Goa: BITS Pilani’s K K Birla Goa Campus conferred degrees on 1,109 graduates at its Convocation 2026, marking a significant milestone for the graduating students.

The graduating cohort included 674 First Degree, 257 Dual Degree, 121 Higher Degree (M.E.), and 57 PhD students.

Among the First Degree graduates, Shamit Khetan received the Gold Medal, Vrishti Deepak Godhwani was awarded the Silver Medal, and Aditya Ashok Tailor received the Bronze Medal.

In the Higher Degree category, Sumit Sakharam Ghodke and Rudraksh Alias Bhagwant Mukund Suryarao Sardesai jointly received the Gold Medal. Vignesh A and Neelima M were awarded the Silver Medal.

Rakesh Kumar Verma, Co-Founder, Chairman and Managing Director of MapmyIndia and a distinguished alumnus of BITS Pilani, attended the ceremony as the Chief Guest.

The convocation was presided over by Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani, in the presence of Prof. Suman Kundu, Director, BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus, members of the Board of Governors, faculty, students and their families.

Congratulating the graduating students, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao encouraged them to carry forward the values of curiosity, integrity and excellence associated with BITS Pilani.

He highlighted the institute’s ongoing curriculum redesign, which focuses on flexible, cross-disciplinary electives and expanded minors, stressing the growing importance of multidisciplinary skills.

Prof. Rao also noted the entrepreneurial achievements of BITS alumni, saying that BITSians have founded 140 deep-tech startups, reflecting the strong culture of innovation and entrepreneurship fostered by the institution.

He said BITS Pilani’s vision remains focused on building excellence, ensuring equity and expanding with purpose, and expressed hope that the graduating students would carry these values into their future careers and ventures.