CHANDIGARH, Dec 13— From a first transgender gold medallist to international scholars and innovators in science and artificial intelligence, Panjab University’s 73rd convocation on Saturday will celebrate a wide range of academic journeys and achievements.
Among the awardees is 28-year-old Karan Gautam of Tarn Taran Sahib, who will become the university’s first transgender gold medallist, honoured for an MA in human rights and duties. Living in Chandigarh for the past five years, Gautam credits her single mother and PU faculty members for consistent academic and emotional support.
“I faced stigma and discrimination, but PU stood by me,” she said, rating the campus “8 out of 10” for its LGBTQ+ environment.
Thirty-year-old Bhawna Kesar, a judicial magistrate first class in Sunderbani, Jammu and Kashmir, will also receive her PhD, completing a journey that began with childhood dreams of becoming a doctor. A PU law graduate, she pursued doctoral research on delimitation laws under the Indian Constitution with special reference to Jammu and Kashmir.
“You don’t need to be perfect, you just need to be passionate,” Kesar said. “PU gave me more than degrees — it gave me an anchor.”
International representation comes from Bakr Ahmed Hameed, a 30-year-old Iraq national, who will be awarded a PhD in pharmaceutical sciences. Having arrived in India in 2012, Hameed now works as a consultant at a pharmaceutical firm in Baddi and plans to apply for Indian citizenship next year.
“The labs were my favourite place on campus,” he said, crediting his supervisors for shaping his research career.
Innovation and research excellence are also reflected in the achievements of Akshpreet Kaur, 32, from Patiala, who completed her PhD in electrical and electronics engineering on energy harvesters for biomedical applications. She is the first recipient of the DST INSPIRE Fellowship at UIET.
“UIET and PU have grown immensely, but there is still room to strengthen faculty engagement,” Kaur said.
Another doctoral awardee, Nitish Mahajan, 36, from Himachal Pradesh, will receive his PhD for research on AI algorithms for 5G networks. The CEO of an AI-driven technology startup, Mahajan holds a patent for an intelligent communication system designed for the Army.
“PU gave me the platform to innovate and mentor,” he said, recalling his years at UIET’s Tele Labs, where he guided more than 50 students.
The convocation, officials said, reflects the university’s growing diversity, research depth and expanding global footprint.
