Mumbai: The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) awarded a record 449 PhD degrees this year, up from 378 last year. Officials from the institute called it a first of its kind as the institute managed to award more than 400 PhDs in one academic year. The announcement was made as part of the annual convocation ceremony of the institute, where 2,551 degrees were awarded to graduating students.
“Today’s graduating batch is not only the batch to receive the degree at the institute’s diamond jubilee convocation, but is possibly also the most ‘hardened’ batch that IITB has ever produced. The students have experienced with remarkable stoicism all three phases of life on the campus–pre-covid ambience, extreme hardship due to pandemic and then the post-pandemic moments that the campus provides,” said Prof Subhasis Chaudhuri, director of the institute. He added that the growing number of PhDs is a major milestone for STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics) education in India.
The event was held in physical format after two years of virtual convocation ceremonies due to Covid-19.
The chief guest for the function this year was Kumar Mangalam Birla, chairperson of the Aditya Birla Group.
In his speech at the event, Birla urged students to understand the value of humans in an increasingly tech world. “Human beings are at the heart of invention and the future will need more collaborations where we retain and reinforce human quality,” said Birla.
This year, four students were presented with gold medals for exemplary performance, along with other gold medals being awarded to students by donors.
Less time to read?
Try Quickreads
-
Tremors in Lucknow as 5.2 magnitude earthquake hits Indo-Nepal border
The tremor was felt for a few seconds, said those who experienced it. Several others also ran for safety. There has been no immediate report of any casualty or damage to property so far. Earthquakes with a magnitude of about 2.0 or less are usually called microearthquakes. Earthquakes above 7 cause severe destruction and loss of life over large areas. Himachal Pradesh’s Kinnaur district was hit by an earthquake of magnitude 3.1 on Friday.
-
Narendra Giri ‘suicide’ case: Anand Giri shifted to Chitrakoot jail
Anand Giri, the disciple of former president of Akhil Bharatiya Akhada Parishad Mahant Narendra Giri, who was arrested on charges of abetment to suicide of his guru that took place on September 20, 2021, and had been in Naini central jail of Uttar Pradesh’s Prayagraj district since then was shifted to Chitrakoot jail on Friday. Senior superintendent of Naini said Giri had been shifted on administrative grounds.
-
Woman’s paramour kills her son in U.P.’s Bulandshahr, both arrested
A man killed the four-year-old son of the woman with whom Arun had illicit relations and hanged deceased boy Keshav’s’ body with a tree near Maukhera village under Kotwali area of Bulandshahr district on Friday, police said. Woman Reena, 27 was married to deceased boy Keshav’s father Sanjay Kumar who is a cousin of accused Arun. The couple had a son Keshav. Sanjay has his job in Haryana and he mostly lives there. In Sanjay’s absence, Reena developed illicit relations with Arun.
-
PMC’s school travel improvement plan to provide safe commute for children
The Pune Municipal Corporation is planning to implement innovative methods to enable students to commute independently to and from school. According to PMC data, currently, 4% of students cycle to school whereas 21% of students use private vehicles (two-wheelers and cars) in Pune. The PMC, through this plan, intends to decongest roads around school areas during morning and evening hours. A PMC official said the civic body has allotted Rs one crore for the plan.
-
Maha-Metro gets 7th rake at Range Hills depot
The Maha-Metro received 7th three-coach train (34 train set) at Range Hills depot on August 18. “The rake received at the Range Hill Depot would be commissioned and later it will be used for trials between the Phugewadi to Civil Court section,” said a Maha-Metro official. The Range Hills depot is also nearing completion. Depot has all facilities for the maintenance trains sets. The Range Hills depot also has an Operation & Command Centre.