'I am proud of you all': PM Modi's message to IIT Delhi graduates at convocation

More than 3,000 students walked out of IIT Delhi with degrees on Saturday, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi reminded them that their graduation marked more than the end of an academic journey.

Addressing the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi's convocation as Chief Guest, Modi congratulated the graduating students and said he shared the pride felt by their families.

'The way your families are feeling proud today, I am also proud of you all. You are not just taking a degree, but taking forward the dream of doing something for the country,' the Prime Minister said.

A total of 3,000-plus students, including 587 PhD scholars, were conferred degrees during the ceremony.

PM Modi also presented IIT Delhi's prestigious academic honours to meritorious students for their outstanding performance.

The honours included the President's Gold Medal, Director's Gold Medal, Shankar Dayal Sharma Gold Medal and Perfect Ten Gold Medal.

Adding a lighter note to his address, he drew attention to the strong performance of female students.

'If some daughters were meritorious students, then it would have been much better. Sorry, not just some but many,' he said.

The Prime Minister also acknowledged the mix of emotions likely to accompany the students as they prepared to leave campus and begin the next chapter of their lives.

'All of you are gathered here today, but there must be something going on in your hearts. Now, I am not Baba Bageshwar, but there must be something going on,' Modi said, noting that some students would be thinking about their careers and salaries, while others could be preparing to move to new cities or pursue start-ups.

He said that although every graduate would follow a different path, they would share a common memory of their time at IIT Delhi, from their first day of orientation to the day of convocation.

Modi urged the students to cherish that journey and remember the people who shaped their campus years.

'Whenever life gives you a reason to look back, then this campus life, your friends, teachers and support staff, the ones who have become your families and home, you will remember all this and be thankful for everyone,' he said.

The ceremony also marked a technological milestone for IIT Delhi, with Modi virtually inaugurating 'Param Pragya', an AI-powered high-performance supercomputing facility at the institute's Sonipat campus.

The facility is expected to expand IIT Delhi's capabilities in Artificial Intelligence, data science, advanced computing and interdisciplinary research, adding another dimension to the institute's academic and technological ecosystem.

For the graduating batch, however, the convocation was ultimately a moment of transition, as thousands of students moved from the familiar world of IIT Delhi towards careers, new cities, research and entrepreneurial ventures, carrying with them the memories and ambitions built during their campus years.