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26th National Seminar 2025
The Symbiosis Centre for Information Technology successfully hosted the 26th National Seminar on "Digital Frontiers: From Responsible AI to Secure AI". The event brought together students, faculty, and industry leaders for an engaging discussion on the evolving intersections of Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity.
The seminar commenced with introductions by hosts Jai Yadav and Anjali Sah, followed by a ceremonial lamp lighting led by Director Dr. Dhanya Pramod and a panel of speakers shaping the future: Mr. Anvay Paranjape, Mr. Arieddin Sheikh, Dr. Biswajit Mohapatra, Mr. Shaunak Sontakke, and Mr. Viral Thakkar. Director Dr. Dhanya Pramod inaugurated the event by underscoring the growing significance of AI, Generative AI, and Cloud technologies, citing examples like NVIDIA's breakthroughs, while emphasizing SCIT's commitment to advancing research and education in technology and cybersecurity.
The day's highlight was a thought-provoking panel discussion, moderated by Dr. S. Vijaykumar Bharathi, Professor at SCIT, which explored the challenges and opportunities in the next wave of digital transformation. Mr. Shaunak Sontakke emphasized the importance of reliable guardrails in cybersecurity, while stating that collaborative environments best nurture agility and authorization. Dr. Biswajit Mohapatra stressed that the guiding principle must be AI for all and AI for the goodness of all. Adding an industry perspective, Mr. Arieddin Sheikh discussed issues such as AI hallucinations and manipulations on customer-facing platforms, elaborating on how these vulnerabilities can lead to significant financial and reputational losses. Mr. Viral Thakkar encouraged the audience to unlearn outdated practices and embrace emerging technologies, while also mentioning DeepSeek and its strong foundational build that makes it particularly effective in today's AI landscape. Bringing the discussion full circle, Mr. Anvay Paranjape highlighted the importance of human accountability in technology, remarking that "the why runs the world". The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, allowing students to gain practical insights from industry leaders.
Bringing it all together, Dr. Kanchan Patil, Deputy Director at SCIT, thanked the speakers and applauded their visionary perspectives. A special mention was given to Dr. Dhanya Pramod and Dr. Anil Jadhav for being featured in Stanford University's Top 2% Scientists List (2025). Dr. Kanchan Patil concluded with a powerful reminder: "AI helps us think smarter, while cybersecurity ensures we sleep better."
The 26th National Seminar not only illuminated pressing issues of responsible and secure AI but also reaffirmed SCIT's role as a hub for meaningful dialogue between academia and industry.