Dr. Ajit Kumar Mohanty born in 1959 at Odisha is a well-known nuclear physicist, completed his bachelor’s degree in 1979 from MPC College, Baripada and master’s degree in Physics in 1981 from Ravenshaw College, Cuttack which was at that time under Utkal University, Bhubaneswar. Dr. Mohanty graduated from the 26 th batch of the BARC Training School and joined Nuclear Physics Division of Bhabha Atomic Research Centre in 1983 and got his PhD degree from Bombay University later on. He has taken over as Director, BARC on 12 th March 2019. Before his appointment as Director BARC, Dr. Mohanty has held the position of Director of Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics, Kolkata from June 2015 and Director of Physics Group, BARC from July 2018. During the past four decades, Dr. Mohanty has worked in several areas of nuclear physics covering collision energy from sub- Coulomb barrier to relativistic regime. It includes experiment using Pelletron accelerator at TIFR, PHENIX and CMS experiments at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL), USA and CERN, Geneva respectively. Dr. Mohanty has held several honorary positions. To name a few, he served as Secretary and Member Secretary of BRNS Basic Science Committee from 2004-2010, General Secretary of India Physics Association (IPA) 2012-2016 and later on President of IPA 2018- 2020, India-CMS Spokesperson (CMS Experiment at CERN Geneva) 2013-2015, Dean, Academic, Physical & Mathematical Sciences, BARC, Homi Bhabha National Institute. Dr. Mohanty has been recipient of several awards and recognitions during his illustrious career. Some of Dr. Mohanty’s awards and recognitions are: Gold Medal in Graduation (1979, Radha Gobinda Trust, Mayurbhanj), Young Scientists Award of Indian Physical Society (IPS, Kolkata, 1988), Young Physicist Award by Indian National Science Academy (INSA, New Delhi 1991) and DAE Homi Bhabha Science & Technology Award (2001) by Department of Atomic Energy, Mumbai. He was also conferred the CERN Scientific Associate position at CERN, Geneva from 2002-2004 and thereafter again from 2010-2011. Dr. Mohanty is a fellow of National Academy of Sciences and Indian National Academy of Engineering. Dr Ajit Kumar Mohanty, took over the charge of Chairman, Atomic Energy Commission, and Secretary to the Government of India, Department of Atomic Energy in a simple ceremony held at the DAE Secretariat in Mumbai on Wednesday, May 3, 2023.

Quantum Technology: Past, Present and Future

Quantum technology in its present form is a disruptive technology. It is contributing to the second quantum revolution. The amount of wealth generation and job creation can be guessed from the fact that transistors, lasers, and computers are products of the first quantum revolution. So, it is expected to generate employment and wealth for the decades to come. The present phase of the quantum revolution encompassing quantum communication, quantum sensing, quantum computing, and quantum simulation has just started, so there is ample scope for scalability. However, for this to happen we need young minds who can lead research and develop technology for mass consumption.

“Embrace the opportunities and challenges of life with open arms and the world is yours”

As you enter the bright world full of boundless opportunities and a changing landscape; nobody knows what their future holds for them. Let me tell you that you can build your future by your actions of today! What is important is what you have learnt till now will only take you somewhere. Your life and career is a continuous learning journey. Endeavor to get into the depth of your interest areas, make innovative contributions and gather breadth over a period of time. Never ever hesitate to take up new challenges. Risks and opportunities are two sides of the same coin. If you keep doing the same old stuff, you are not taking any risks and are living in your comfort zone. Take those opportunities which challenge you beyond your comforts, consciously learn new things, and build a good network of friends and professional contacts. All these actions in your daily life will become immensely valuable and will have a compounding effect over the years. Don’t take up a job to simply make money. Have a purpose in life and work for that larger goal or vision. Money is important in life, but it is that purpose that will give you a deep sense of accomplishment and satisfaction over the years. Happiness does not come from the external environment or material wealth, it is your inner purpose and oneness with your present self that gives you a blissful & happy life. And while we all plan for our bright future, I urge you to live in the present moment. Be ready to live your life to the fullest, make those course changes when faced with tricky situations in life, and continue to forge ahead! Life is not a bed of roses or a fairy tale; it comes with its fair share of ups and downs, roadblocks & path diversions. The CHAlleNGE which life presents us has a BIG CHANGE hidden in it. The more we resist this change, the more painful it is. Instead, embrace the new with open arms and give up the old. Leave your life baggage behind, don’t burden your future with the happenings of your past. As individuals and future Leaders, uphold to the highest standards of ethics and integrity. Your actions not only reflect on your character but also impact the communities and societies you engage with. Be that force for positive change. As you step out of IIT Mandi, you join a distinguished community of IIT alumni who have made their mark on the world in diverse fields. Let their achievements inspire you, but also remember that your journey is uniquely yours. You are torchbearers of IIT's legacy. Dream Big, believe in yourself, forge your own path, follow your passion, navigate through the unknowns, and do not be afraid to take calculated risks. Remember that your exciting journey of worldly explorations has just begun. Embrace the challenges, celebrate the victories, and always strive for excellence. I have no doubt that the future holds remarkable achievements for each one of you.

I encourage students to always explore new possibilities in their career. Students must understand that irrespective of the field and career paths they choose; continuous learning is inevitable and overcoming hardships at every step is the path to success. For this, one needs a short term as well as a long-term goals with tons of patience, passion and zeal to achieve it. One can’t just stop just aspiring for their goal. To attain the goal, one must take many calibrated steps along with smart as well as hard work. Every stage of life will have different goals. It could be financial stability, starting a family, career growth in a company of their desire or forming your own startup company. In all of this, you must set aside one goal which is special to you. To identify, ask yourself “If I had all the money and security that I need… what is that one thing I would love to do”. That is your “passion” goal. In your busy life, always keep the “passion goal” fire burning. If you are fortunate or can plan your career in the same line as your passion, then you should consider to be lucky and give your 100% to it. Otherwise, do take time out to keep this “passion” flame burning. One must respect money, power and a team around you in your journey. Each of these have their own importance and disrespect to any one of them will either stall or slow down the achievement of your goal. But besides these, I would add one more: “pursuance of passion”; this will give a greatest satisfaction and an extra percentage of happiness and sense of completeness.

I am deeply honored and privileged to address you today on this momentous occasion. As we gather here to celebrate your graduation from this esteemed institution, we acknowledge the unwavering determination and sacrifice that you and your parents have endured to reach this juncture. The fire within you, which once burned brightly, has now become a guiding light, and it is your solemn duty to nurture it into a radiant sun. Graduates, you have conquered countless sleepless nights in pursuit of a rigorous and demanding academic program. Yet, it is in the solitude of those darkest hours, away from the public eye, that your true character is revealed. Today, you stand among the ranks of the world's professionals, distinct from academicians, as in your domain, knowledge and skills are not static; they evolve and reshape the future of our world. As engineers, you possess an innate instinct to innovate, create, and transform, often with the simplest of tools. Your keen eyes seek out solutions that elude ordinary perception, and you instinctively track down problems like skilled hunters. Each one of you is endowed with unique talents, and the world looks to you, the graduates of IIT Mandi, to unearth and honor your individuality, thereby becoming the change you aspire to see in our world. We find ourselves living in a critical era, where artificial intelligence threatens to automate creativity and innovation. In this rapidly changing landscape, your very survival may soon be at stake. Remember, rather than futilely opposing the inevitable, adapt to coexist with it, leveraging its strengths while discerning its limitations to contribute meaningfully. In the words of the eminent engineer and visionary, Buckminster Fuller, "You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete." Graduates, you must innovate to forge these new paradigms, countering the challenges posed by those wielding the powerful tools of artificial intelligence. The path ahead will be fraught with both triumphs and tribulations. There will be moments of self-doubt, setbacks, and seemingly insurmountable obstacles. It is in these very moments that you must recollect the sacrifices and the painful nights you endured while preparing for IIT. Within those experiences lies the key to discovering your purpose - a purpose that is uniquely yours, waiting to be unearthed by you and you alone. IIT Mandi has not merely imparted knowledge but has instilled in you a spirit of innovation, collaboration, and an insatiable thirst for continuous learning. Nurture the innocent, passionate soul within you, for it is your passion that will fuel your innovation, and your purpose that will imbue your work with meaning.

Embrace lifelong learning, remain perpetually curious, and never cease to question. Surround yourselves with mentors, colleagues, and friends who both inspire and challenge you. Be leaders who uplift and inspire others, for genuine success is not gauged solely by personal accomplishments but by the profound impact you have on the lives of others. Forge ahead with your authenticity, for it is your unique, invaluable contribution. Congratulations, and may your future endeavors shine as brightly as the boundless promise you carry within yourselves.

Honourable Chief Guest Dr. Ajit Mohanty, Secretary, Department of Atomic Energy, the Guests of Honour, Prof. R. P. Singh, Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmadabad, Dr. Balwinder Singh, Samsung Electronics, Mr. Anand Vora, Persistent Systems, Dr Anirban Bandyopadhyay, NIMS, Japan, BoG members, Senators, Prof Laxmidhar Behera, Director of IIT Mandi, esteemed faculty members, staff, students, parents, members of the media, ladies, and gentlemen! I extend a very warm and cordial welcome to everyone for joining us on this auspicious occasion of the 11th Convocation Ceremony of IIT Mandi.    At the outset, I convey my heartiest congratulations to all the graduands. Today is the day of culmination of your efforts and reason to celebrate the fruition of your aspirations and dreams. I am sanguine that you will live up to the expectations of your parents, teachers and your Alma Mater. IIT Mandi has a long-standing tradition of producing outstanding alumni who have excelled in various fields, making significant contributions in the fields of science and technology globally. As you enter the next phase of your life, hold onto this legacy of a scientific culture and let it always inspire you in everything you do. As you all are well aware, IIT Mandi was established in 2009. The journey over the last 14 years has been an incredible one – planning and construction of the infrastructure in this difficult hilly terrain and building the leadership team with committed and devoted faculty and staff. In the short span of 14 years, IIT Mandi, has carved a niche for itself as a proud member of the larger IIT Community. The academic programs of the Institute have expanded and today with more than 2800 students both in the South and North Campuses, life is abuzz with academic and extracurricular activities. We are looking at making this an academically vibrant campus with 5000 students and 300+ faculty members in the next five years.   On behalf of the Board of Governors of IIT Mandi, and on my own behalf, I must congratulate and compliment Prof. Laxmidhar Behera and his entire Team – the Deans, School chairs, Centre coordinators, 180 plus strong members of the Faculty, and the staff for taking the vision and mission of the Institute forward. I am really delighted to say that the Institute is growing well and the ‘Team IIT Mandi’ has worked tirelessly towards the growth and development of the Institute. In keeping with the demands of time, the existing structures of the academic schools have been streamlined – the institute now boasts of nine different schools, new centres with multi-disciplinary frameworks such as Centre for Robotics and Artificial Intelligence, Centre for Continuing Education, Centre for Human Computer Interaction, Centre for Quantum Science and Technologies, Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems and Mental Health applications are already functional.  The Institute has signed a number of MoUs with national and international universities and institutions. I look forward to more such collaborations, wherein IIT Mandi will work with government and non government agencies, departments, and industries.   We are proud of our past laurels but will always continue to live up to our motto– “Scaling the Heights”. In the years to come, we will focus our efforts on developing ‘Entrepreneurship skills’ through appropriate course inclusion, larger per faculty research output, more patents and research papers, greater international linkages and exposure, enhanced student and faculty exchange programs, and increased partnerships with corporate entities in India and abroad. On the administrative side, pragmatic financial management, acquiring more research and consultancy projects, HEFA loan, improved IRG and efficient digitalisation shall remain our priority. IIT Mandi will keep investing more on acquiring sophisticated instruments and developing research facilities that will be at par with the best of the international institutions. Dear Graduands, today you join the elite club IIT Mandi Alumni. Alumni have always been the greatest strength of the IITs. You will remember your days here; sometimes fondly when you think of friends and favourite teachers; sometimes with a touch of relief when you recall early morning classes, courses, tests, exams and what not. Although you are moving out to make a bright professional career, your Alma Mater will always be there with you and will keep abreast of your achievements and successes with a great degree of satisfaction and pride. You may be aware that IIT Mandi has recently inaugurated its office at the IIT ACB along with other IITs. Since 2022, we have created a new Deanery; Dean of Resource Generation and Alumni Affairs (DORA) which will remain connected with you. In conclusion, I once again thank and congratulate the parents and the well-wishers of young students graduating today. I convey my best wishes to the students on their way to becoming leading technocrats, researchers, entrepreneurs, and academicians of the future. Do remain connected, and come back to IIT Mandi whenever you can – you will always be welcome.  Once again, I congratulate The Team IIT Mandi - the Director, Deans, Faculty, and Staff for the job well done. I again thank the Chief Guest and the guests of honour for gracing this occasion.   May God bless you all.     Jai Hind!

At the outset, I would like to sincerely thank the management and faculty of IIT Mandi for inviting me on this important occasion. The institute has made great progress within a short period. The range of disciplines, state of the art facilities and top class expertise present at this institute augurs well for its future and is certain to attract the best and the brightest to its fold on a continuous basis. Speaking to youngsters is always rewarding and fulfilling. The reins of the nation and the world are going to fall into their capable hands in the future, hence, one always hopes to share thoughts and experiences that may benefit these young minds in their journeys. My heartiest congratulations to all the graduating students of IIT Mandi of 2023 batch. Completing graduation, though often considered to be routine in a broad sense, does not come easily. It involves years of hard work and perseverance, struggles and sacrifices, successes, achievements and perhaps some disappointments as well. This day will therefore probably be one of the most important and memorable milestones in the journey of your life and career. Graduation always comes with mixed feelings. The joy of completion of course will be the foremost emotion, but it would also be tinged with the sadness of leaving behind years of memories of all the good times shared with your friends. Dear young graduates, you would now be leaving the protective and structured environment of academic education, the benevolent hand of your teachers and mentors would no longer be there to guide you and show the way forward. You must always remember with gratitude the roles they have played in shaping your lives. The teachers, academicians, guides and mentors are the real builders of our society and I would like to take this opportunity on my behalf and on behalf of all of you to express my respect and gratitude to the faculty members as well as the associated personnel for their tireless and invaluable contributions year after year. They have done their duty with diligence and here onwards, your destiny would be guided by the pathways you choose, the choices you make and the tasks you undertake. Quite often it is asked by eager students and youngsters about the ‘so called’ formula for success. Frankly, there is no unique answer to that question. How does one really measure success? Is it by the position you reach in an organisation, or by earning other societal parameters such as wealth and prosperity? Is it to be measured by the awards and recognitions, or is to be measured by the impact one makes? Is it to be measured by the importance of your job, by the power you wield, or by the respect you earn? Or is it to be measured by an sense of satisfaction of doing a job well and living a wholesome and fulfilling life. And finally, is there a correlation between these parameters? These are all rather difficult questions, for there is no single answer to them. In my view, in the final analysis, it boils down to the attitude of the individual. A school teacher in a remote school can feel as happy and satisfied as a director of a multinational corporation. A doctor can feel as proud of his contributions as a scientist for his knowledge and research acumen. From my own experience, I can only say that working sincerely in whichever field you chose, with dedication and a single minded pursuit of excellence can provide the greatest satisfaction to the individual. Rewards will often automatically follow, proportionate to the parameters of the sector and domain of your operation. Never compare your position, wealth and success with those in sectors different from yours. As long as you excel in the field of your endeavour, make an impact and gain recognition for your contributions, you will be treated with respect, honour and dignity and lead a contented life. That is the best measure of happiness and success in the longer run. Dear young graduates, since it’s relevant to you, I would like to speak a little bit about the challenges and opportunities available to young scientists and engineers like you who are graduating today. You have acquired a skill set that includes technical proficiency, critical thinking, as well as the ability to grasp complex principles and theories. Having done that, what should be your task? It would be to find solutions to multifaceted real-world problem looming upon the horizon. The most important of these challenges is the urgent need to tackle climate change, a phenomenon that threatens ecological balance and human livelihoods. Paving the way for a more sustainable future and conserving fragile ecosystems and species, the need for understanding disease mechanisms and crafting effective treatments, research into alternative clean energy sources and solutions for water scarcity, endeavours to guarantee food security for a growing global population, finding remedies to antimicrobial resistance, solutions for waste management, providing universal and affordable healthcare and sanitation to all global citizens, etc are some of the other major challenges. Dear young graduates, these challenges can be successfully addressed only when scientists and engineers do not work in silos but join hands to work in unison. Science is devoted to the pursuit of understanding the intricacies of the natural world, while technology seeks to harness this knowledge for practical applications. Foundational scientific insights catalyse transformative technological innovations, giving rise to developments like modern electronics and artificial intelligence. And as technology advances, it equips scientists with better tools to probe deeper into their inquiries. The ensuing discoveries often inspire newer, more advanced technologies. This continuous feedback loop is the essence of progress towards creating new frontiers of understanding and innovation. Department of Atomic Energy and a host of other successful organisations, both national and international, have tasted great success by harnessing this synergy within their ecosystems. Opportunities for youngsters like you towards creating transformative solutions with scientific breakthroughs and cost effective technological tools exist in numerous sectors such as software engineering, data science, hardware design, energy systems, space, atomic energy, renewables, biotechnology, manufacturing, automation, robotics, telecommunications etc. to only name a few, on national as well as international platforms. For those interested in innovation and entrepreneurship, the start-up world awaits, where engineers can develop their own technologies and pioneer their own ventures. Research in cutting edge chemical, physical and biological sciences can be an equally satisfying and fulfilling career option. My sincere advise to all young graduates is to carry out an honest self- assessment to evaluate your interests, strengths, and long-term career objectives, in order to identify sectors that align with your personality. There are however a few imperatives which you should never lose sight of, regardless of your sector, position and stature. First and foremost is the importance of continuous learning and upgradation in a world of rapidly changing technologies. Maintaining an open and flexible approach towards adopting new ideas such as the use of artificial intelligence tools for problem solving, collaborating constructively with team members and communicating your ideas effectively are important elements towards a successful career. It is also important to acquire cross domain expertise as technology is increasingly becoming multi-disciplinary in nature. When evaluating job offers, in addition to the compensation, pay attention to the organisation culture as well as the importance given by the organisation towards work-life balance and continuous learning opportunities. Making a good choice early on is more likely to lead to a fulfilling career and long- term satisfaction and success. I would end by quoting Albert Einstein who said: "Education is not merely the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.", which I think quite aptly sums up the premise of my talk. I once again take this opportunity to congratulate the graduates and wish them great success and happiness in their lives and careers. Thank you and Jai Hind.

R.P. Singh is a faculty member in Atomic Molecular and Optical Physics Division at Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad. His areas of research include light scattering, phase singularities of light, nonlinear optics, quantum optics, and quantum information. Presently he is engaged in experiments on high dimensional entangled states, free-space quantum communication, quantum imaging, and quantum radar.

Dr. Balvinder Singh has extensive experience working in industry for 27 years driving innovation, core technology product development & building compelling consumer experiences. He has diverse professional experiences encompassing embedded software development, SoC development & end-to-end product development. He currently Heads the Advanced Research & Technology development at Samsung R&D, India; in domains of Generative AI, Computer Vision, Multi-modal Interactions, Sensor Intelligence, & Blockchain technologies, etc. He is responsible for building novel experiences powered by technology solutions across Smartphones, Wearables, XR & Robotic devices. He has the additional responsibility to drive Innovation, new technology incubation, Creative Lab, etc. to influence Business & Product teams at Samsung R&D, India. He spearheads the Open Innovation & Ecosystem partnership with Start-ups, Academia, Open Source & Govt. of India Digital India program to build unique product propositions. Dr. Singh has been associated with Samsung India for last 15 yrs and has been instrumental in building the Global Leadership for Samsung Smartphone Camera. He has successfully lead the Camera Center of Excellence (CoE) delivering innovative camera solutions for every Galaxy Smartphone from Galaxy S3 to S23. He has incubated expansion of the R&D center in newer areas such as IoT, XR, IP based Multimedia Communications & Hardware IP developments. Prior to Samsung, he has dabbled for 5 years building his own start-up company developing mobile phones ground-up including complete software stack, integrated Communication & Application processor and form factor designs. He started his career in industry working for Sasken Communication Technologies developing Wireless and Multimedia Technology for global product licensing. Dr. Balvinder Singh earned his Ph.D from India Institute of Technology, Kanpur in the field of Vision & Image Processing in 1996. He completed his Masters degree in 1991 and Bachelors degree in Electronics & Communication Engineering in 1990 from Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee. He is quite passionate about technology powering unique consumer experiences and has numerous patents & technical publications to his credit.

In a professional journey spanning 35 years, Anand has assumed different industry roles ranging from being responsible of global delivery, providing technical leadership, consulting, forming technical competency centers. His industry experience spans across the domain of Telecommunications, Railroad, Logistics and Hitech Silicon Valley Product companies. He is currently a Sr Vice President, Engineering at Persistent Systems. Anand’s prior experience includes a solid decade of experience in R&D labs of Larsen & Toubro Control Automation as well as Asea Brown Boveri SCADA, Telemetry system divisions. Anand was responsible for embedded design as well as programming, RTOS & processor- based design for Industrial Automation, Industrial Network using CDMA/ CD, Token Ring, VME bus. Anand is an avid & active electronics hobbyist. During covid lockdown, Anand designed & flew his drone by designing flight controller electronics and software. It was based on Arduino and was integrated with Raspberry Pi to work in tandem for in-flight camera-based image processing using OpenCV. While the Inertial Measurement System (IMU) design makes use of basic PID based on feed from gyro, accelerometer, and compass; Anand used Euler Angles to determine orientation of the drone with respect to 3- dimensional terrestrial fixed coordinate system. He is currently assessing the use of Kalman filter and the use of Quaternion Mathematical model for flight control. Anand completed his Bachelor of Engineering in Power Electronics from Mumbai University in 1988. In 1990, he pursed course on Application of Microprocessor in Industry by IIT Mumbai. He later went on to complete his Post Graduation Diploma in Software Technology from the prestigious National Center for Software Technology in Mumbai. In 2005, Anand was sponsored by Tech Mahindra for Management Development Program at India School of Business (ISB) and in 2019 he underwent Global Program for Management Development by Academy of Leadership Development by Mahindra Leadership University in partnership with Ross School of Business, University of Michigan

Anirban Bandyopadhyay is a Principal Research Scientist at the National Institute for Materials Science (NIMS), Tsukuba, Japan. He did Ph.D. in IACS, Kolkata, 2005. During 2005-2008 ICYS research fellow at ICYS, NIMS, Japan. In 2008, joined as a scientist at NIMS, built organic jelly based artificial brain, quantum computer, molecular motor based drugs, brain inspired computing, written a book “Nanobrain: The making of an artificial brain from a time crystal”, 2020. 2013-2014 visiting scientist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. Hitachi Science and Technology award 2010, Inamori Foundation award 2011–2012, Kurata Foundation Award, and Sewa Society international member, Japan. Published more than 100 papers, 23 patents, edited 17 books, reach out anirban.bandyo@gmail.com Blog www.nanobraintech.com T: @anirbanbandyo; P-+81-80-9454-3366

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