Hyderabad, August 1: GITAM (Deemed to be University), Hyderabad, celebrated its 17th Graduation Ceremony with grandeur on Saturday, conferring degrees upon 1,990 students across undergraduate, postgraduate, and doctoral programmes.
The graduating batch comprised 1,532 undergraduate students, 372 postgraduate students, and 86 Ph.D. scholars, reflecting the university’s continued emphasis on academic excellence and research.
Renowned filmmaker S.S. Rajamouli attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest, inspiring graduates to pursue excellence with dedication, passion, and perseverance. The event was presided over by M. Sribharat, President of GITAM and Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha), Visakhapatnam, in the presence of Vice-Chancellor Prof. Errol D’Souza. The dignitaries paid floral tributes to Mahatma Gandhi and GITAM Founder Dr. M.V.V.S. Murthi before the commencement of the ceremony.
A highlight of the event was the conferment of the Honorary Doctor of Letters (D.Litt.) on Gajam Govardhana in recognition of his exceptional contribution to India’s handloom weaving tradition and the preservation of the country’s rich textile heritage.
The university also recognised academic excellence by awarding 17 Gold Medals to outstanding students. Digudadi Pranav Rahul, from the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, received the prestigious President’s Gold Medal for securing the highest overall rank among all B.Tech. graduates. Additionally, 86 doctoral degrees were awarded to research scholars for their contributions to research and innovation.
The Best Researcher Awards were presented to Dr. Mohd. Arshad Ansari, Assistant Professor, Department of Economics, GITAM School of Humanities and Social Sciences, and Prof. M.S. Surendra Babu, Professor, Department of Chemistry, GITAM School of Science, for their outstanding research achievements.
Addressing the graduates, S.S. Rajamouli recalled the vision of GITAM Founder Dr. M.V.V.S. Murthi and urged students to pursue their ambitions with commitment, discipline, and purpose. He encouraged them to strive for excellence in every endeavour through hard work and perseverance.
In his presidential address, M. Sribharat congratulated the graduating students and shared seven guiding principles for success: dream big, believe in yourself, surround yourself with great people, stay passionately committed to your goals, continue learning, remain humble, and always honour your word.
Presenting the university’s annual report, Prof. D.S. Rao, Pro Vice-Chancellor, Hyderabad, highlighted GITAM’s achievements in academics, research, and innovation, reaffirming its commitment to developing socially responsible leaders. During the ceremony, graduates also took the graduation pledge, reaffirming their commitment to ethical values, professional integrity, and nation-building.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. D. Gunasekaran, Registrar.
The 17th Graduation Ceremony underscored GITAM Hyderabad’s continued focus on quality education, research excellence, innovation, and holistic student development, preparing graduates to emerge as responsible professionals and future leaders.
