Una, September 3, 2026: The next chapter began today for 206 young technologists of IIIT Una,
as the Institute celebrated its 8th Convocation in the presence of the Hon’ble Governor of
Himachal Pradesh, distinguished public representatives, faculty, parents and the Institute
community.
The celebrations began the previous evening with a hybrid Alumni Meet, bringing together the
graduating batch and alumni from earlier cohorts for an informal evening of conversations,
memories and shared experiences, followed by dinner. The gathering welcomed the graduating
students into the wider IIIT Una alumni community ahead of their convocation.
Shri Kavinder Gupta, Hon’ble Governor of Himachal Pradesh, graced the occasion as the Chief
Guest and Convocation Speaker. Shri Anurag Singh Thakur, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Lok
Sabha) from Hamirpur Constituency, and Prof. Sikander Kumar, Hon’ble Member of Parliament
(Rajya Sabha), were the Guests of Honour. The ceremony was also attended by Prof. Manish
Gaur, Director, IIIT Una; Shri Ravi Saini, Registrar, IIIT Una; members of the Board of
Governors and Senate; Shri Satpal Singh Satti, MLA, Una; Shri Virender Kanwar, President,
Volleyball Federation of India; senior district officials, faculty members, members of the media,
parents and guardians.
“The Degree Is Not the Destination”
In his Convocation Address, Governor Shri Kavinder Gupta congratulated the graduands, their
families and faculty, describing the convocation not as an end, but as the beginning of a new
journey marked by hope, responsibility and new duties. He noted IIIT Una’s growing stature in
technical education, entrepreneurship, innovation and research, and emphasized that in a rapidly
changing world of AI, IoT, semiconductors, robotics and quantum computing, the purpose of
technology must be to bridge the gap between real-world problems and innovative solutions.
Calling upon the graduates to become responsible professionals, he urged them and the Institute
to develop technologies addressing the needs of Himachal Pradesh in areas such as disaster
management, agriculture, water conservation and village entrepreneurship. “Your degree is not
your destination; it is the foundation of your journey,” he reminded the graduands, carrying with
them the faith of their parents, the expectations of their teachers and the hopes of the nation.
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Shri Anurag Singh Thakur congratulated the graduates as the future of India, reminding them that
convocation marks not the end but the beginning of a lifelong journey of learning, innovation and
entrepreneurship. He urged them to face challenges with courage and perseverance, strive for
excellence, and remain committed to serving society and contributing to the vision of Viksit
Bharat 2047. Prof. Sikander Kumar called upon the graduates to become job creators and use
technology for the development of areas such as agriculture, disaster management and space
technology, while continuously learning in a rapidly changing technological world. He
emphasised that professional success must go hand in hand with character, national integrity and
the commitment to become, above all, good human beings.
Addressing the gathering, Director Prof. Manish Gaur presented a brief overview of IIIT Una’s
progress over the past year, highlighting its achievements in academics, placements, research,
innovation and entrepreneurship. These achievements were reflected in the graduating cohort of
206 students—189 B.Tech. and 17 M.Tech. (CSE–Data Science), including the first batch of
M.Tech. CSE (Data Science) students from the Institute.
Academic excellence was recognised through medals awarded to:
B.Tech. CSE: Vansh Gaba (Gold, 9.21), Amrutansh Jha (Silver, 9.16), Paras Tyagi
(Bronze, 9.10)
B.Tech. ECE: Chandraditya Parmar (Gold, 9.43), Kaustubh Agrawal (Silver, 9.31),
Sharma Vivek Anilkumar (Bronze, 9.17)
B.Tech. IT: Anshika Arora (Gold, 9.19), Harsh Yadav (Gold, 9.19), Tushar (Silver, 8.79),
Aryan Arya (Bronze, 8.74)
M.Tech. CSE (Data Science): Ankur Sharma (Gold, 8.73), Shivangi Thakur (Silver, 8.24),
Kishan Srivastava (Bronze, 8.23)
The B.Tech. graduating batch recorded a 95.86% placement rate, with 162 of the 169 students
who appeared placed. The batch achieved a highest package of ₹53.6 lakh per annum, an average
package of ₹13.46 lakh per annum, and participation from 70+ recruiters. Branch-wise placement
stood at 96.49% in CSE, 98.31% in ECE and 92.45% in IT.
A Commitment Beyond the Classroom
As part of the ceremony, the graduands took the Convocation Oath, affirming their commitment
to integrity, the honour of their country, profession and Institute, environmental well-being,
national unity, and using their knowledge in the service of society.
The ceremony concluded with a Vote of Thanks by Shri Ravi Saini, Registrar, IIIT Una, who
expressed his heartfelt gratitude to the dignitaries, guests, faculty, staff, students, parents and
families, and everyone whose collective efforts made the occasion possible.
Looking Ahead
The messages from the dignitaries underscored IIIT Una’s next phase of stronger engagement
with Himachal Pradesh, socially relevant research, entrepreneurship, lifelong learning and
technology for societal good.
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For the graduates, the 8th Convocation marked not an ending but a transition—from learning to
doing, from students to professionals, and from the campus to the world. As they step forward,
may they build boldly, solve meaningfully, and ensure that technology ultimately serves people.
