Proud moment for IIT Madras! Alumni pledge Rs 14 cr to boost campus infrastructure, support students

On the occasion of Reunion Day, hosted by Indian Institute of Technology Madras Alumni today for the 1993 batch of the institute, Rs 12 crore were pledged to support the campus infrastructure, Research and Development and student innovations. Further, the 1983 Batch also pledged another Rs 2 crore. Over 300 alumni from across batches took part in the meet.

Addressing the Reunion Day celebrations, Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT Madras, said, “Many important research that must be done falls within gaps of existing funding sources and researchers find it difficult to raise funds. The CSR funding from industry provides scope for these kinds of research projects. Faculty can do research and produce technology that will have a huge impact. CSR funding can help scale up these projects, particularly those with social impact, to support pilot scale deployments.”

Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthi also announced the 12 Distinguished Alumnus Awardees for 2019. The Awards are broadly given in following categories - Academics, industrial, research, business/entrepreneurship leadership, and general category.

Various competitions and projects of the Centre for Innovation, IIT Madras, were demonstrated during the occasion. The students interacted with alumni who have been vital in encouraging innovations and helping them attend global competitions.

The IIT Madras Heritage Centre gave a presentation on ‘IIT Madras: Then and Now,’ capturing the evolution of the Institute over the years. The presentation showcased the new synthetic sports track, which came up with funding from Fairfax Holdings Chairman Mr. Prem Watsa, a 1971-batch Chemical Engineering graduate.

Mr. M. Subramanian, Chief Executive Officer, Development Office, IIT Madras, and Ms. Shuba Kumar (1994 batch), President, IIT Madras Alumni Association, spoke on occasion. A panel discussion was held during the meeting on the topic ‘Alumni are key stakeholders in the Institute’s growth’ with representatives from Reunion Batches.