Warm greetings from the Alumni Relations Division (ARD) and the Student Alumni Relations Cell (SARC) of BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus! We're delighted to present the May 2026 edition of Campus Connect, capturing a month defined by achievement, athletic excellence, innovation, and dynamic engagement across academics, sports, and global collaborations.
This past month was marked by significant strides in innovation, entrepreneurship, research, and community engagement across the campus. From hosting the 10th International Soft Matter Conference (ISMC 2026), which brought together researchers from around the world, to launching initiatives such as Imaginarium and NEXUS that showcased student innovation and strengthened entrepreneurial engagement, the month reflected the institute's growing impact across diverse domains. We also celebrate the achievements of our alumni, including the founders of Dhruva Space and distinguished recognitions earned by alumni making their mark in academia and technology.
The accomplishments of our students, faculty, and alumni stand as a testament to the values of excellence, curiosity, and perseverance that have always defined the BITS Goa community. As the academic year progresses, the momentum built this May continues to inspire all that lies ahead.
Alumni Abhay Egoor, Krishna Teja Penamakuru, and Chaitanya Dora Surapureddy from BITS Pilani KK Birla Goa Campus co-founded Dhruva Space, which secured ₹105 crore under the Government of India's RDI Fund for 'Project Garud'—an indigenous 500 kg-class communications satellite platform. The trio was also awarded the BITS Pilani Young Achievers Award 2026.
Vandith Pamuru, an alumnus of BITS Pilani KK Birla Goa Campus and Assistant Professor of Information Systems at ISB, was named in Poets&Quants' World's Best 40-Under-40 Graduate Business Professors of 2026. The prestigious list celebrated emerging business school faculty who were making a measurable impact in their fields. He was also a former BITSAA Global 30 Under 30 awardee.
Mehul Mohan, an alumnus of the BITS Goa KK Birla Goa campus, wound down Codedamn's public B2C platform to pivot resources toward Fermion. Backed by the campus's BITS BIRAC BioNEST incubator, his team engineered this white-label LMS using Codedamn's core IDE technology to serve educational institutions and enterprise organizations.
The 10th International Soft Matter Conference was held at BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus from May 25 to 29, 2026, bringing together researchers, academics, and industry professionals in soft matter science through keynote speeches, panel discussions, and workshops on the latest advancements in soft materials.
The conference featured 8 plenary and 32 keynote speakers selected by the international programme committee, with approximately 1,000 participants from across the globe, representing disciplines including engineering, physics, chemistry, and biology. Session themes spanned colloids, liquid crystals, active and biological matter, polymers, rheology, and sustainability. The conference was convened at BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus by Prof. Indrani Chakraborty of the Physics Department.
A Mini School preceding the main conference was conducted from May 22 to 24, 2026, designed specifically for graduate students, early-career researchers, and professionals in soft matter, biophysics, and materials science. The event was organised at BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus under the convening of Prof. Indrani Chakraborty of the Physics Department.
The BITS Goa Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship Society (BGIIES) at BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus hosted the first edition of the "BGIIES Brew Circle", a networking session that brought together startups, stakeholders, collaborators, faculty, and well-wishers over coffee.
The initiative was envisioned as a recurring platform to strengthen the innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem at BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus by fostering meaningful collaborations and the exchange of ideas within the BGIIES community.
The Young Entrepreneurs' Boot Camp (YEB) 2026, a flagship 6-day residential programme at BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus, was held for school students from Grades 9 to 12, providing an immersive experience in technology-driven innovation and entrepreneurship.
The programme was convened by Prof. Saroj S. Baral, Prof. Anirban Roy, and Prof. Rajosri Sen Gupta of BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus. Sessions covered Digital Marketing, Know your customer, Brand building, Storytelling: The Leaders' Edge, etc., and included a guided tour of Goa for experiential learning.
The Center for Entrepreneurial Leadership (CEL), BITS Goa, in collaboration with BITS BioCyTiH Foundation launched NEXUS and the Institution's Innovation Council (IIC), a multi-city startup and investment initiative aimed at strengthening the institute's entrepreneurial ecosystem.
Starting at Hyderabad then expanding to cities like Bengaluru, Mumbai, Pune, and Delhi, the initiative connected student founders and early-stage startups with investors, mentors, incubators, and industry leaders through startup showcases, networking sessions, and mentorship opportunities, further expanding BITS Goa's presence within India's startup and innovation landscape.
Student innovation took center stage with the launch of the Imaginarium Initiative at BITS Goa. The new exhibition space was inaugurated to showcase outstanding student-led projects and research developed within the Department of Computer Science and Information Systems (CSIS).
Featuring a range of innovative solutions spanning artificial intelligence, image processing, navigation technologies, and campus applications, the initiative celebrates the creativity, technical expertise, and problem-solving abilities of BITS Goa students. By providing a dedicated platform for these achievements, Imaginarium highlights the growing impact of student-driven innovation on campus.
BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus inaugurated its new Clubhouse on 16 May 2026, creating a dedicated space for student clubs and organizations. Designed to support rehearsals, practice sessions, meetings, and collaborative activities, the facility aims to strengthen the campus's vibrant extracurricular culture.
The inauguration marked an important step in enhancing student infrastructure and fostering creativity, teamwork, and community engagement. The BITS Goa community welcomed the Clubhouse as a valuable addition to campus life.
The Student Alumni Relations Cell (SARC) organized the SIP Talk Non-Tech Edition on 30 May 2026. The session featured BITS Goa students Shivam Agarwal and Vedashree Mahajan, Summer Associates at BCG, along with Sowsthika Sree, an intern at Honeywell, who shared their internship experiences and insights into securing opportunities in non-technical domains.
The event provided valuable guidance on recruitment processes, career pathways, and professional development, helping students prepare for internships and careers beyond traditional technical roles.
The Student Alumni Relations Cell (SARC) at BITS Pilani K.K. Birla Goa Campus organized the SIP Talk Tech Edition on 31 May 2026. The session featured BITS Goa students Aditya Birla, Ishan Mehta, and Prakhar Bhandari, who had secured software engineering internships at Rubrik, Oracle AI, and Google, respectively.
Sharing their preparation strategies, interview experiences, and key learnings, the speakers provided valuable guidance to students aspiring for software internships. The event reflected the institute's culture of peer learning and mentorship.
As we move through a month filled with activity and achievement, it is equally important to recognise the quieter moments that keep us grounded. Progress is not always about pushing harder, it is also about knowing when to pause, reflect, and realign. Taking care of your mental well being allows you to show up with greater focus, energy, and purpose in everything you do.
Let us continue to build a campus environment where openness, understanding, and mutual support are part of everyday life, where reaching out and checking in becomes instinctive rather than occasional.
Every journey here is shared in some way, shaped by the people around us and the experiences we grow through together. Thank you for being a valued part of the BITSian community, one that continues to learn, support, and move forward together.
“As we continue to build momentum into the year, we celebrate the ambition, resilience, and collaborative spirit that define the BITS Goa experience.”
Stay connected. Stay inspired. Follow the Student Alumni Relations Cell.
alumnirelations@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in | sarc@goa.bits-pilani.ac.in
Alumni Relations Division