Bhubaneswar/Burla, May 29 (BNP): Bringing pride to Odisha’s academic landscape, Ekta Priyadarshini, a final-year Chemical Engineering student of Veer Surendra Sai University of Technology (VSSUT), Burla, has secured All India Rank (AIR) 1 in the prestigious Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering (GATE) 2026 in Chemical Engineering.
Ekta’s outstanding performance in one of India’s most competitive engineering examinations has been widely celebrated as a proud moment for Odisha and the academic community. According to reports and topper interviews, she secured AIR 1 in Chemical Engineering with an exceptional score, emerging as one of the top performers in the national-level examination.
Congratulating Ekta on her remarkable accomplishment, Odisha Industries Minister Sampad Chandra Swain praised her dedication and academic excellence, describing her achievement as a matter of immense pride for both VSSUT and the state. In a public message, the minister lauded her hard work and wished her continued success in her academic and professional journey.
Ekta, who hails from Odisha and is currently pursuing her B.Tech in Chemical Engineering at VSSUT, has spoken about maintaining a disciplined preparation strategy centred on concept clarity, numerical practice, revision and previous years’ question papers. In interviews, she highlighted the importance of consistency, time management and self-discipline in balancing academics with GATE preparation.
Her achievement has not only brought laurels to VSSUT, Burla, but also emerged as an inspiration for engineering aspirants across Odisha, reaffirming the growing academic excellence of students from the state in national competitive examinations.