Mumbai: The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) observed its annual Alumni Day today at VMCC on the campus. The event began with a condolence offering to our beloved ex Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. This was followed by welcome by Prof. Ravindra Gudi, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT Bombay, address by Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director, IIT Bombay, in presence of Prof. Milind Atrey, Deputy Director (Academics, Research and Translation) and Prof K V K Rao, Deputy Director (Finance, Infrastructure and Administration), IIT Bombay, highlighting the Institute’s progress over the years.

The Silver Jubilee Batch (class of 1999) has pledged a sum of Rs. 21.2 crores towards its Legacy Project. A Legacy Project is a project adopted by the batch celebrating its Silver Jubilee anniversary, for the betterment of the Institute and of the people associated with it, as a way of giving back to the alma mater and leaving behind a lasting legacy and remembrance of their silver jubilee reunion.

The funds raised by the Class of 1999 will help the Institute support key academic projects and the research landscape at IIT Bombay. The contributed funds raised will also help drive IIT Bombay’s ambitious 2030 vision of ranking among the world’s top 50 universities and foster a legacy of excellence on the global stage.

In his address, Prof. Kedare said, “Alumni are a big asset for IIT Bombay. They are not only bringing in resources, but also expertise as well as industry connect”.

This year’s Distinguished Service Award (instituted in 1999) was bestowed on Rajindra Harcharan Singh, B.Tech., 1988, Mechanical Engineering; Sandeep Asthana, B.Tech., 1990, Chemical Engineering and Sudhir Jayram Nikam, B.Tech., 1993, Chemical Engineering. Besides being an achiever in their own chosen domain, the alumni have made significant and enduring contributions to the advancement of the Institute. The award consists of a certificate, a memento and an uttaria.

The Chapter Service Awards (instituted during the Diamond Jubilee year celebrations) are given to select alumni who have contributed consistently to the progress of their Chapters and the Institute. The awardees for this year include Mr Rajesh Soy, B.Tech., 1993 and M.Tech., 1997, Computer Science and Engineering (Chapter: Seattle, USA); Mr Ranjan Ojha, B.Tech., 1998, Metallurgical Engineering & Materials Science (Chapter: Chicago, USA); Ms Shweta Bhandari, B.Tech., 2002, Metallurgical Engineering and Materials Science (Chapter: Greater New York, USA); Mr. Sagar Shah, Dual Degree, 2008, Chemical Engineering (Chapter: Greater New York, USA); Ms. Sita Mahalakshmi Durvasula, EMBA, 2016, SJMSOM (Chapter: Hyderabad, India) and Mr. Sunay Wagle, M.Tech., 2017, Mechanical Engineering (Chapter: Pune, India).

In the alumni appreciation and gratitude segment of the event, Mr. Ravishankar Gedela, CEO of the IIT Bombay Development and Relations Foundation (IITB-DRF), on behalf of the Institute, expressed gratitude to all the major donors of the year whose generous contributions benefited IIT Bombay in a significant way. Recognizing the alumni community for their continued support and giving back to the Institute, IIT Bombay honored its top donors of 2024 by unveiling a Donor Wall on the occasion.

Acknowledging their selfless giving, Prof. Kedare said, “The contributions by these donors have helped the establishment of Centres of Excellence and Chair Professorships, as well as facilitated the enhancement of infrastructural facilities on campus and played a key role in student development.

IIT Bombay honored the Class of 1963 – The second batch of IIT Bombay, for their continuous support and guidance, on the occasion of Alumni Day celebrations. The batch representative of the Class of 1963 Dr. Dhirendranath N. Buragohain (former Dean of Planning, IIT Bombay (1984-87) and the Head of the Department of Civil Engineering., IIT Bombay (1988-91)) shared his memories of the time he spent on campus.

The event witnessed the launch of the 4th edition of its annual fund-raising campaign ‘GO-IIT Bombay’ for the year 2024-25. The campaign is a concerted effort by the Institute to engage a wide spectrum of its alumni community. The Institute aims to harness the power of collective giving and welcomes all contributions – substantial or modest – towards the various causes that will propel IIT Bombay on its continued journey of excellence.

An overview of ‘Project Evergreen’, an initiative by the alumni of IIT Bombay to support the Institute in catering to its student housing needs, was presented by IIT Bombay alumna Ms. Zenobia Driver during the function.