From the halls of BITS Pilani to a national media storm, the PhD scholar faces intense scrutiny after her presentation of an "indigenous" robot dog was exposed as a commercial Chinese product during the 2026 AI summit

From a featured participant at the high-octane India AI Impact Summit 2026 in New Delhi to the centre of a national scandal, Assistant Professor Neha Singh’s professional trajectory has taken a dramatic turn. Representing Noida-based Galgotias University, Singh’s role as the public face of the university's AI initiatives has come under intense scrutiny following allegations that the institution showcased a commercially available Chinese robot as an in-house creation.

The controversy erupted at Bharat Mandapam when a video circulated of Singh demonstrating a four-legged robotic dog. In the footage, she explicitly introduced the robot as "Orion," stating it was developed by the "Centre of Excellence" at Galgotias University. She further linked the robot to a massive Rs350 crore investment by the institution, describing it as a sophisticated surveillance tool designed for difficult terrains.

Fact-checking and public backlash

The narrative of indigenous innovation was quickly challenged by tech experts and social media users who identified the robot as a Unitree Go2, a mass-produced device manufactured by the Chinese firm Unitree Robotics. Public criticism intensified when it was noted that the original Chinese branding remained visible on the device even as it was presented under the name "Orion."

The incident drew sharp rebukes from the Indian tech community, with critics accusing the university of "rebranding" an off-the-shelf foreign product (retailing for approximately ₹2.5 lakh) to secure visibility at a government-backed summit. Following the online uproar and formal fact-checking, government sources confirmed that the summit organisers directed Galgotias University to immediately vacate its exhibition stall on February 18, 2026.

University’s denial and official clarification

As the controversy peaked, Galgotias University issued a formal statement that appeared to directly contradict Singh’s recorded claims. The university asserted it had "never claimed to have built" the robodog, instead reframing it as a "classroom in motion" purchased to provide students with exposure to global technology.

The administration defended the display, stating that "innovation knows no borders" and characterised the backlash as "negative propaganda." This defence, however, was met with further scepticism as netizens re-shared the original footage of Singh’s presentation. This eventually led to a "Community Note" on social media platforms, labelling the university’s denial as misleading based on the available video evidence.

Academic profile and research background

Prior to the "Orion" incident, Singh had established a solid reputation as a researcher and educator within the Indian academic circuit. She joined Galgotias University in August 2023, following tenures at Presidency University Bangalore and COER Roorkee.

Her academic credentials remain rooted in elite institutions, including a PhD from BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus (2020), where she specialised in Computational Geometry and Mesh Generation. Her research, including work on "Input Size Independent Quality Mesh Generation," is considered highly technical and vital for engineering simulations. She also holds a Master of Technology (MTech) in Computer Science from ABV-IIITM Gwalior, marking her as a deeply qualified academic despite the current reputational challenges.