Patiala, November 2
Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET), Patiala, commenced its three-day Convocation 2026 on Monday, marking a significant milestone as the institute celebrates its 70th anniversary. Gulab Chand Kataria, Governor of Punjab and Administrator of the Union Territory of Chandigarh, attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest.
The convocation, being held from November 2 to 4, will see a total of 3,359 graduands receive their degrees. The first day was dedicated to doctoral scholars and medal winners.
The Chief Guest was welcomed by TIET Chancellor Dr. R. R. Vederah and joined the academic procession led by the Registrar. Vice Chancellor Prof. Padmakumar Nair, Pro Vice Chancellor Prof. Ajay Batish, and Dr. A. Sivathanu Pillai, Member of the Executive Council, were also present on the dais.
During the ceremony, Kataria conferred PhD degrees on doctoral scholars and presented medals to outstanding students across various programmes. Bhavya Gera from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering emerged as a prominent achiever, receiving both the President’s Medal and the Prof. V. Rajaraman Computer Science/Engineering Award. Gera graduated with a perfect Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) of 10.00.
The Governor’s Medals were awarded to Katyayani Jha from Computer Science and Engineering at the Derabassi Campus, Sakshi Balaso Jadhav from the MCA programme, and Vanshita from the MBA programme. Overall, six medal winners achieved a perfect CGPA of 10.00.
The institute also presented its Distinguished Alumnus Award to Mr. Vinod K. Luthra, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the Class of 1966. Luthra founded Barrington Residential, a multifamily housing enterprise in Upstate New York, in 1981. The award was presented jointly by the Chief Guest and the Chancellor in recognition of his achievements.
Addressing the graduating students, Shri Gulab Chand Kataria highlighted the importance of education, intellect and resilience in overcoming life’s challenges.
“There is only one tool with which we can win any battle in life — our mind and our education. If we are able to use our intellect and education in the right direction, that itself is true success,” he said. Emphasising the role of educational institutions, he added that the true value of an institution lies in preparing students to face diverse challenges and emerge stronger from them.
Dr. R. R. Vederah, Chancellor of TIET, encouraged the graduands to remain patient, continue learning and maintain a balanced approach to life. Comparing life to a marathon rather than a 100-metre race, he said that success should be measured by the ability to complete the journey rather than by how quickly one gets ahead. He also reminded students that a degree should not limit their willingness to acquire new knowledge and urged them not to become so occupied with building a successful life that they forget to enjoy it.
watch….ਕਾਮਨਵੈਲਥ ਕਬੱਡੀ ਵਿੱਚ ਭਾਰਤ ਦਾ ਡਬਲ ਧਮਾਕਾ! ਪੁਰਸ਼ ਤੇ ਮਹਿਲਾ ਦੋਵੇਂ ਟੀਮਾਂ ਬਣੀਆਂ ਚੈਂਪੀਅਨ
Prof. Padmakumar Nair, Vice Chancellor of TIET, stressed that professional achievements and financial success should not define a person’s entire worth. He described a career as something that individuals continually design, build and reshape, emphasising the importance of humanity alongside ambition and professional growth.
Sharing his experiences, Distinguished Alumnus Award recipient Mr. Vinod K. Luthra reflected on his journey since graduating in 1966. Returning to the campus after 60 years to receive the honour, he said that his entrepreneurial journey began in 1981 without elaborate plans, but through hard work, continuous learning and steady progress. His enterprise now provides housing for approximately 10,000 families.
Luthra credited the institute with providing a foundation that had remained valuable throughout his six-decade journey. He encouraged students never to stop learning, stressing that education does not end with a degree but remains a lifelong responsibility.
According to the institute’s figures as of October 29, 2026, the graduating cohort of 3,359 comprises 2,507 students from BE and BTech programmes, 225 from ME and MTech programmes, 194 MBA graduates, 116 MCA graduates, 89 MSc graduates and 88 doctoral scholars. The cohort also includes 140 graduands from liberal arts and science programmes, including MA, BA, BBA and BSc.
