Key Highlights

  • AI's double edge: IISc Director Prof. Govindan Rangarajan said AI can speed up scientific discovery, but it also forces hard questions about truth and human connection.
  • 374 degrees conferred: Adani University's third convocation in Ahmedabad honoured the Class of 2026.
  • 10 medals: Five gold, three silver and two bronze medals went to students for academic excellence.
  • Innovate at scale: President Dr Priti Adani urged graduates to build breakthroughs that reach the most marginalised.
  • Young institution, big goals: Founded in 2022, the university aims to become a multidisciplinary, research-driven institution.

Most convocation speeches tell graduates the world is theirs to take. At Adani University's third convocation in Ahmedabad on Saturday, the chief guest gave them a harder question to carry instead: in an age of machine-made content, how will anyone know what is real?

Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, Director of the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), did not dismiss artificial intelligence. He began by recognising what it can do. "AI offers tremendous possibilities in education and research. It can help us solve complex problems and accelerate scientific discovery. But we must also be mindful of its consequences," he said.

Then he turned to the deeper worry. "When images, videos and information can be generated so convincingly, how do we know what is true? And while technology is bringing us closer digitally, are we becoming more distant from one another? We must embrace what AI can do but also think carefully about what we stand to lose," he added.

Why the message matters now

The warning has extra weight because of who gave it. Rangarajan heads one of India's top research institutions, which is where AI is being built, not just discussed. When the head of a premier science institute says the technology needs thought as well as excitement, he is speaking to graduates entering workplaces where AI tools are already common. Deepfakes, synthetic media and automated misinformation are growing problems for newsrooms, courts and classrooms. For the Class of 2026, his speech was a call to be critical thinkers, not just skilled users of the tools.

The university conferred 374 degrees during the ceremony, and ten students received medals for academic excellence: five gold, three silver and two bronze.

From building infrastructure to building ideas

Dr Priti Adani, President of Adani University, presided over the ceremony and welcomed the chief guest. "We are fortunate to have Prof. Rangarajan as our Chief Guest. His distinguished contributions to mathematics, research and academic leadership are a powerful beacon for our graduating class, and for all of us, as we work towards making Adani University a leading research-driven university," she said.

Her own address focused on how industry and universities should work together, and she was careful to describe the relationship as more than a one-way supply line. "The promise is not that industry will simply tell a university what to study. It is that exposure to demanding real-world conditions can bring up questions – that neither industry nor academia would have framed alone," she said.

She then set out a national goal. "India has built infrastructure on a remarkable scale. Now we must learn to innovate and incubate at scale," she said, and urged students to pursue breakthroughs that can reach the most marginalised sections of society.

Presenting the annual report, Provost Prof. (Dr.) Dhaval Pujara credited faculty, staff, students and industry partners. He described efforts to strengthen academic foundations, build a research ecosystem and work more closely with industry and society.

Established in 2022, Adani University focuses on industry-relevant education, practical learning and research. In the longer term, it wants to grow into a multidisciplinary institution for education and research that contributes to India's development and nation-building.

Taken together, the two main speeches gave graduates two linked tasks. They should build boldly and at scale, but they should also question what the technology they use does to truth and trust.

(With inputs from IANS)