Three-Day Silver Jubilee Celebration with Alumni
A Joyous Three-Day Extravaganza at IIITH Campus
The International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIITH) recently celebrated its Silver Jubilee with a spectacular event that brought together 200+ alumni from across the globe. The event, held over 3 days, was an opportunity for IIITH alumni to come together, reminisce, reconnect, and forge new connections. What set this apart was not just the number of alumni who attended, but the enthusiasm and camaraderie that permeated the entire three-day celebration. Many were spontaneous ‘walk-ins’ who opted for on-spot registrations, eagerly collecting their goody bags and rekindling their connections with the institution.
The event provided a platform for these accomplished individuals to share their experiences, insights, and wisdom with current students and each other.
The event kicked off on Day 1 with the unveiling of a magnificent art installation outside the library that was followed by the cultural spectacle, “Saakshatkaar – Realization of Timeless Knowledge” by Dr. Saroja and Mr. Jaychandran & the ‘Amrit Dhara Music Concert,’ by Mr. Devi Prasad. The gala dinner, held in honour of the retiring chairman of IIITH, Prof. Raj Reddy, was a poignant and heartwarming moment for both the alums and the institution. Prof. Reddy’s contributions and leadership in shaping the institute’s future were celebrated.
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Saatshatkaar
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Amrit Dhara Music Concert
A confluence of wisdom and innovation marked the second day of the Silver Jubilee event. The day commenced with an insightful “Opportunities Awareness Talk” featuring alumni who have carved remarkable careers for themselves. Pochadri Ariga, President of Technology at CreditVidya; Swapnil Gupta, Software Engineering Manager at Zeta; Harshit Kumar Sankhla, Autonomy, Software Engineer-2 at Ola Electric; and Aseem Rawat, CEO at Hetha, Rashtriya Gopal Ratna awardee in 2018, graced the occasion and shared invaluable insights and guidance to students about their career paths. These accomplished alumni, with diverse backgrounds and experiences, motivated the students and provided them with a roadmap for success. Their stories served as inspiration, emphasizing the limitless possibilities that education at IIITH can open.
Post the career guidance session, the day progressed with two interactive sessions designed to stimulate thought and discussion. The first of these sessions was an “Alumni Panel Discussion on AI for Society.” The panelists included Karandeep Anand, Chief Product Officer at Bex (formerly Meta and Microsoft); Shailesh Kumar, SVP and Head of Engineering at ClickUp; Soujanya Lanka, Principal Applied Scientist at PayPal Inc.; and Varun Boppana, Managing Director and Partner at Boston Consulting Group (BSG). Each panelist brought a unique viewpoint, reflecting their rich and varied experiences in the field.
The discussion was moderated by Dr. Praveen Paruchuri, faculty member of IIITH and an alumnus himself.
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Alumni Panel Discussion on AI for Society
The Next panel discussion was on “Vision 2050 for IIITH.” The esteemed alum panelists were Rahul Saladi, Assistant Professor at IISC Bangalore; Aseem Rawat, CEO of Hetha Organics; Pramod Nair, Co-Founder and CTO of Loadshare Networks; and Gopala Krishna Anumanchipalli, Assistant Professor at UC Berkeley. The session was skillfully moderated by Piyush Bhargava, Lead Consultant at Thoughtworks. These distinguished panelists shared their thoughts on the future of IIITH, exploring possibilities and providing insights into the institute’s trajectory. Their vision, shaped by their journeys and experiences, offered a glimpse of what lies ahead for IIITH.
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Alumni Panel Discussion on AI for Society
As the discussion concluded, it was evident that the alums of IIITH are pioneers in their respective fields and visionaries committed to harnessing technology for the greater good. Their insights left a lasting impression on all those who attended, inspiring students and alums alike to continue pushing the boundaries of what is possible.
The alumni sessions were followed by “Next 25 Talks” featuring illustrious speakers, including Prof. PJ Narayanan, Prof. Raj Reddy, and other board members. The highlight of the evening were video messages from distinguished global leaders on congratulating the institute for reaching this milestone.
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Foundation Day
00 to 25:50 mins: Next 25 Talks
26:05 to 32:30 mins: Global leaders’ message for 25th anniversary
32:50 to 1:00:04 mins: Prof Raj Reddy Lecture series, Prof Vint Cerf
1:08:20 to 1:25:20 mins: Thank you Alumni
Global leaders’ message for 25th anniversary:
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Satya Nadella, Microsoft
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Shantanu Narayen, Adobe
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N Chandrasekaran, Tata Sons
The event featured inaugural talk of the “Prof Raj Reddy Foundation Day Lecture Series,” presented by none other than Prof. Vint Cerf.
Prof. P J Narayanan, highlighted the role the alumni have played in the 25 years journey of the institute and how they are still actively involved in all aspects of its operations. On this milestone event the institute acknowledged the alumni governing body observer members and several alumni from across the years who have gone above and beyond in their service to the institute.
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Alumni Panel Discussion on AI for Society
The institute also announced the setting up of the Alumni Achiever awards, the first awards of this kind to be given on Sept 2, 2024.
The spontaneous response from the alumni on the announcement of the silver jubilee fundraising for the infrastructure and expansion needs of the institute was overwhelming. Alumni from across the batches pledged a total of Rs 5 crores support on the very first day. Alumnus Manohar Paluri (2002-2006 B.Tech CSE) pledged Rs 1 crore support via the Paluri Trust by Manohar Paluri and Ashwini Gadekarla. The M.Tech CASE alumni from across batches together pledged a contribution of 1 crore.
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The night was not just about intellectual stimulation but was also a time for celebration and entertainment. IIITH alumni took centre stage, entertaining the crowd with musical performances by “Falak Chayya” and an alumni band. Dance performances added a further layer of vibrancy to the festivities, making it a night to remember.
The third day, Alumni day, of the Silver Jubilee Celebration began with a nostalgic trip down memory lane with Prof. Kaul who conducted the first mathematics class at IIITH in 1998. It was a moment of reverence for the institute’s rich history and the enduring legacy of its founders. As Prof Kaul took to the stage again, among his students from IIITH were also his students from IIT Kharagpur – Prof PJN & Prof Rajan (Registrar).
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Alum Day
Prof. Kaul Mock Class: 0 to 46:40 mins
IAS Alum Fireside Chat: 50:40 to 2:00:00 mins
One of the most engaging sessions of the day was the “Fireside Chat with Alumni in Civil Services.” This interactive session was moderated by Shri Jayesh Ranjan, IAS, Principal Secretary to the Government of Telangana. The distinguished alum panelists included Tarun Nayak, IPS; Himanshu Jain, IAS; Chandrakanth Reddy, IRS; and Garima Agarwal, IAS. They shared their experiences and insights into the challenging world of civil services.
As the interactive session ended, a grand lunch was served, specially curated for the alumni. The Silver Jubilee celebration was a testament to the enduring legacy of IIITH, and as the event concluded, the echoes of laughter and learning continued to reverberate on the campus.
Throughout the three days of the reunion, a physical version of the IIITH online Merchandise Store, Campus Mall, was made available for alumni, students, faculty, and staff to purchase IIITH merchandise and memorabilia. This allowed everyone to take a piece of the reunion home and proudly display their IIITH connection.
A special treat – our ‘Alumni Diaries’ video, offering a glimpse into the cherished memories and experiences of our alumni.
IIITH’s silver jubilee celebration was a grand affair. The true silver lining was the overwhelming alumni participation! Thank you, alumni, for all your support.