Panel Discussion & Badge Pinning Ceremony

The Department of CSE (Data Science & Cyber Security), in collaboration with the college’s ACM, IEEE, and IEI student chapters, organised the Panel Discussion & Student Chapter Leads Badge Pinning Ceremony on 13 October 2026. Centered on the theme “Academia–Professional Chapter Ecosystem: Bridging Skills, Innovation and Industry Readiness,” the event brought together distinguished academicians, industry professionals, and student representatives to discuss student growth, professional development, research opportunities, and industry readiness. 120 students took part.

Representing the student body were Ishika Kestwal, Vice President of the ACM Student Chapter, and Kunal Bankhele, Treasurer of the IEI Student Chapter, both third-year Cyber Security students. They moderated the discussion, posed thought-provoking questions, and encouraged an interactive exchange of perspectives between the panelists and the audience.

The discussion explored how student professional chapters contribute to holistic growth, real-world learning, and career opportunities. The panelists shared experiences of how professional connections and chapter involvement influenced students’ career journeys, discussed ways to strengthen collaboration among academia, professional bodies, alumni, and industry, and offered advice on standing out in today’s rapidly evolving technological landscape. The conversation highlighted the importance of taking initiative, developing practical skills, pursuing continuous learning, and making meaningful use of professional networks.

Following the panel discussion, the Student Chapter Leads Badge Pinning Ceremony recognized the newly appointed leaders across the ACM, IEEE, and IEI student chapters.

✨ ACM Student Chapter Leads:

Leads were individually called forward and ceremonially badged in recognition of their roles and responsibilities. The ceremony celebrated their commitment to student leadership, teamwork, and fostering vibrant professional communities on campus.

The event also featured a special introduction to the ACM Student Chapter through a short video prepared by the ACM team. Presented to the distinguished guests, the video was warmly received and appreciated. The guests also shared valuable insights on making better use of the global ACM network, highlighting opportunities such as international engagement, summer and winter schools, technical learning programes, and other resources available to student members.

Adding to the celebrations, the winners of the Prompt Utsav AI Prompt Engineering Competition were announced and felicitated with trophies, recognizing their creativity and innovative use of AI across the competition’s domains.

The program commenced with the traditional lighting of the lamp, followed by the welcome and felicitation of the distinguished guests with mementos. It concluded with a formal vote of thanks and a group photograph commemorating the occasion.

The event was coordinated by Mrs. Gayatri Deshmukh, with Dr. Arti Patle serving as the ACM Student Chapter Faculty Advisor. Special thanks were extended to Dr. Deepika Ajalkar, HOD, CSE (CS & DS); Dr. N. B. Hulle, I/C Director, GHRCEM Pune for their continued guidance and support.

The event served as a meaningful platform for dialogue between academia, industry, professional bodies, and students, while celebrating the next generation of student leaders and reinforcing the importance of professional engagement, collaboration, and lifelong learning.