IIT Guwahati Celebrates 28th Convocation

Over 2,000 graduates received degrees at IIT Guwahati's 28th convocation. Dr Shivakumar Kalyanaraman, CEO of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, graced the occasion as the chief guest. The event brought together students for a day that was a celebration of individual achievement as well as a statement of the institute's growing impact on India's research and innovation landscape.

Published 12 July 2026 | Category Institute Events | Office Dean of Administration

IIT Guwahati's 28th convocation, held on 12 July 2026, brought together 982 undergraduates and more than 1,200 postgraduate students. Spread across eight hours, the ceremony wove together tradition, scholarship and forward-looking ambition, offering a fitting close to years of learning for its graduating cohort.

A Ceremony Rooted in Tradition

The proceedings opened with an invocation, the rendition of Vande Mataram and the institute anthem, before Dr Prahalada Rama Rao, acting Chairperson of the Board of Governors, formally declared the convocation open. In a gesture that tied the occasion to its regional roots, the institute leadership and guests wore specially designed gamosas, honouring Assam's traditions as part of the milestone 28th edition.

Research and Innovation Take Centre Stage

Presenting the institute's annual report, Director Prof Devendra Jalihal used the occasion to spotlight IIT Guwahati's expanding research footprint, with 290 ongoing projects and 21 new ANRF-ARG and ARG-Matrix grants secured this year.

Among the standout developments was a low-field MRI prototype using metamaterials to overcome traditional signal-to-noise limitations. The prototype is now advancing towards initial clinical imaging. The Director also mentioned the development of an indigenous surgical robotic system that integrates augmented and virtual reality, and is designed to reduce dependence on imported platforms.

In addition, the Director announced a significant technology transfer with Kaashyap Cleantech Innovation, Hyderabad, for commercial-scale production of biomethanol using bacterial rather than chemical conversion technology — a process that turns greenhouse gases into fuel without competing with food crops for land.

Plans for expanded campus infrastructure, including new biogas generation and material recycling facilities aimed at achieving 100 per cent scientific waste management, were also outlined.

Building Global Bridges

The Director also underlined the institute's international outreach, noting that IIT Guwahati now maintains 91 active memoranda of understanding with universities abroad, facilitating student exchanges, joint research and collaborative programmes. Its partnership with Japan was singled out as among the most strategically significant.

The Institute also honoured two distinguished alumni: Mr. Jaspreet Singh for pioneering cloud-native data protection solutions, and Mr. Himanshu Upreti as a young achiever for contributions to AI-driven consumer analytics.

Words of Wisdom for a Changing World

The Director's presentation was followed by an address by Dr Prahalada Rama Rao. He spoke of IIT Guwahati's role in establishing Manekshaw Centres for Defence and Security Research nationwide, invoking Op Sindoor to stress that national strength rests on preparedness for every eventuality.

The Chief Guest Dr Shivakumar Kalyanaraman, CEO of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation, spoke to the graduates and urged them to see themselves as problem-solvers for frontier challenges such as disaster resilience, sustainable infrastructure, affordable healthcare and clean energy.

He left the students with three guiding principles: build depth; collaborate across boundaries while still carrying that depth; and choose problems that matter, taking ownership as entrepreneurs do. He also encouraged graduates to remain engaged with their alma mater as mentors and ambassadors long after leaving campus.

Honouring Excellence

The ceremony's academic high points included Best Thesis Awards for PhD scholars and Institute Silver Medals for top performers across disciplines.

The Governor of Assam Gold Medals went to Praneel Bhattacharya (MTech, Chemical Engineering) and Sarthak Kapoor (BTech, Computer Science and Engineering). Atri Chattopadhyay (BTech, Electronics and Electrical Engineering) received the Dr Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal for all-round excellence, while Saptarshi Mukherjee (BTech, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence) was awarded the President of India Gold Medal and led his fellow graduates in the convocation pledge.

A Shared Sense of Purpose

The day's proceedings pointed to a single, unifying thread: the Institute's research is increasingly aimed at problems with real-world consequence — from healthcare to clean energy to national security — and is now sending forth graduates asked to carry that same sense of purpose into the world beyond Guwahati.