IIT Bhubaneswar. Telegraph picture

Bhubaneswar, Aug. 30: Ninety-three graduates of IIT Bhubaneswar will be awarded their degrees at the institute’s first annual convocation scheduled to be held tomorrow.

Former chairman of the Atomic Energy Commission of India Anil Kakodkar will hand over the degrees.

The first DSc (honoris causa) of the institute will be conferred to Washington-based associate director of research and head (materials science and component technology directorate) Bhakta B. Rath, who hails from Banki in Odisha.

The President of India Gold medal will be awarded to Raghav R from the school of mechanical sciences.

The institute silver medals will be conferred to Vasu Gupta from school of electrical sciences, Anurag Raj from school of Infrastructure and Raghav R from the school of mechanical sciences for being the toppers in their respective departments.

The IIT Bhubaneswar will be the first among all the new IITs to award a PhD degree. Nithin V. George from the school of electrical sciences will receive his PhD degree for his thesis.

“Of the total 94 students, 93 will get their degrees while one has failed,” said registrar B.K. Ray.

Ray said all students had been placed and most students had been employed.

Around 10 students have opted for higher studies. The first batch students, who have arrived on the campus to attend the convocation, today formed their first alumni group.

Director M. Chakraborty said the institute proposed to set up two new schools in the second phase of its expansion.

“We propose to set up a school of chemical and biochemical engineering and school of design and creative arts,” said the director

“The faculty members and students have contributed to creating new knowledge by publishing 230 original research papers in national and international journals of repute,” he said.