Union Education Minister Dr Pokhriyal to grace VNIT’s Convocation on Dec 28

 

 

 

“Visvesvaraya National Institute of Technology (VNIT) will be holding its 18th convocation on December 28. Usually, VNIT holds its convocation on the Engineer’s Day, September 15 every year, to commemorate the birth anniversary of great visionary Bharat Ratna Sir M Visvesvaraya. However, this year, the world is going through the difficult phase of COVID-19 pandemic.

 

So, though 2020 is a Diamond Jubilee year for VNIT, this convocation will be held in a virtual mode and without fanfare,” informed Dr Pramod Padole, Director, VNIT. Dr Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, Union Minister for Education, will be the chief guest. Sanjay Dhotre, Minister of State for Education, Communications, Electronics and IT, and J D Patil, whole-time Director, and Senior Executive, Vice President for L&T’s Defence Business and L&T-NxT, shall be the guests of honour, said Dr Padole. During the 18th Convocation, VNIT shall be awarding a total of 1,134 degrees, that include 61 Doctor of Philosophy, 268 Master of Technology, 94 Master of Science, 648 Bachelor of Technology in various engineering disciplines and 63 Bachelor of Architecture. This year, VNIT shall be felicitating students and research scholars with 45 medals, prizes and awards for their academic meritorious achievements. Elaborating about the major achievements of VNIT during the academic year 2019-20, Dr Padole said, “The year 2020 is a Diamond Jubilee Year for VNIT Nagpur.

 

 

 

The Diamond Jubilee celebrations were inaugurated in a grand ceremony at the hands of Union Minister Nitin Gadkari. Unveiling of the 10 feet bronze statue of Sir Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya, opening of an old canteen in new a renovated form, in hostel premises and opening of football ground were the highlights of this inaugural ceremony. The function was marked by the presence of great grand-son of Sir Visvesvaraya , Sathish Mokshagundam. In the last week of March 2020, the nation went in total lockdown, to contain the spread of coronavirus. The institute quickly geared itself, to help the nation in such an unprecedented situation.VNIT, under the able guidance of its Director, Prof Padole, developed, in record time, splitters and restrictors for Indira Gandhi Government Medical College and Hospital (IGGMC), Nagpur, to be used along with ventilators. Frontline workers like doctors and nurses in the hospital are at highest risk of getting infected.

 

To protect the frontline workers, the team of students working at ‘IvLabs’ the robotics lab, of VNIT, converted a hospital trolley into an automated robot that canbe wirelessly controlled. Such a robot can be used by the hospital staff to deliver food packetsand medicines to the Covid-19 patients and maintain a safe distance. While maintaining its social responsibility during the difficult COVID-19 pandemic, VNIT ensured the academic is not suffered. The institute conducted on-line exam for the students and also declared the result based on themid semester exam, teacher assessment and on the on-line exam. The institute also conducted recruitment drive for entry level faculty members and non-teaching staff, during February-March 2020. On the Industry-Institute Interaction front, VNIT signed a Tripartite Memorandum of Agreement with Siemens India Software Limited and MTAB Technology Center to establish the center consisting of 11 laboratories. It is a matter of pride that last year, 17 patents were awarded to VNIT. The year witnessed R&D projects worth Rs 5,570 lakh and consultancy worth Rs 2,005 lakh. Those present at the press conference were Dr S B Thombre, Dean (Academic); Dr V B Borghate, Dean, Research and Consultancy; Dr D R Peshwe, Dean (Faculty Welfare); Dr G P Singh, Dean (Planning and Development); Dr B S Umre, Dean (Student Welfare); Dr S R Sathe, Registrar; Dr Ajay Likhite, Associate Dean (Public Relations).