In a heartfelt tribute to students who navigated their academic journey during unprecedented times, the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal, held a grand Ring Presentation Ceremony. The event, conducted on 29 November 2025 at the institute campus, was dedicated to the graduates of the 2020 and 2021 batches, whose studies were significantly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
A Symbolic Gesture for Resilient Graduates
The ceremony saw a total of 1,731 students being honoured with the institute's iconic silver ring. According to an official statement, the rings were either presented in person or delivered to the homes of the graduates. This tradition, which began over fifty years ago under the initiative of Professor AS Adke, remains a distinctive and cherished ritual at NIT-K, symbolizing the enduring bond between the alma mater and its alumni.
The event formally recognized 881 students from the 2020 batch and 850 from the 2021 batch. A detailed breakdown shows the diversity of the graduating cohorts. The 2020 batch included 555 B.Tech, 247 M.Tech, 10 MBA, 10 MCA, 23 M.Sc., and 36 Ph.D. graduates. The 2021 batch was comprised of 475 B.Tech, 253 M.Tech, 17 MBA, 57 MCA, 12 M.Sc., and 36 Ph.D. graduates.
Inspiration from Alumni Leaders
The ceremony was graced by distinguished alumni who shared their wisdom and experiences. The Chief Guest for the event was Shri Madhusudhan Ekambaram, CEO and Co-founder of the fintech giant KreditBee and an NIT-K alumnus. In his address, Ekambaram narrated his entrepreneurial journey, highlighting the challenges he faced, including receiving 40 rejections while seeking funding for his startup.
He emphasized that self-belief and persistence were the cornerstones of his eventual success, urging the new graduates to stay committed to their goals and continue preparing diligently, even when results seem delayed.
The Guest of Honour, Shri Niranjan Mahabalappa, President of the NITK Alumni Association, warmly welcomed the graduates back to their campus. He reminisced about his interactions with the batches during various student activities and specifically acknowledged their resilience and adaptability during the difficult pandemic period.
A Gathering of the NITK Community
The event was presided over by Prof B Ravi, the Director of NIT-K. The institute's leadership, including Prof Govinda Raj Mandela, Dean of Students Welfare, and Prof Prasanna Belur D, Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations, were also present. The ceremony brought together faculty, staff, current students, and the graduating batches, reinforcing the strong sense of community that defines NITK Surathkal.
Each silver ring presented was meticulously engraved with the NITK emblem and the graduate's year of graduation, serving as a permanent token of their achievement and their lifelong connection to the premier engineering institute. This ceremony not only celebrated academic completion but also honored the extraordinary perseverance shown by these students in the face of global disruption.
