2 FICCI awards at 70: Thapar Institute named University of the Year 2026
By TUF News Desk · Published 16 October 2026 · 3 min read
Fact-checked against 2+ independent sources · Editorial policy
Two new honours went to a 70-year-old campus in Patiala this week. The Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology (TIET) has been named University of the Year 2026 at the FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards, and it also picked up the Excellence in Digital Transformation 2026 award on the same night.
The 12th FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards were conferred on October 8 at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, during the inaugural session of the 21st FICCI Higher Education Summit. This year’s summit ran on the theme “Higher Education for a New World: Reform, Resilience and Relevance”. The awards were presented by Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr Murli Manohar Joshi, a former Union human resource development minister.
The session drew a heavyweight audience. Among those present were Dr R. Balasubramaniam, member of the NITI Aayog; Anant Swarup, secretary general of FICCI; and Dr Vidya Yeravdekar, chair of the FICCI Higher Education Committee and chancellor of Symbiosis International University. Vice-chancellors, educationists, policymakers and industry leaders from across the country took part.
A 70th birthday double
The recognition coincides with the institute’s 70th Founders’ Day. TIET was established in 1956 and is one of the country’s oldest private institutions for engineering and technology education.
Prof. Padmakumar Nair, the institute’s vice-chancellor, framed the award as less a verdict on what the institute has achieved than a reminder of what it owes. For an institution turning seventy, he said, the real test is whether it keeps producing graduates who can make sound decisions when the answers are not obvious, and that is the standard it intends to hold itself to in its next decade.
The University of the Year 2026 award recognises TIET’s contributions through academic excellence, research and innovation, and its commitment to creating meaningful learning experiences for students.
What the digital transformation award covers
The second award points to what students can expect inside classrooms. FICCI cited the institute’s work in weaving artificial intelligence into teaching, learning and research across disciplines, with AI education extended to students across programmes.
That effort runs through the Thapar School of Advanced AI and Data Science (TSAAI), which the institute established through a technical collaboration with NVIDIA. The institute’s advanced AI computing infrastructure gives students and researchers the hardware to test emerging technologies on real-world problems.
For students comparing engineering institutes, an award shelf is one signal among several. Thapar Institute of Engineering and Technology is profiled on this site, and our guide on how to choose a university in India walks through the questions that matter beyond trophies: faculty strength, lab access, placements and full cost.
Further details are available on the institute’s official website.
Frequently asked questions
What awards did Thapar Institute win in 2026?
University of the Year 2026 and Excellence in Digital Transformation 2026 at the 12th FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards, announced on October 16, 2026.
When and where were the FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards 2026 presented?
On October 8, 2026, during the inaugural session of the 21st FICCI Higher Education Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi. The awards were presented by Dr Murli Manohar Joshi.
What is the Thapar School of Advanced AI and Data Science?
The Thapar School of Advanced AI and Data Science (TSAAI) supports AI education across the institute’s programmes and was set up through a technical collaboration with NVIDIA.
Why did Thapar win the Digital Transformation award?
For integrating artificial intelligence into teaching, learning and research across disciplines, backed by advanced AI computing infrastructure for students and researchers.
Frequently asked questions
What awards did Thapar Institute win in 2026?
University of the Year 2026 and Excellence in Digital Transformation 2026 at the 12th FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards, announced on October 16, 2026.
When and where were the FICCI Higher Education Excellence Awards 2026 presented?
On October 8, 2026, during the inaugural session of the 21st FICCI Higher Education Summit at Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
What is the Thapar School of Advanced AI and Data Science?
The Thapar School of Advanced AI and Data Science (TSAAI) supports AI education across the institute's programmes and was set up through a technical collaboration with NVIDIA.
Why did Thapar win the Digital Transformation award?
For integrating artificial intelligence into teaching, learning and research across disciplines, backed by advanced AI computing infrastructure for students and researchers.
Sources: The Tribune, Punjab Kesari