Hyderabad: The sixth edition of the prestigious BITSAA Global Meet (BGM26), an international alumni gathering of BITS Pilani, commenced on Friday at the institute’s Hyderabad campus. The event was formally inaugurated by Telangana Governor Jishnu Dev Varma, who lauded BITS Pilani’s role in advancing world-class education and innovation.

Governor Varma highlighted that BITS Pilani has consistently nurtured not only academic excellence but also innovation, ethical values, leadership and fearless curiosity across generations.

He noted that education today is undergoing a fundamental transformation with Artificial Intelligence (AI), data science, automation and digital technologies reshaping systems globally. While AI can analyse data and make decisions, he stressed that human judgment, ethics, creativity and compassion remain irreplaceable. Education, he said, must strengthen human values to guide technology for societal benefit.

The Governor praised BITS Pilani’s autonomy, flexible curricula, interdisciplinary learning and practical education, which align with Telangana’s growing technological ecosystem in advanced materials, biotechnology, climate solutions, robotics, and AI.

He urged alumni to inspire youth, support skill development, and contribute to national self-reliance. Quoting John F Kennedy, he described alumni associations as the “lifeblood of universities,” passing the torch of knowledge across generations.

The inaugural session was attended by Principal Secretary Dana Kishore, BGM26 Chairperson Anita Sakuru, BITS Group Vice-Chancellor Prof V Ramgopal Rao, angel investor Kanwal Rekhi and BGM26 CEO Mayur Patnala. Medchal-Malkajgiri District Collector Manu Choudhary welcomed the Governor with a floral bouquet.

Dana Kishore emphasised the importance of technology and quality education in workforce development and digital transformation. Anita Sakuru noted that the meet fosters collaboration across generations. The first day concluded with a cultural program featuring a traditional Qawwali performance, celebrating the institute’s heritage and camaraderie.