Roorkee, July 15: The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee successfully hosted the NPTEL North Zone Star Award Felicitation Ceremony 2026, marking the first time the Institute hosted the prestigious North Zone event. The ceremony celebrated the achievements of 275 NPTEL Star Learners from across North India, including Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Madhya Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and Jammu & Kashmir.
The event brought together outstanding learners from the NPTEL ecosystem, providing a vibrant platform to recognize academic excellence, foster knowledge exchange, and promote lifelong learning and digital education.
The programme witnessed the presence of several distinguished academicians and institutional leaders, including Prof. Praveen Kumar, Deputy Director, IIT Roorkee; Prof. Ranjana Pathania, Coordinator, NPTEL and E-Learning Centre, IIT Roorkee; Prof. Vivek Kumar Malik, Dean of Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy , IIT Roorkee; Prof. Naveen Kumar Navani, Dean of Academic Affairs, IIT Roorkee; and Prof. Inderdeep Singh, Dean of Infrastructure, IIT Roorkee. A special video message from Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, highlighted the transformative role of digital learning platforms in expanding access to quality education, promoting lifelong learning, and fostering continuous professional development.
Prof. Ranjana Pathania, Coordinator, NPTEL and E-Learning Centre, IIT Roorkee, presented an overview of NPTEL and its growing role in providing accessible, high-quality learning opportunities to students, faculty members, and working professionals.
A major highlight of the event was the Star Learner Experience Sharing Session, where awardees shared inspiring stories on how NPTEL courses had positively influenced their academic journeys, skill development, and career trajectories.
The programme also featured technical workshops and interactive sessions conducted by distinguished IIT Roorkee faculty members, including Prof. B. R. Gurjar, Prof. Ramesh Anabandanam, Prof. Prasanjit Mondal, Prof. Rajat Agarwal, and Prof. Meenakshi Rawat, offering participants valuable insights across multiple disciplines.
In addition to the IIT Roorkee NPTEL team, the event was attended by NPTEL teams from IIT Kanpur and IIT Delhi, whose participation contributed to the success of the programme.
Prof. Praveen Kumar, Deputy Director, IIT Roorkee, said,
“Initiatives such as NPTEL are playing a transformative role in democratizing access to quality education and promoting a culture of lifelong learning. Hosting the NPTEL North Zone Star Award Ceremony at IIT Roorkee reflects our commitment to fostering academic excellence, digital education, and continuous skill development among learners across the country.”
In his video message, Prof. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said,
“The remarkable achievements of the NPTEL Star Learners demonstrate the power of technology-enabled education in nurturing talent and expanding educational opportunities. IIT Roorkee is proud to host this significant event and remains committed to supporting initiatives that strengthen India’s higher education ecosystem and contribute to the vision of a knowledge-driven and self-reliant nation.”
The event concluded with the felicitation of the awardees and reaffirmed IIT Roorkee‘s commitment to advancing digital learning, academic excellence, and inclusive access to world-class education. Through its active engagement with NPTEL, the Institute continues to contribute significantly to the national mission to expand quality education and empower learners across India.