IISER Mohali Holds 15th Convocation; 348 Students Receive Degrees

Mohali, June 16: The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research Mohali today held its 15th Convocation, marking another significant milestone in the Institute's journey as a premier centre for science education and research. A total of 348 students received degrees at the Convocation ceremony held on the Institute campus. These included 215 students of the Integrated BS-MS programme, 10 students of the BS programme, 2 students of the BS Honours programme, 5 students of the MS programme, 9 students of the Integrated MS-PhD programme, and 107 students of the PhD programme.

The Convocation was presided over by Prof. J. S. Yadav, Chairperson of the Board of Governors of IISER Mohali, while Prof. Anil Kumar Tripathi, Director of IISER Mohali and Chairperson of the Senate, presented the annual report of the Institute.

The Chief Guest on the occasion was Shri A. S. Kiran Kumar, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). In his Convocation Address, Shri Kiran Kumar urged the graduating students to harness science and technology for national development and societal benefit. Drawing upon his distinguished career in India's space programme, he highlighted the transformative role of scientific innovation in communication, navigation, weather forecasting, disaster management, and resource monitoring, and encouraged students to pursue excellence with a spirit of service to society.

A special feature of this year's Convocation was the presentation of the first Dr. Manmohan Singh Awards for Academic Excellence, instituted by the Dr. Manmohan Singh Trust in collaboration with IISER Mohali. The awards honour outstanding academic performance among graduating students and commemorate the enduring contribution of former Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to the establishment of IISER Mohali and the IISER system. The awards were presented in the presence of Mr. Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Trustee of the Dr. Manmohan Singh Trust and former Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, and Dr. Vijay Tankha, from the family of Dr. Manmohan Singh.

The first recipients of the award were Kaustubh Purohit (Biological Sciences), Nandana K. K. (Chemical Sciences), Pahul Arora (Mathematical Sciences), and Amitesh Gupta (Physical Sciences). Each award carried a cash prize of Rs. 50,000.

The Institute also conferred its annual medals and academic distinctions. Kaustubh Purohit received the President's Gold Medal for securing the highest academic standing among graduating students. The Professor S. N. Kaul Medal for Best Overall Performance was awarded to Deep Sehgal.

Presenting the Director's Report, Prof. Anil Kumar Tripathi congratulated the graduating students and highlighted the Institute's achievements over the past year. He noted that IISER Mohali faculty and researchers published more than 500 scientific papers in leading international journals and secured 49 externally funded research projects worth approximately ₹25 crore. Faculty members received several prestigious recognitions, while IISER Mohali continued to strengthen its national and international research collaborations. The Institute's technology business incubator, i-RISE, has now supported more than 50 startups across sectors ranging from biotechnology and healthcare to artificial intelligence and sustainability.

Addressing the graduating students, Prof. Tripathi emphasized the importance of curiosity, creativity, ethical responsibility, and interdisciplinary thinking in an era increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and rapid technological change. He encouraged students to remain lifelong learners and to apply scientific knowledge for the benefit of society.

IISER Mohali was established in 2007 as an Institute of National Importance under the Ministry of Education, Government of India. Conceived as a unique institution integrating high-quality teaching with frontline research, IISER Mohali has emerged as one of India's leading centres for science education and research. Its graduates pursue higher studies and research careers at premier institutions worldwide, including Oxford, Cambridge, MIT, Stanford, Caltech, Cornell, IISc, TIFR, NCBS and several other internationally reputed universities and research laboratories.

The Institute currently offers BS, BS-MS, MS, Integrated MS-PhD and PhD programmes across a broad range of disciplines and remains committed to nurturing the next generation of scientists, innovators and academic leaders.