New Delhi [India], September 22: PanIIT Alumni India, the umbrella organisation representing alumni of all 23 Indian Institutes of Technology, celebrated its 20th Anniversary with a grand commemorative event in the national capital on Saturday.
The landmark gathering brought together distinguished policymakers, industry leaders, academicians and IIT alumni from across the globe to reflect on two decades of nation-building and outline a vision for the years ahead.
Mr. Anurag Jain, CEO, NITI Aayog, was the Chief Guest at the event and attended the commemorative celebration. Shri Rajendra Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, was the Guest of Honour.
The event also featured distinguished speakers and senior representatives from the government, academia and industry, including officials and experts associated with the Cabinet Secretariat, Ministry of External Affairs, National Health Authority, NDMC, UNESCO and leading global organisations.
The evening began with a solemn tribute to Gyanesh Chaudhry (IIT Kanpur, 1966), a founding member of PanIIT Alumni India, who passed away recently. A one-minute silence was observed in his memory.
Speaking on the occasion, Prabhat Kumar, IRS, Chairman, PanIIT Alumni India, said, “PanIIT was born not merely to celebrate the success of IITians, but to channel their collective genius towards solving India’s most pressing challenges. As we celebrate 75 years of the IIT system and 20 years of PanIIT, we recommit ourselves to the vision of a Viksit Bharat 2047.”
Founded in 2006 as a not-for-profit society, PanIIT Alumni India has evolved into a global community of more than 500,000 alumni across India, North America, Europe, Asia and Australia.
Over the past two decades, PanIIT has undertaken initiatives aimed at strengthening collaboration between academia, industry and government and addressing key development challenges. Its initiatives include:
- PIWOT and Tech4Bharat, which have helped bridge academia, industry and government.
- PARFI, a vocational training model focused on providing assured employment opportunities to underprivileged youth and supporting rural transformation.
- WHEELS Global Foundation, working across areas including water, health, education, energy, livelihood and sustainability.
- IIT Startups, highlighting the entrepreneurial ecosystem emerging from the IIT network and its contribution to innovation and technology-led growth.
- Engagements with institutions including NITI Aayog, the Ministry of External Affairs and UNESCO on issues of national and global development.
A major highlight of the evening was the release of a Commemorative Audio-Visual Film tracing the journey of the IIT system—from its origins at the Hijli Detention Camp in Kharagpur to its emergence as a global centre of innovation and technological excellence.
The film was released by the Chairman and Past Chairmen of PanIIT, along with other dignitaries. Past Chairmen were also honoured for their foundational contributions to the PanIIT movement and its evolution over the past two decades.
As PanIIT Alumni India enters its third decade, the organisation has outlined an ambitious roadmap aligned with the broader vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.