Pune: Puru Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of True Elements, was conferred the Distinguished AIT Alumnus Award at the 32nd Foundation Day celebrations of the Army Institute of Technology, marking a key highlight of the prestigious event attended by senior Army leadership and distinguished guests.
The 32nd Foundation Day of the Army Institute of Technology was graced by Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth, PVSM, UYSM, AVSM, General Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Southern Command and Patron-in-Chief of AIT, as the Chief Guest.
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Addressing the gathering, Lieutenant General Dhiraj Seth congratulated the institute on its sustained pursuit of academic and professional excellence.
He noted that AIT, the first professional college established under the Army Welfare Education Society, has emerged as a premier centre of learning, nurturing technology leaders, innovators and future-ready professionals for the Nation.
Emphasising the Indian Army’s ongoing Decade of Transformation, he underscored the importance of self-reliance and technology infusion.
He encouraged students and faculty to focus on innovation in dual-use domains such as Artificial Intelligence, Quantum Computing, Robotics, Big Data Analytics and Augmented Reality. He also urged students to leverage the Indian Army’s internship initiatives and contribute meaningfully to the Nation’s innovation ecosystem.
Puru Gupta: Entrepreneurial Journey and Contribution to India’s Startup Ecosystem
The recognition of distinguished alumni like Puru Gupta further exemplified AIT’s contribution to industry and entrepreneurship.
Earlier, Maj Gen Uday Shankar Sengupta, Director AIT, welcomed the dignitaries and highlighted the institute’s focus on holistic development through academic excellence, co-curricular engagement and extra-curricular initiatives.
He reiterated AIT’s vision of evolving into a globally recognised centre of quality education for the children of Army personnel, a mission reflected in the achievements of its alumni.
Enhancing the prestige of the occasion, Anu Aga, Chairperson of Thermax Ltd, attended as the Guest of Honour and was conferred the Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her outstanding contributions to industry, innovation and nation-building.
The ceremony witnessed the presentation of the Distinguished AIT Alumnus Award to Puru Gupta, Co-founder and CEO of True Elements, and the Illustrious Alumni Award in Defence to Maj Sipra Majumdar, VSM (Retd), acknowledging their distinguished accomplishments.
The honour conferred upon Puru Gupta highlighted his entrepreneurial journey and contribution to India’s startup ecosystem.
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Among the student honours, Anushna Panwar was awarded the Chief of Army Staff Best All-Round Student Rolling Trophy. The General Officer Commanding-in-Chief Awards were presented to Kushi Shah (Computer Engineering), Anushna Panwar (Information Technology), Isha Rana (Mechanical Engineering) and Akana Sardar (Electronics and Telecommunication).
The Rajput Regiment Trophy for Best Sportsperson was conferred upon Ms Vanshika of Third Year Computer Engineering.
Faculty and staff excellence was also recognised during the ceremony. Dr Sagar Rane received the Best Research Award, while Dr Dipika Birari was honoured with the Best Teacher Award.
The Non-Teaching Award for administrative excellence was presented to Nitin Sukhadeve and Imadad Ali Qazi for their significant contributions to the institute.
