When your aspiration is fiercely defined, the resources will follow – Dr Ajai chowdhry, Co-Founder, HCL

“Do not settle for a life that fits neatly inside your current comfort zone. Create a gap between where you are and where you want to be, trust your ability to learn alongside the machines, and let your aspiration pull you forward,” said Dr Ajai Chowdhry, Co-Founder, HCL while addressing the students graduating from The ICFAI Foundation for Higher Education, Hyderabad, at the institute’s Sixteenth Convocation. Emphasising that Aspiration must be greater than Resources, Dr Chowdhry urged graduates not to let resource constraints limit their ambitions. Citing HCL's founding in 1975 by six young engineers with limited resources but an ambitious vision, he said aspiration can drive innovation and resourcefulness. He described the gap between aspiration and available resources as a source of creative tension that pushes individuals to think beyond conventional limits.

Dr Chowdhry highlighted the transformative pace of technological advancement, particularly in artificial intelligence, and emphasised that the skills and knowledge acquired today must continually evolve. He urged graduates to embrace AI as a cognitive amplifier rather than a threat, underscoring the importance of continuous learning and adaptability. Reminding them that their degrees were proof of their ability to learn, not limits to their potential, he encouraged them to look beyond existing possibilities and use technology to shape the future.

Addressing the graduating students, the Chancellor of the University, Dr C. Rangarajan, emphasised the important role they would play in shaping the country's future. Observing that their future was intertwined with that of the nation, he described the graduates as the “incoming leaders of change” and urged them to recognise the opportunities and responsibilities that lay ahead. 

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Referring to unilateral tariff impositions by the United States and the U.S.–Iran conflict, which disrupted shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, Dr Rangarajan observed, “The two pillars of the international trading system have been knocked down”—the international consensus on tariff rates and the free movement of goods through sea routes. “We unfortunately are entering an era of ‘Might is right’,” he remarked, calling for India to recalibrate its development strategy to address the emerging geopolitical and economic uncertainties.

Dr Rangarajan called for prioritising domestic production in strategically important sectors while maintaining global competitiveness. Cautioning against indiscriminate import substitution, he stressed that “Make in India should be for the ‘Rest of the World’.” He also highlighted the need to build strategic reserves of critical commodities, reduce dependence on imported energy and embrace emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence. While acknowledging the impact of AI on employment, he stressed that India could not afford to lag behind technological developments. He emphasised that greater self-sufficiency in critical sectors must be pursued without compromising economic efficiency.

Dr Rangarajan underscored the need for structural reforms, greater investment in physical and social infrastructure, and a stronger focus on knowledge and innovation to enhance India's global competitiveness. Citing global innovation rankings, he noted that South Korea and China ranked fourth and tenth, respectively, while India stood at 38th position. He observed that the performance of these countries suggested a strong positive correlation between innovation and competitiveness, adding that “This is one clear area where India could do a lot more.” He stressed that strengthening innovation was particularly important in the present context of de-globalisation. On international trade, he observed that free trade agreements with key partners were necessary in the absence of a functioning multilateral trading system, but cautioned against placing excessive expectations on them, describing such agreements as “a second best solution.” Acknowledging that some of the proposed policy changes might run contrary to the principles of liberalisation, he emphasised that they were necessary in response to the changing approach to global trade by leading countries.

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Presenting the University's annual report, Prof.  (Dr.) A Vinay Kumar, Vice Chancellor IFHE highlighted the university’s progress in academic excellence, research, innovation and industry engagement during 2025–26.  During the convocation, Over 4000 students received their degrees. Students were awarded their Ph.D. degrees in Management, in Law, and in Science & Technology and Economics. Students were also given MBA degree from IBS Hyderabad, and from an off-campus centre in Bengaluru. Executive MBA, online MBA and distance MBA degrees were awarded. Graduating students also included from ICFAI School of Social Sciences. 

Degrees honoris causa were conferred on Dr Ajai Chowdhry and Dr Nageshwar Reddy, Chairman, AIG Hospitals. On receiving the honorary doctorate, Dr D. Nageshwar Reddy expressed his gratitude to Chancellor Dr C. Rangarajan and Chief Guest Dr Ajai Chowdhry. He recalled the contribution of ICFAI's founder, late Shri N. J. Yasaswy, in taking quality education across the country and building institutions of excellence, and commended the University's faculty and academic environment. Addressing the graduates, he observed that “ambition and idealism combined together with innovation can change this country.”  Urging the students to contribute to India's progress, he further said, “Innovate, create, change the country. Stay back here and make this one of the greatest countries in the world.”

The academic achievements and accomplishments of students were recognised through various medals and awards at the convocation. The N J Yasaswy Award for the best student, for all round excellence in MBA was given to Tandra Sai Akesh. Yagnamurthy Kalyan Kumar received the Gold Medal for Academic Excellence. The student also won the Faiyaz Ahmed Khan Memorial Gold Medal as the First Rank holder in the Finance stream of the MBA programme. Shrishti was awarded the Silver Medal for securing the second rank in Academic Excellence.

Sandesh Bhatele received two honours - the Manish Reddy Raavi Award for the Best Student in Finance, and the Prof. J. Mahender Reddy Gold Medal, instituted in honour of the Founder Vice-Chancellor of IFHE, for topping in Economics. The Saurabh Sharma Memorial Gold Medal, awarded to the topper in the MBA Marketing stream, was presented to Utsav Kumar Roy and The Govind Shanbogue Award for the topper in Human Resource Management was presented to Datla Venkata Gayatri. .