Unnao, Uttar Pradesh - Chandigarh University Uttar Pradesh (CU-UP) organised the Freshmen Orientation 2026 from July 28 to July 31. The new batch came in to attend addresses, industry talks, career guidance sessions, and cultural programs, all organised to formally bring students into Chandigarh University UP's world before the academic session began. Industry collaborations, campus life, academic ecosystem- new students got a look at all of it.
Each day of the four-day program began with student and parent arrivals, followed by registration and welcome kit distribution. Central Orientation sessions were held daily throughout.
Starting from day one , 28th July, the orientation opened with an inaugural address by Prof. (Dr.) Vinith Kumar Nair, Vice-Chancellor, CU UP, followed by a welcome address from Smt. Damandeep Kaur Sandhu Ji, Hon'ble Pro-Chancellor, Chandigarh University, and remarks by Prof. (Dr.) Thipendra Pal Singh, PVC, CU UP, on the university's academic ecosystem and NEP implementation. The day's Industry Academia session featured a keynote by Dr. Sudhir Kumar Mishra, former Director General of DRDO (BrahMos program), followed by an address from Mr. Varun Jindal, Consulting Manager at Cognizant, Delhi. Prof. (Dr.) Pardeep Bansal, Executive Director, Department of Career Planning & Development, conducted the Career Development & Alumni Connect session with CU Mohali alumni, and Prof. (Dr.) Archita Nandi, Director, Technology Business Incubator (TBI), conducted the Innovation & Startup Ecosystem session. The day’s highlight was a motivational speech by entrepreneur and author Mr. Ankur Warikoo on mindset, resilience, and career decision-making. The day ended with a Group Photo of the Batch of 2026, and then in the afternoon a Cultural Fiesta and in the evening a Cultural Carnival.
Day two, 29th July, witnessed inspiring addresses by Smt. Damandeep Kaur Sandhu Ji, Prof. (Dr.) Vinith Kumar Nair, and Prof. (Dr.) Thipendra Pal Singh, followed by a Future Skills & Technologies segment. Ms. Kaamna Jain, Strategist and Practitioner, FutureSkills Prime, NASSCOM (SSC), spoke on digital transformation and lifelong learning, followed by a session, “Students of CU-UP: Building Technologies of Tomorrow,” where current students showcased their work to the incoming batch. Former Microsoft and Mozilla associate and TEDx curator Mr. Ashish Mishra also addressed students on artificial intelligence and community building. The Career Development and Innovation & Startup Ecosystem sessions were repeated as on day one, followed by a group photograph and a Cultural Eve program in the evening.
The third day, 30th July, started with a welcome address by Mr. Jai Inder Sandhu, Hon’ble Managing Director, CU UP, and a keynote address by Prof. (Dr.) Vinith Kumar Nair and Prof. (Dr.) Harshal Shah, Registrar, CU UP. The Future Skills & Technologies section had Mr. Pranay Pathak, Business Head, Reliance Jio Info Com, on marketing and networking in the digital economy and Mr. Yogesh Shah, Associate Director, PwC, on growth prospects in energy and infrastructure.
Day four, 31st July, the final day of the orientation, featured addresses by Smt. Damandeep Kaur Sandhu Ji, Prof. (Dr.) Vinith Kumar Nair, and Prof. (Dr.) Harshal Shah. The Future Skills & Technologies segment included an address by Ms. Richa Kallra, former News Anchor, NDTV, on communication and personal branding, and a session by Dr. Sanjay Batra, Emeritus Scientist, on scientific research and healthcare innovation. The Class of 2026 also interacted with actor Mr. Abhishek Kumar, where he talked about his journey, experiences, and encouraged our freshers to embrace every opportunity, believe in their dreams, and make the most of the exciting chapter that lies ahead. The program concluded with the customary Career Development, Innovation & Startup Ecosystem group photograph and Cultural Eve segments, where famous singer Paradox stole the show through his energetic voice that led our freshmen to enjoy the day to the fullest.
A common segment on all four days was the interaction of our freshmen with CU Mohali’s alumni, who all guided them & shared their experiences at CU & told them how CU UP is the best place to build a solid career & how it’ll help them. The orientation was designed to give the incoming batch early exposure to industry, research, and innovation as part of CU UP's positioning as India's First AI-Augmented Multidisciplinary University.