Gandhinagar | Aug 16: The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) celebrated India’s 80th Independence Day on August 15, 2026, with the participation of members of the Institute community. The programme opened with thoughts on the nation’s journey and recognition of service in research, academics and institutional service.
The celebrations began with the assembly of the Institute community, followed by the rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ and the hoisting of the national flag. The programme continued with the National Anthem.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IIT Gandhinagar, spoke on the significance of Independence Day and the responsibilities of the educational and research institutions towards the nation. He pointed out the role of institutions like IIT Gandhinagar in the progress of science, technology and innovation for the progress of the society. He said, “As India moves towards becoming a global leader in science and technology, institutions like ours carry a growing responsibility. Whether in semiconductors, artificial intelligence, sustainable energy, or public health, our work must feed directly into the vision of an Aatmanirbhar Bharat, a self-reliant India that earns its place on the world stage through indigenous strength, not isolation.”
He also spoke about the role of the younger generation in shaping India’s future and urged them to carry forward the values of service, integrity, and responsibility while contributing to a stronger, more prosperous, and self-reliant India.
A key highlight of the programme was the launch of the Institute Process Automation System (IPAS), an initiative to make institutional processes more efficient and streamlined.
Speaking about the system, Prof Nithin V George, Acting Registrar, IITGN, said that IPAS is aimed at making existing institutional processes easier, faster, and more user-friendly. The system includes a personalised dashboard that brings pending approvals, recent activities, and the calendar together in one place, with further enhancements planned in subsequent phases.
The celebration also recognised the dedication and achievements of members of the IITGN community through a series of awards. The Long Service Awards honoured Prof Atul Dixit (2015), Dr Neeldhara Mishra (2015), Dr Vineet Vashisht (2015), Dr Dilip Sundarvasaram, Dr Manoj Gupta (2016), Dr Kaustubh Rane (2016), Prof Rishi Singh (2016), Shri Nirmal Kumar Jha (2016), Shri Hemant Kumar Gupta, and Shrimati Indu Shukla (2016) for their dedicated service to the Institute.
The Bhalodia-Khetan Summer Research Excellence Awards recognised outstanding research undertaken during the Institute’s summer research programme. The awards were presented to Saumya Kansara in the Humanities and Social Sciences category, Vaishali Chauhan in the Science category, and Rathin Mahesh Ghivari in the Engineering category.
The UG Research Showcase – Best Poster Awards recognised student research presented at the showcase. The awardees were Om Gupta from Chemical Engineering; Suhani from Computer Science and Engineering; and Shah Nihar Dharmesh, Prachand Aditya Prashant, and Pavitr Chandwani from Electrical Engineering.
The Dean’s List Awards were also presented to students in recognition of their academic performance.
The programme concluded with refreshments and an informal gathering of members of the IITGN community.
The celebration brought together the Institute community, inclusive of its student leadership, to mark Independence Day and recognise the contributions of its faculty, staff, and students towards research, education, and the continued development of IIT Gandhinagar.