National, June 29, 2026: Pan IIT Alumni India celebrated 75 years of the IIT ecosystem with the launch of the PanIIT Book Club and the release of its first book, IIT: The Story of India’s Most Prestigious Educational Ecosystem, written by Shri Prabhat Kumar, IRS, Chairman, Pan IIT Alumni India.
Speaking to the gathering, Hon’ble Lok Sabha Speaker Shri Om Birla called upon IITians to use their expertise for solving the problems faced by common citizens and suggest reforms in various sectors. “With your vast experience, each one of you can play a major role in solving problems faced by the common man,” he said, adding that the experience and insights of IITians on areas requiring reforms will be of great use to the Parliament Standing Committees.
According to Birla, IITs now provide answers in a variety of fields, from public welfare and agriculture to artificial intelligence, robotics, and the digital economy, going much beyond its initial technical concentration. He stated, “Today, IIT centers are emerging with solutions to almost every challenge facing the country.” “We are not working only for the country; India is becoming a center for solutions to all the challenges of humanity – present and future,” he continued, highlighting India’s expanding influence on the world arena. The world is looking to us because they think that IIT institutions will provide the answers to the world’s problems in the future.
Highlighting the worldwide stature of the IIT ecosystem, Birla said institutions across the world are increasingly looking at the IIT model as a benchmark for excellence in research, innovation, science and technology. “Whenever I go to different countries of the world, they always talk about IIT. “Presidents and prime ministers of those countries often say they too want institutions in their own countries like IIT,” he said.
Birla cited the conversion of the historic Hijli Detention Camp into IIT Kharagpur when describing the IIT story as a reflection of contemporary India’s self-assurance, intellectual prowess, and nation-building journey. He also pointed out that what started with a single institution has grown into a network of 23 IITs, whose graduates currently hold leadership positions across industries and governments. He noted that the commitment of young engineers working on historic national initiatives like the Bhakra Project continues to motivate future generations to prioritize national service over self-interest.
On the occasion, Prabhat Kumar said, “The book is aimed at helping the younger generations understand the larger IIT journey beyond campus success stories. “I wanted youngsters to know the legacy and the entire ecosystem – life before campus, on campus and beyond it, families, placements, startups, AI, venture capital and India’s tech growth,” he said.
“The story of IIT is the story of India,” Kumar added. This book is a call to action for the coming generation as well as a celebration of our great past. It’s time for IITians to relocate from Silicon Valley to the Indus Valley so they may develop, grow, and produce for a global audience.
Rajendra Kumar, IAS, Secretary, Department of Border Management, Ministry of Home Affairs, in his Special Address said that technological self-reliance is critical and IITs will play a significant role in India reaching the technological frontier by 2047.
The IIT legacy goes beyond academics, rankings, and placements, according to Ashok Kumar, General Secretary of Pan IIT Alumni India. “It is about resilience and the belief that no problem is impossible to solve,” he stated, adding that professionals with IIT training may make significant contributions to the advancement of the country. Additionally, he emphasized the necessity to balance environmental concerns related to future technology infrastructure while strengthening energy, skills, infrastructure, chips, computers, and innovation.
The evening also witnessed a distinguished alumni leadership panel on “Celebrating the IIT Legacy: Shaping the Future of Viksit Bharat”. The first publication is a journey of the IIT ecosystem of the last seventy-five years and its contribution to India’s growth story.
About Pan IIT Alumni India
Pan IIT Alumni India is a registered society (Regn. No. S-56680 of 2006) representing over 500,000 IIT alumni across the globe. It acts as a high-trust platform for dialogue, innovation, policy engagement, and mentorship, with a presence in India, USA, UK, Canada, Australia, and Singapore.
