COEP Technological University Honors Distinguished Alumni with COEP Abhiman Awards, One Ex-Student Has Donated Rs 10 Cr

ATK
Pune (Maharashtra) [India], September 16: In a glittering ceremony held at COEP Technological University, Pune, the institution's distinguished alumni were recognized for their exceptional contributions to their respective fields at the 31st COEP Abhiman Awards. Maharashtra Higher Education Minister Chandrakant Patil was the Chief Guest for the ceremony.
The event on September 14 was attended by prominent figures including Dr. Pramod Chaudhari, Chairman of the Board of Governance, Prof. S. D. Agashe, Vice Chancellor of COEP Tech, Bharat Gite, President of COEP Alumni Association, and Dr. Sujit Pardeshi, Secretary of the COEP Alumni Association.
The prestigious COEP Abhiman Awards were presented to the following accomplished individuals:
IPS Vivek Phansalkar: Commissioner of Police, Mumbai
Ashish Achlerkar: Founder and CEO of NearU Services, US
Arun Kudale: Technocrat Entrepreneur, Educationist, and Social Worker
Chetan Dharia: Founder and MD of Anant Defense Systems Pvt. Ltd
Ravi Bhatkal: Managing Director, India Element Solutions Inc and Cookson India Pvt. Ltd
Vijay Patel: Outstanding Scientist, TD (CLAW), Aeronautical Development Agency, Bangalore
Bharat Gite, President of COEP's Alumni Association shared the glory of COEP by narrating some facts and figures like this is the 3rd oldest engineering college in Asia which has a legacy of 170 years with over 50,000 engineers working in different parts of the world making India proud. He congratulated Ashish Achlerkar and thanked him for the generous donation of Rs 10 Cr. He also shared plans for the year 2023 like introducing the concept of Chair Professorship, building one more new hostel, contributing in the development of a second location of COEP at Chikhali, and facilitating tie-ups with the top American and European universities. He also thanked the parents of Late Gauri Shah who donated Rs.5 Cr to COEP.
Ashish Achlerkar gave a very inspiring speech, drawing anecdotes and learnings from his professional journey. He emphasized the importance of organizational core values and foundations in business building, as well as highlighted his aspirations for continued contributions to the economy and philanthropy through future entrepreneurial endeavors focused on long-term, purpose-driven value creation.
Expressing his gratitude, Achlerkar said, "Storied institutions like COEP have contributed to creating many leaders in various professions. It is humbling and an honor to be recognized. There is a lot more, long-lasting and far-reaching impact to achieve, and this serves as a genuine encouragement towards those efforts."
Mumbai Police Commissioner Vivek Phansalkar, one of the awardees, fondly reminisced about his time at COEP, appealing for improved canteen facilities amidst laughter and applause. He also shared memories of his successful efforts to uphold the institution's honor during his student days.
Minister Chandrakant Patil in his speech said, "The present Government has started working on the implementation of NEP with focus areas like education in the mother tongue and vocationaliszation of the courses. The current Government within a very short span of a year has created content in Marathi for streams like Arts, Commerce, Science, Polytechnic, and Engineering. It is heartening to see that more than 65% of students of the Polytechnic have asked for permission to write the exam in Marathi. We are also introducing software developed by IIT Mumbai which can help convert English into Marathi in real time. This will help students to comprehend the subject better even when it is taught in English", he added.
"I have advised the ITIs in all the districts of the state to conduct a meeting with nearby industries every year in the month of January to understand their need of manpower and update the courses accordingly. A lot of focus is now being given to internships and industry participation in education", he informed.
Sighting an example of how the innovation, research, and development-centric approach can help the country, Patil said that the indigenous development of corona vaccine not only helped us in the vaccination of our citizens but also helped us to bond with over 60 countries to whom we provided vaccines during the difficult times. He also mentioned that once upon a time even a screw for any defense application was imported. Now, the situation is such that our country has produced defense goods worth Rs.1 Lakh Cr of which Rs.16000/- Cr is an export. He assured full cooperation to the new Board of Governance of COEP Technological University from the State Government and advised COEP to not lose the spirit of competitiveness since the nearest competitor is far behind.
Speaking at the event, Dr Pramod Chaudhari shared insights into the development of COEP's new research and innovation park, which will be located approximately 25 kilometers away from the current campus. He urged COEP alumni to contribute their expertise and mentorship to current students, emphasizing the importance of research and innovation in education. Dr. Chaudhari also reiterated his vision to elevate the overall quality of education at COEP to match the standards of premier institutions like IITs.
Prof. S. D. Agashe, VC of COEP Technological University, highlighted the deep attachment of alumni to their alma mater, citing the example of Dr. Jaldeep Daulat, whose substantial donation of Rs 1.1 crore will establish an ultramodern AR-VR (Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality) Lab. He encouraged past students to devote time to interact with current students, fostering a culture of mentorship and skill development.
COEP alumni have already initiated mentoring activities aimed at enhancing soft skills among current students, according to Prof. Agashe.
The ceremony also recognized outstanding current students of COEP Tech for their academic excellence. Dr. Sujit Pardeshi delivered the vote of thanks, and Piyush Goregaonkar served as the program's anchor.
The COEP Abhiman Awards serve as a platform to celebrate the remarkable achievements of COEP alumni and reinforce the institution's commitment to academic excellence, innovation, and mentorship.
The master of the ceremony was Piyush Girgaonkar.
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