HYDERABAD, AUGUST 05, 2026: The Footwear Design & Development Institute (FDDI), Hyderabad, celebrated its 6th Convocation Ceremony with academic excellence, professional aspirations and a strong emphasis on embracing emerging technologies. The ceremony was held at the FDDI Hyderabad Auditorium in the presence of Dr. Malini Divakala, Director, National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Hyderabad, who graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
The ceremony marked an important milestone in the academic journey of the graduating students, who formally received recognition for their successful completion of their programmes. The event featured the National Anthem, ceremonial lamp lighting, welcome address, felicitation ceremony, Presidential Address by the Executive Director, FDDI Hyderabad, oath ceremony, address by the Chief Guest and the distribution of Gold and Silver Medals to meritorious students.
In her motivational and instructive address, Chief Guest Dr. Malini Divakala encouraged the graduating students to step confidently into the professional world with a mindset of continuous learning, adaptability and innovation. She emphasised that the rapidly changing landscape of design, technology and industry requires young professionals to remain abreast of emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence (AI) and other digital tools, while ensuring that technology is used responsibly and creatively.
She urged the graduating students to embrace AI and new technologies as enablers of creativity, productivity and problem-solving, rather than viewing them merely as technological trends. At the same time, she stressed that technological advancement must be complemented by human values, professional integrity, creativity and a strong sense of responsibility.
Addressing the graduating students, the Executive Director, FDDI Hyderabad, Dr.Narsimhugari Tej Lohit Reddy (IAS) also encouraged them to enter their professional careers with confidence and purpose. He emphasized the importance of maintaining the ideology of a well-disciplined, ethical, responsible and professionally committed individual, while continuously upgrading knowledge and skills in response to the changing requirements of the industry.
The graduating students were advised to maintain a balance between technology and human values, ambition and humility, creativity and discipline, and professional success and social responsibility. The speakers highlighted that academic qualifications are not the end of learning but the beginning of a lifelong journey of professional growth and contribution to society.
The Oath Ceremony further reinforced the commitment of the graduating students towards professional ethics, discipline, responsibility and excellence as they embark on their professional journey. A total of 56 graduating students from the Schools of Fashion, Footwear, Leather Lifestyle and Product Design were conferred recognition for their academic accomplishment during the ceremony.
The occasion also witnessed the presentation of Gold and Silver Medals by the Chief Guest, Dr. Malini Divakala, Director, NIFT Hyderabad, in recognition of outstanding academic performance. The Gold Medals were awarded to Sailashmi Didddi (M.Des.-Fashion) and Ishika Bhardwaj (B.Des.-Fashion), while the Silver Medals were presented to Poojaleskhmi S. (B.Des.-Footwear) and Benecia Mariam Babu (B.Des.-LLPD). The achievement reflected the students’ academic excellence, dedication and commitment to their respective fields of study.
The ceremony celebrated not only their academic achievements but also their transition into responsible professionals equipped to contribute to the evolving design, footwear, fashion and lifestyle sectors.
The ceremony concluded with the Vote of Thanks and the National Anthem, bringing to a close an occasion that celebrated not only academic achievement but also the transition of students into responsible professionals ready to contribute to the evolving footwear, fashion, retail, design and lifestyle industries.
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