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Pune: The Army Institute of Technology (AIT), Pune, celebrated its 31st Foundation Day with a grand ceremony, presided over by Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, AVSM, GOC-in-C Southern Command, and Patron-in-Chief of AIT. Dr K. Sivan, former ISRO Chairman and distinguished space scientist, was the Guest of Honour and was presented with the prestigious AIT Lifetime Achievement Award for his remarkable contributions to India’s space sector.
Dr K. Sivan Honoured for His Contributions to India’s Space Missions
Dr Sivan, who led ISRO during landmark missions like Chandrayaan-2 and the Gaganyaan Programme, expressed his gratitude for the recognition. He dedicated the award to ISRO’s scientists and engineers, acknowledging their relentless efforts in making India a space power. He praised AIT for its academic excellence and its role in nurturing future technologists, calling it one of India’s top private engineering institutes.
Encouraging students to become entrepreneurs rather than job seekers, he humorously remarked that if AIT graduates start companies, they should invite him to inaugurate them. He emphasized that ISRO’s vision is not just about launching rockets but about using space technology to serve the common man.
Honoring Excellence: Awards and Achievements
Several awards were presented to recognize outstanding contributions by students, faculty, and alumni:
Successful Young Entrepreneur Award – Mr. Preetpal Singh (AIT 2002 batch)
COAS All Round Student Rolling Trophy – Mr. Eshaan Kapoor (BE Computer)
G Rajsekhar Memorial Trophy for Best Sportsperson – Ms. Vanshika (SE Computer-B)
Best Research and Consultancy Award – Dr. L.D. Jathar (Mechanical Dept.)
Best Teacher Award – Dr. Sita Yadav (Computer Dept.)
Additionally, Lt Gen Seth recognized Col Pushpender Chaudhary (Sena Medal) and Maj Kunal (Shaurya Chakra), both AIT alumni, for their bravery and service.
AIT’s Role in India’s Technological Future
Addressing the gathering, Lt Gen Dhiraj Seth lauded AIT for producing technology leaders, entrepreneurs, and officers for the armed forces. He emphasized the role of self-reliance and Atmanirbharta (self-sufficiency) in modernizing India’s defense sector and encouraged students to focus on emerging technologies like AI, quantum computing, robotics, and big data analytics, given their significance in military applications.
Praising the spirit of the AIT song, which instills pride in students from military backgrounds, he concluded by reaffirming AIT’s motto, “Onward to Glory,” and expressed confidence in the institute’s continued excellence.
The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Maj Gen K.K. Chakrabarti, Chairman of AIT, acknowledging the contributions of dignitaries, faculty, and students.
