BITS Pilani - Dubai honours toppers at 2008 convocation ceremony

The fifth batch 'Class of 2008' of BITS Pilani - Dubai comprised 80 students of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, 67 students of Computer Science, 38 students of Mechanical Engineering and 62 students of Electronics and Instrumentation Engineering, who graduated this year as Bachelors of Engineering with honours of the total 247 students of the latest batch of BE students, 179 were boys and 68 were girls.

The first and second rank holders in each discipline and the best all-round achievers received special certificates. Toppers of last year's batch were presented with Chancellor's medals at the ceremony.

Speaking at the ceremony, His Excellency Venu Rajamony, Consul-General of India, said:

"Today marks a turning point in the life of all the students who are graduating from BITS Pilani - Dubai, in its fifth batch after inception. This is indeed a proud and memorable moment, not only for the graduating students, but their parents and the entire faculty as well, who have played an imperative role in moulding the students to take a professional leap. At this juncture, Syed M. Salahuddin, whose vision and great efforts were behind the setting up of BITS Pilani - Dubai in the year 2000, deserves special praise."

Arif B Rahman, Group Director of the ETA Ascon Star Group, said:

"BITS Pilani - Dubai is a premier institution providing quality engineering education in the region. The students who are graduating from the institution are recognized all over the world. They win accolades not only academically but also on the extra-curricular front. This has been possible because of BPD's effort in creating professionals with an all round personality."

Hameed Salahuddin, Director, ETA Ascon Star Group, said:

"BITS Pilani - Dubai is one of the premier institutions in the region offering international standards of engineering education. With the region witnessing unprecedented economic and industrial growth, there is a significant demand for good professionals. The Dubai campus of the prestigious Indian engineering university plays an imperative role in catering to this demand."

Dr. L.K. Maheshwari, Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani - Rajasthan - India; Ebrahim Al Ghurair, Director ETA Ascon Star Group; and Hameed Salahuddin, Director, ETA Ascon Star Group; were the guests of honor on the occasion, while the proceedings of the ceremony were conducted by Dr. M. Ramachandran, Director, BPD, and M. Riazuddin, Director, ETA Net and Arif B Rahman, Group Director of the ETA Ascon Star Group.

Salahuddin added, "On behalf of ETA Ascon Star Group, I congratulate the entire fifth batch of students who have successfully completed their engineering courses from the institute and wish them all success."

M. Riazuddin, Director ETA Net, said:

"The increasing number of students graduating from BITS Pilani - Dubai each year demonstrates the growing trust the students and their parents have in the institute and its faculty. I wish all the students who graduated this year success in their higher studies as well as in their respective careers ahead."

This graduation ceremony marked the end of four years of engineering studies by the students, which included 7½ months of rigorous internship in various reputed industries in the UAE.

Dr. M. Ramachandran, Director, BPD said:

"In BITS Pilani - Dubai, growth is led by quality. Our Graduates have consistently proven their worth throughout the world both in the academic and professional fields."

Including the 247 students who graduated this year, a total of 647 students have graduated from BPD till date. Nearly 110 graduates have obtained admission to Masters and Ph.D programmes at highly reputed institutions like Stanford University-California, Cornell University, University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign, University of California, University of Pennsylvania, Texas A&M University-Texas, Georgia Institute of Technology, University of Michigan, Purdue University, New Jersey institute of Technology, University of Toronto etc.

The remaining students are well-placed in highly reputed companies such as Microsoft, Oracle, Sony Ericsson, Sungard, Det Norske Veritas, Panasonic, Dell, Larsen and Toubro, Baker Hughes, MAERSK, J. Ray Mc Dermott, WS Atkins, Emirates Airlines, NAMA Mott McDonald, Honeywell, IRCA Middle-East, Acer, Infosys, Standard Chartered etc., in various parts of the world.

A large gathering comprising the graduating students, their parents, guests from the industry and faculty and staff of BITS Pilani - Dubai attended the grand ceremony.