Mumbai, Feb 19: PanIIT Alumni India organised a distinguished felicitation ceremony at the iconic Bombay Gymkhana, honouring eminent IIT alumni and leaders who have made exceptional contributions in public service, industry, entrepreneurship, and academia.
The highlight of the evening was the felicitation of Rajesh Agarwal, Chief Secretary of Maharashtra and distinguished alumnus of IIT Delhi. PanIIT Alumni India also felicitated Shashi Tripathi, Chairman of the upcoming IIT2026 global conference.
The event witnessed the gracious presence of several prominent IIT alumni and national leaders, including:
• Sharad Saraf, Member, Board of Governors – IIT Bombay & IIT Jammu
• Ashank Desai
• Sudhakar Gande
• Raj Nair
Senior leaders from government, industry, startups, and academia across multiple IITs joined the gathering, reflecting the strength and unity of the global IIT alumni network.
Prabhat Kumar, Chairman, PanIIT Alumni India, said
“PanIIT represents the collective strength of over 300,000 IIT alumni across the globe. Today’s felicitation is not just about honouring individuals, but about celebrating leadership that contributes to nation-building and global impact. IITians are playing transformative roles in governance, innovation, entrepreneurship, and global partnerships aligned with the vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.”
He emphasised that PanIIT will continue to act as a bridge between government, industry, academia, and the global alumni ecosystem to accelerate India’s growth story.
Rajesh Agarwal, Chief Secretary, Maharashtra, in his address, welcomed investors, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders to actively engage with Maharashtra’s fast-growing innovation and industrial ecosystem. He highlighted key initiatives of the Maharashtra Government aligned with the Viksit Bharat vision and assured full support to the PanIIT community to invest and collaborate in Maharashtra’s strategic sectors.
Update on IIT2026 – USA (April 22-25, 2026)
Shashi Tripathi shared insights about the IIT2026 Conference, a landmark global summit scheduled from April 22 to 25, 2026, in Long Beach, California, USA. IIT2026 is a three-day conference celebrating 75 years of IIT excellence, bringing together over 2,500 innovators, CEOs, thought leaders, and changemakers from around the world to explore innovation, investment, technology, and global collaboration.
He invited the entire PanIIT community—especially alumni and professionals in the USA and beyond—to participate in this historic event, engage in transformative dialogues, and build strategic partnerships that will shape the future of innovation worldwide.
The evening concluded with networking and discussions focused on strengthening alumni collaboration, fostering cross-border investments, and positioning the IIT ecosystem as a powerful driver of India’s and global innovation leadership journey.