IITGN Hosts Tahesha Way, Lt. Governor of New Jersey

The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) hosted the Lt. Governor of New Jersey, Tahesha Way, on Friday, December 13, 2024. She was accompanied by an esteemed delegation of guests from the New Jersey-India Commission and the U.S. Consulate Mumbai, along with noted professionals from industry and academia. She was formally welcomed and felicitated by Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IITGN. 

“It is an honour for us to welcome delegates from New Jersey and explore the various arenas through which IITGN can strengthen its ties with the same. In 2019, we had the privilege of hosting Phil Murphy, Governor, New Jersey, who had also engaged in a delightful conversation with the students, as well as the other members of the IITGN community.” noted Prof Moona. His welcoming remarks were followed by a brief presentation on the Institute, carried out by Prof Amit Prashant, Dean, Research and Development, IITGN. Charting out the decade long journey of the Institute, Prof Prashant highlighted some of its notable milestones, with a special emphasis on interdisciplinarity, globalisation, and industry-academia partnerships. “We have unique programs which facilitate undergraduate students to do internships abroad, while ensuring that financial barriers do not hinder them from pursuing their dreams.” he said.  

Reflecting on Prof Prashant’s presentation, Lt. Governor Way reminisced her own college experience at Brown University, and underlined the significance of keeping an eye out for change. “There has been a staggering increase of 225% of Indian companies in the US, and we are always seeking to further our cultural and economic ties with India.” noted Way. After an interactive session with the faculty, the delegates conversed with some of the start-ups housed in IITGN’s Incubation Center. This was followed by a visit to the Centre for Creative Learning (CCL), IITGN, which is nationally renowned for its contribution in making STEM education accessible and interesting for students, and the general public alike.