उपराज्यपाल, दिल्ली

Dear Graduates, Distinguished Guests and Parents,

I welcome you all to the 11th convocation of IIIT-Delhi. Convocations are an occasion to celebrate for all of us, indeed a Red Letter Day for the graduating students, who will step out of the portals of their Institutions into an entirely novel sphere and phase of life. This is an occasion, also to reflect on our past efforts and achievements and dwell upon the way ahead, even as we eagerly anticipate the future.

1. My Dear Students,

   As you venture forth with the wings of knowledge provided to you by your alma mater, your teachers, faculty, peers and family, you have a limitless sky to fly ahead. I as Chancellor and Head of the IIIT-D family, would like to underline a couple of things on this momentous occasion.

2. Celebrate your personal and individual successes, you have earned them. Equally consider your successes in the context of the greater good and the role you might be called upon to play, in building and advancing the communities of which you are all a part. Your knowledge, skills and training enables you to do so.
3. As you venture out in pursuit of gainful employmentor higher academic qualifications, the process of transition will be challenging, yet, fulfilling. I am confident that the values and the training that you have acquired at this Institute, will equip you to face the world with confidence conviction and fortitude.
4. Your education can enable a transformation, not just in you, but through you, in your immediate professional surroundings, your family, the neighbourhood and society and indeed the Nation and beyond. We welcome you as our next-generation researchers, scientists, professionals, entrepreneurs and leaders. From today onwards, you will have the opportunity and the responsibility of shaping not only your personal future, but that of the Nation and humanity itself. My advise to you, will be to dwell upon the ways in which you might contribute to the good of society, locally and globally, and to the fortunes of our planet.
5. World-class faculty, thriving research and an environment of innovation at your remarkable Institute, IIIT-Delhi, has equipped you exceptionally well to positively shape the world. You are graduating, amply sensitized to our vulnerabilities, both as physical and social beings. This sensitivity, tied inherently to your talent, imagination, ingenuity and determination to succeed, gives us all great hope and immense pride in you.
6. In a short span of time, IIIT-D has grown to become one of India’s most promising young Institutes. Various Indian and international rankings have recognised the strides made by this Institution. This year, QS World University Rankings: Asia 2023 has ranked the institute in the 351-400 band, and Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2023, ranked the institute in the 601-800 band. The CSR rankings placed CSE research in IIIT-Delhi at rank 6 in the country. While this may be a matter of satisfaction, as your Chancellor, my advise to the Director, Faculty and Management of the Institute, will beto remain dissatisfied and ever striving in the pursuit of excellence.
7. The Institute attracts the brightest minds because of its reputation for academic excellence and research. It is a matter of pride to know that in the field of research, the Institute’s faculty and students have received various awards and fellowships from the industry, government and academia. The faculty members have also received several prestigious awards and recognitions in the past year. Eight faculty members have also been featured in the world's top 2% scientists' database.
8. I congratulate the Instituteon setting up two new research Centres on the campus, the Centre of Excellence in Human Computing, and the Centre for Quantum Technologies. I am happy to acknowledge that the campus has signed an MoU to set up the country’s first Medical Cobotics Centre and an Electropreneur Park. Through its teaching programs and research, IIIT-Delhi is also committed to the Sustainable Development Goals. 
9. It is a matter of pride that the Institute’s Annual Digital Delhi Conclave devoted to Sustainable Development Goals is a significant event in the Capital’s calendar. It brings academia, policy and industry into conversation with one another. Research in the domain of sustainable mobility, in particular, is helping in revamp of the public transport system in Delhi, through collaboration between IIIT-Delhi and the Delhi government. I am confident that the Institute will earn more feathers in its cap in the coming years.
10. Even as, I count these laurels, I would be falling short of my duties as Chancellor, if I do not flag that, though much has been done, far more is required to be done by IIIT-Delhi. As inheritors of the legacy of unparalleled seats of knowledge like Nalanda, Takshshila and Vikramshila amongst others our Institutions of higher learning, have to be engaged in the perennial pursuit of excellence. In this pursuit, the faculty, researchers, scholars and students of IIIT-Delhi should single-mindedly be guided by the dictum of Inquisitiveness, Ingenuity, Innovation, Invention and Intervention.

11. Dear Students,

    As you leave our campus today with your degree, know that you will always be a part of the IIIT-Delhi community, forever connected to us. You will be joining the ever-expanding community of alumni, who are now more than 2,600 in numbers. We are proud of all our alumni and eagerly welcome and applaud news of their accomplishments. I am sure that the list of such accomplishments and achievements, is only going to grow with your addition.

I once again, congratulate all the graduating students and their parents on this occasion and wish them all the best for their future.

Thank You.

Jai Hind !