The Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Hyderabad Campus celebrated its 12th Convocation on August 3, 2025, at the Auditorium within the campus premises. The ceremony was graced by Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India, who attended as the Chief Guest. Also present at the occasion were Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani, and Prof. Soumyo Mukherjee, Director of BITS Pilani Hyderabad Campus.
This year, the institute conferred more than 1200 degrees to students across its undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes. Among them were numerous scholars recognized for their academic excellence and outstanding contributions to research and innovation. Gold medals for academic distinction were awarded to Tarimala Vignesh Reddy and Siddharth Yayavaram. Arnav Yayavaram received the Silver Medal and Ayush Bhauwala was awarded the Bronze.
The Prof. Suman Kapur Memorial Best Ph.D. Thesis Award – 2025, in the area of Biological Sciences, was conferred upon Ms. Mude Hemanjali under the supervision of Prof. Jayati Ray Dutta and Prof. Ramakrishnan Ganesan.
The Best Outstanding PhD Thesis Award for the academic year was also presented to recognize exceptional doctoral research across three domains. The awardees were: Ms. Sunita Kumawat, Department of Mathematics (Sciences), under the supervision of Prof. Sumit Kumar Vishwakarma; Mr. Gururaja S, Department of Mechanical Engineering (Engineering), under the supervision of Prof. Kundan Kumar Singh; and Mr. Prakash Kumar Shukla, Department of Economics and Finance (Non-STEM), under the supervision of Prof. Bheemeshwar Reddy and Prof. Dushyant Kumar.
The Convocation also served as an occasion to honour distinguished alumni and acknowledge research excellence. The prestigious BITS Ratna Award for 2025 was conferred upon Mr. Prem Jain, Chairperson of BITSAA International, and Mr. Sid Mookerji, Founder of Silicon Road Ventures. The Distinguished Alumnus Awards were presented to Prof. Amit Sheth, Prof. Arun Rai, Mr. Arvind Mathew, Mr. Vijay Kedia, Mr. Ram Gupta, Mr. Sanjeev Kumar, Mr. Gulu Mirchandani, Mr. Atul B. Lall, Mr. Krishna Narayanaswamy, Mr. Ramki Gaddipati, and Mr. B.N. Reddy. The Distinguished Services Awards were given to Mr. Navaratna (Norton) Kothari, Mr. Venu Palaparthi, Mr. Tanmaya Lal, Mr. Kailash Gupta, and Dr. Rakesh Suri for their continued support and contributions to the BITS Pilani legacy.
Delivering the welcome address, Prof. Soumyo Mukherjee spoke about the remarkable strides made by the Hyderabad campus in both academic and research pursuits. He highlighted that this year saw the highest number of doctoral graduates from the campus, a testament to the robust research environment cultivated at BITS Hyderabad. The campus secured over ₹48 crore in externally funded research projects and produced more than 1,150 publications with an average impact factor of 4.18. More than 90 startups have been incubated by the campus’s Technology Business Incubator, while over 365 pre-placement offers were extended through the Practice School programme. The Director also noted several accolades earned by students and faculty in national and international forums, reflecting the campus’s growing global footprint.
In his address, Vice Chancellor, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao commended the Hyderabad campus for its strong alignment with the institute’s long-term vision to become India’s top research-driven university. He pointed out that initiatives such as the doctoral DRIVE and IMPACT programmes and expanding global partnerships are redefining research training and innovation at BITS. He also underlined the university’s continued commitment to deep-tech entrepreneurship and industry-relevant research as part of its broader institutional strategy.
Chief Guest Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India, congratulated the graduating students and highlighted their responsibility to leverage science and technology for the betterment of society. Emphasizing the growing importance of interdisciplinary thinking, ethical research, and national service, he spoke about the transformative potential of emerging technologies.
“AI is advancing rapidly, unlocking new opportunities across disciplines,” he noted. “As India moves towards digital-by-design governance and strengthens its technological sovereignty through initiatives like the India AI Mission, it is essential to balance innovation with ethical responsibility. Our graduates must broaden their thinking, reimagine product design, and drive climate-conscious, context-specific innovation. This is where applied science, engineering, and startups can play a pivotal role in shaping a sustainable and inclusive future.”
Dr. Kumar Mangalam Birla, Chancellor of BITS Pilani, shared a message with the graduating class. In it, he encouraged students to remain agile, lifelong learners, and to build their careers upon a foundation of values. “The world will reward those who learn, unlearn, and relearn. You are entering a world shaped by dynamism and disruption—but grounded in values, you will thrive,” he noted.
