New Delhi, June 21: Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla on Saturday called upon IIT alumni to play a greater role in shaping India’s future by suggesting reforms across various sectors and contributing solutions to the challenges faced by ordinary citizens.
Addressing a gathering at the launch of the book “IIT: The Story of India’s Most Prestigious Educational Ecosystem” and the inauguration of the PanIIT Book Club at IIT Delhi, Birla emphasized that the country looks to IITs whenever it faces significant challenges.
The event was organized by Pan IIT Alumni India, the apex body representing more than 500,000 alumni from all 23 Indian Institutes of Technology worldwide. The occasion also marked the celebration of 75 years of the IIT ecosystem.
Highlighting the government’s reform agenda, Birla said Prime Minister Narendra Modi envisions reforms across every sector to improve the lives of citizens. He encouraged IITians to leverage their expertise and experience to help address the concerns of common people, farmers, and society at large.
“All of you, with your vast experience, can contribute significantly to overcoming the challenges faced by ordinary people,” Birla said.
The Lok Sabha Speaker further announced that valuable suggestions from IIT alumni would be forwarded to the relevant Parliamentary Standing Committees for deliberation and policy consideration.
“Our Parliament Standing Committees should benefit from your experience, especially regarding what needs to be reformed and in which sectors. Your contribution to the country is essential,” he remarked.
Speaking before an audience of more than 400 distinguished IIT alumni, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academicians, students, and industry leaders, Birla praised the role of IITs in addressing national and global challenges.
“Whether it is COVID, infrastructure, environment, science, space technology, the digital world, artificial intelligence, or robotics, solutions to these challenges emerge from India’s IITs,” he said.
Birla also urged IITians to inspire younger generations with their ideas and vision, encouraging them to contribute to nation-building and problem-solving.
The Speaker highlighted India’s rich tradition of knowledge, scientific temperament, innovation, and the vital role IITs have played in nation-building. He stressed that research, technology, and youth power would be crucial in achieving the vision of a developed India by 2047.
PanIIT Launches Book Club, Celebrates 75 Years of IIT Legacy7
A major highlight of the evening was the launch of the PanIIT Book Club, envisioned as a platform to celebrate intellectual pursuits and showcase the literary contributions of IITians.
The club’s inaugural publication, “IIT: The Story of India’s Most Prestigious Educational Ecosystem,” authored by Shri Prabhat Kumar, IRS, Chairman of Pan IIT Alumni India, chronicles the evolution of the IIT ecosystem over the past 75 years and its transformative impact on India’s growth story.
Speaking on the occasion, Prabhat Kumar described the IIT journey as a reflection of India’s own progress.
“The IIT story is India’s story. This book is both a celebration of our extraordinary legacy and a call to action for the next generation. It is time for IITians to move from Silicon Valley to the Indus Valley and build here, scale here, and create for the world,” he said.
Self-Reliance in Technology Essential: Rajendra Kumar
Delivering a special address, Rajendra Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, underscored the importance of technological self-reliance.
Referring to emerging global technology restrictions, he said India must strengthen its capabilities in areas such as artificial intelligence and digital innovation.
“If the world continues to impose restrictions on access to critical technologies, India must think about reaching the technological frontier on its own. In that journey, the role of IITs will be extremely important as we strive to build a world-class digital economy by 2047,” he noted.
Industry Leaders Discuss Future of Innovation
The event also featured keynote addresses from prominent leaders in government, industry, and academia.
A distinguished alumni leadership panel titled “Celebrating the IIT Legacy: Shaping the Future of Viksit Bharat” brought together entrepreneurs, innovators, and business leaders to discuss the next frontiers of technology, startups, innovation, and economic growth.
Among the prominent speakers were Devesh Srivastava, IPS, Special Commissioner of Police (Crime), Delhi, and Gautam Kumra, Chairman of McKinsey Asia Pacific and an IIT Delhi alumnus.
The panel discussion included Ravi Shankar (Founder, Decision Point), Madhur Singhal (Founder, Praxis), Neeraj Kumar (Founder, PeakMind.in), and Kapil Makhija (Founder, Unicommerce), and was moderated by Tanya Singhal, India Head of the Global Energy Alliance.
The event concluded with networking sessions and interactions among distinguished guests, reaffirming the IIT community’s commitment to innovation, entrepreneurship, policy engagement, and nation-building.