The celebration brought together students, alumni and academic leaders to honour academic excellence and celebrate Thapar Institute’s legacy.
Patiala (Punjab) [India], November 11: Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET) concluded its three-day Convocation 2026 at its Patiala campus, bringing together graduating students, their families, faculty members, distinguished alumni and academic leaders to celebrate academic achievements and the Institute’s legacy. The celebrations featured degree-conferral ceremonies across undergraduate and postgraduate programmes, alongside the recognition of academic excellence.
The convocation commenced on November 2 in the presence of Shri Gulab Chand Kataria, Hon’ble Governor of Punjab and Administrator, Union Territory of Chandigarh, as the Chief Guest. The ceremony was attended by Dr. Rajeev Ranjan Vederah, Chancellor, TIET; Prof. Padmakumar Nair, Vice-Chancellor; Prof. Ajay Batish, Pro Vice-Chancellor and Chief Academic Officer; Dr. A. Sivathanu Pillai, Member, Executive Council; and Dr. Gurbinder Singh, Deputy Registrar at TIET.
The convocation featured five degree-conferral sessions, during which a total of 3,359 degrees were conferred upon graduates from the Master of Engineering and Master of Technology programmes, undergraduate Computer Engineering cohorts, and the MCA programme. The sessions marked an important milestone for students as they completed their academic journeys and prepared to embark on professional and research careers.
Celebrating Alumni and Academic Excellence
A notable highlight was the presence of distinguished alumnus Vinod Kumar Luthra from the Mechanical Engineering Class of 1966, who returned to the Institute after 60 years. An engineer, inventor, entrepreneur and philanthropist, Luthra reflected on the role TIET played in shaping his career and life.
“I graduated in 1966, and coming back after 60 years to receive this honour is special. The Institute gave me a foundation that has stayed with me throughout my life. Education is a lifelong responsibility, and the journey does not end with a degree,” he said.
The convocation also recognised outstanding academic performance through institutional and program-specific honours, including the President Medal, Governor Medal, S. Ranbir Singh Memorial Medal, Prof. V. Rajaraman Computer Science/Engineering Award and S. Ram S. Sidhu Memorial Medal.
Addressing the graduating students, Prof. Padmakumar Nair, Vice-Chancellor, TIET, said, “Your market value is not your human value, and your professional success is not the ultimate measure of a meaningful life. A career is not merely a ladder to climb, it is a structure we design, build, revise and sometimes partially dismantle. That is the architecture of ambition. The only full-time job in the world is to be human.”
Dr. Rajeev Ranjan Vederah, Chancellor, TIET, encouraged graduates to continue learning beyond their degrees, saying, “Life is a marathon, not a 100-metre race. Don’t worry about who is ahead of you at 100 metres; who finishes the marathon is the winner. Your degree tells the world what you have learned so far; it should never become a boundary around what you are willing to learn next. Do not become so occupied with making a great life that you forget to have a good one.”
The three-day celebration brought together academic achievement and alumni experiences, reaffirming the enduring connection between Thapar Institute and its graduates as they embark on new professional and personal journeys.
About Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology
Established in 1956, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET), Patiala, is a deemed-to-be university offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programs across engineering, technology, sciences, liberal arts and management. The Institute combines academic learning, research and industry engagement to prepare students for evolving professional and societal needs.
For more information, visit https://www.thapar.edu/.
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