Posted On:
03 NOV 2026 6:36PM by PIB Raipur
The 17th Convocation Ceremony of the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur was held today at Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium, Raipur. Union Minister of Coal and Mines, Government of India, Shri G. Kishan Reddy, attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest and delivered the convocation address. Congratulating the graduating students, he said that for over six decades, NIT Raipur has served as a strong foundation for India's technological advancement and industrial development.
Shri G. Kishan Reddy said that, as a key pillar of the country's energy security, the Ministry of Coal and Mines fully recognises that energy demand will rise significantly alongside India's rapidly growing economy. He emphasised that balancing this accelerated industrial growth with sustainable, environment-friendly and affordable technologies is both one of the biggest challenges and greatest opportunities of the present era.
Calling upon the graduating students to contribute actively towards the vision of 'Viksit Bharat' by 2047, the Union Minister urged them to develop innovative solutions in areas where others see obstacles. He particularly highlighted energy security, supply chains, public health, employment generation and agricultural development as sectors offering significant opportunities for innovation.
Referring to the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the Union Minister said that it focuses on practical and skill-based learning rather than conventional rote-learning methods. He added that the Central Government is actively working with state governments and universities to ensure its effective implementation. He observed that advanced manufacturing and Artificial Intelligence (AI) would play a decisive role in shaping the future global economy and employment landscape. Highlighting that nearly one-third of technology professionals in Silicon Valley are of Indian origin, he said this reflects India's growing leadership in global technology and education.
Earlier in the morning, Union Minister Shri G. Kishan Reddy formally inaugurated seven new Centres of Excellence at Heera Hall on the NIT Raipur campus. These include the MeitY IndiaAI Chhattisgarh Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence; Centre of Excellence on Critical Minerals; Centre of Excellence in Computational Mechanics; Centre of Space and Interplanetary Exploration (COSINE); Maral Centre for Innovation in Rural and Tribal Health; Centre of Excellence for Aerospace and Autonomous Technologies; and Centre for Nanoscience and Sustainable Energy Technologies. These advanced centres will promote cutting-edge research, interdisciplinary collaboration and practical solutions to technological and societal challenges.
Raipur Member of Parliament Shri Brijmohan Agrawal, who attended the ceremony as the Guest of Honour, extended his best wishes to the graduating students. He said that innovation and intensive research are essential for the overall development of the nation. Emphasising the need to promote domestic exploration and processing of critical minerals, he called for reducing dependence on foreign imports. He also encouraged students to acquire expertise in Artificial Intelligence and use it to advance national development and strengthen India's global competitiveness.
Dr. Nallathambi Kalaiseelvi, Director General of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) and Secretary, Department of Scientific and Industrial Research (DSIR), said that NIT Raipur is a distinguished institution producing skilled human resources across major technological domains, including metallurgy and coal mining. Describing coal as the real diamond of the present era, she stressed the strategic utilisation of India's vast coal reserves. Appreciating the Centre of Excellence in Metallurgy, she highlighted the importance of research in transition metals, the vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat and the development of net-zero carbon technologies. She also called upon young graduates to take up leadership responsibilities in nation-building.
Presiding over the ceremony, Dr. Suresh Haware, Chairman of the Board of Governors, NIT Raipur, said that a convocation is not merely a day for receiving degrees but marks the beginning of a new journey in life. He observed that the young graduates present in the auditorium were not just degree holders but future engineers, entrepreneurs, scientists and policymakers of the country. Referring to the inspiring journey of Chief Guest Shri G. Kishan Reddy, from a farming family to the Union Cabinet, he encouraged students to draw inspiration from his life. Dr. Haware noted that despite the growing influence of Artificial Intelligence and automation, several fundamental activities in production and energy would continue to depend on human engineering skills. He urged students to remain strong in their fundamentals.
Director of NIT Raipur, Prof. N. V. Ramana Rao, presented the institute's annual progress report. He highlighted the formal approval of the Centre of Space and Interplanetary Exploration (COSINE) as a major achievement. He also informed that the institute secured a place in the #1201–1400 band of the Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2027, while NITRRFIE received the 'Bharat Incubator Award 2025'.
Sharing the institute's placement and research achievements, Prof. Rao stated that students of the 2026 batch received a total of 821 placement offers, with the highest annual package standing at ₹60 lakh. He further informed that 18 faculty members and four students of the institute featured in Stanford University's global list of the world's top 2 per cent scientists.
The ceremony commenced with the traditional academic procession, followed by the national song 'Vande Mataram'. A total of 1,364 students were awarded degrees this year, including 976 undergraduate, 283 postgraduate and 105 Ph.D. scholars. In recognition of outstanding academic performance, 51 medals were presented, comprising 25 gold medals, 25 silver medals and one overall gold medal. Atmika Gangele of B.Tech. Computer Science and Engineering was conferred the Institute Gold Medal and the Overall Topper (Undergraduate) award.
The ceremony concluded with the presentation of mementoes to the distinguished guests, followed by the collective rendition of the National Anthem.
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RDJ/PJ