Amid Chinese-made robodog row, Galgotias Professor Neha Singh puts ‘Open to Work’ on LinkedIn

Facing backlash, both Galgotias and Singh on Wednesday said the robot was not a university creation and that the institution had never claimed otherwise.

• Galgotias professor updated LinkedIn to "Open to Work" after row
• University clarified it did not build the Chinese-made robot dog
• Summit organizers asked the university to vacate its expo stall

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The controversy surrounding the display of a Chinese-made robotic dog at the India AI Impact Summit has taken a fresh turn, with Galgotias University professor Neha Singh, who was at the centre of the row, appearing to update her LinkedIn profile to “Open to Work”.

Singh, a communications faculty member at Galgotias University, had drawn criticism after a video showed her presenting a robotic dog named “Orion” at the India AI Impact Summit 2026 and stating that it “has been developed by the Centre of Excellence at Galgotias University.” The clip went viral, with social media users claiming that the robot was actually a Unitree Go2 manufactured by China-based Unitree Robotics.

On her LinkedIn profile, Neha Singh describes communication as her core strength.

“I have always believed that communication is more than just a skill — it is a force that shapes identity, builds confidence, and opens doors. With a natural flair for language, articulation, and stage presence, I have spent years helping individuals unlock their voice and express themselves with clarity and impact.

My core strengths lie in verbal fluency, vocabulary building, public speaking, and written communication. Whether it’s training students for GD-PI, compering high-stakes events, or designing communication workshops, I bring energy, structure, and intent to every interaction.

What sets me apart is not just my command of language, but my ability to connect, inspire, and elevate others through it. I enjoy working with learners at various stages — guiding them to communicate with confidence, professionalism, and authenticity,” her bio reads.

As the controversy snowballed, the university was asked to vacate its stall at the summit. IT Secretary S Krishnan said the government does not want exhibitors to showcase items that are not their own. “We do not want such exhibits to continue,” he said after organisers directed the university to clear its pavilion.

Facing backlash, both the university and Singh clarified that the robot was not built by the institution and that there was no intent to misrepresent it.

Responding to the controversy, Singh told PTI, “The controversy happened because things may not have been expressed clearly and the intent may not have been properly understood.”

“Regarding the robot dog, we cannot claim that we manufactured it. I have told everyone that we introduced it to our students to inspire them to create something better on their own. Our university contributes to building future leaders by providing cutting-edge technologies in the field of AI, and it will continue to do so,” she added.

On reports that authorities had asked the university to vacate the expo area, she said, “I do not have any information about that. What I know is that today we are all present here.”

Earlier, the university had said that “the robotic programming is part of our endeavour to make students learn AI programming and develop and deploy real world skills using globally available tools and resources, given developing AI talent is the need of the hour.”

Stating that its faculty and students were “deeply pained by the propaganda campaign” against the institution, the university said, “Spreading negativity can harm the morale of students, who are working hard to innovate, learn and build their skills using global technologies.”

While the row has sparked debate over attribution and transparency at public technology events, the development of Singh’s LinkedIn status has added another layer to an already heated controversy.