on his life in three phases—early struggles, later recognition and stability, and finally giving back to society—he urged the students to remain patient, grounded, and socially conscious as they embark on their journeys.

The degree and award distribution ceremony started in the presence of the dignitaries. In total, 241 students from the streams of Fashion Design, Fashion Communication, Textile Design, Accessory Design, Fashion Management and Fashion Technology and Master of Design graduated. Total 173 students were conferred with their Bachelor's Degrees and 68 students received their Master's Degrees.

The department-wise details of the class of 2025 are as follows:

S. No.	Department	Nos of Students
1	Accessory Design	31
2	Fashion Communication	39
3	Fashion Design	41
4	Fashion Management	35
5	Fashion Technology	26
6	Master of Design Space	33
7	Textile Design	36
Total		241

The convocation was followed by an exhibition on textile sustainability and Craft design projects curated by Textile Design Students. The exhibition was inaugurated by the Dr Jayanti S Ravi, IAS, Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue Department, Government of Gujarat & Secretary, Auroville Foundation, Chennai, Chief Guest, in the presence of Prof. Dr. Sameer Sood, Campus Director, NIFT and Dr. Noopur Anand, Dean (Academics) and Ms. Sinju Manajan, NIFT Delhi, Head (AA), students and faculty members.

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