86 students pass out at maiden convocation of IIT Gandhinagar

Most of the batch has been placed in firms both domestic and international,while 15 will pursue higher studies.

“We grew together and had great fun,” said director Prof Sudhir K Jain in his speech.

Space crunch

IIT-Gn is currently functioning from a temporary space located inside the Vishwakarma Government Engineering College (VGEC) in Chandkheda,suburban Ahmedabad,although the state government has earmarked 400 acres on the eastern bank of the Sabarmati for its permanent campus.

“Delay in getting possession of land for the permanent campus has been a matter of serious concern to the institute,” said director Prof. Sudhir Jain during his speech.

Besides classroom and academic space on the VGEC campus,the Adani Group has provided the institute 20 flats for students” accommodation. The institute has also built five temporary buildings at the present campus,and staff and faculty live in rented accommodation nearby. “While these spaces are most valuable to us,these do not entirely meet the needs of a growing institute like ours,” he said.

Interestingly,IIT-Gn is creating the “Palej Village Outreach Fund” for faculty and students to undertake outreach activities in the village that will border the new campus on three sides.

“Such villages adjacent to other institutions have often been a cause of unpleasant situations causing problems to both sides,” a note prepared by the institute anticipates.

Post-IIT life

In his speech,chief guest N R Narayana Murthy,Infosys chairman emeritus,took on hues of patriotism and some criticism of the Indian personality.

Advising the graduating students on how to tackle what lies ahead in their lives,he said,“We Indians are not known for humility. Even the famous Persian logician and writer Al Barouni has commented on it after spending 32 years in India in the 10th century.”

“We are also the most thin-skinned people in the world. We have to learn how to take criticisms objectively. If the other party has better data than you,accept their argument,learn from them and become a better-informed person,” he told students.

He also urged them to take part in political processes. “Democracy succeeds only if we create strong and enduring institutions of the state,and effective watchdogs of the civil society. Therefore,please register to vote… and cast your vote.”