The alumni of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) have a moral obligation to pay back and help those who are less privileged in whatever manner the individual prefers. It would be best of course if this process of paying back enriches education and scholarship at the grass roots of our society, President Ram Nath Kovind said at the 48th convocation ceremony of IIT-Delhi.
Urging the IIT administration to take active steps towards facilitating education at the grass-root levels, Mr. Kovind said: “The obligation is on the IIT-Delhi authorities to ensure and invite alumni, many of whom are well placed in other universities, to come back and teach here, even if for a short period or for specific courses. If procedures are needed to simplify this, then efforts need to be made in that direction.”
This year’s convocation at the country’s premier institute saw a record 306 students receiving their PhDs.
Award for excellence
Four of its alumni, including Kiran Bedi, Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry; Sunil Sood, managing director and CEO of Vodafone India; Soumitra Dutta, professor at Cornell University; and Saurabh Mittal, founder and chairman of Mission Holdings, were awarded for excellence in their respective fields.
Highlighting the alumni’s contribution to society in various fields, Mr. Kovind said, “I congratulate the four alumni of IIT-Delhi who are being honoured today for their achievement in different walks of life. Like their classmates, they have contributed to the nation and to the world, in academics, research, business, government and the public sector. Each of them is a subject of pride for all of us.”
Looking forward
“I am told that IIT-Delhi has major innovations in the pipelines related to data sciences. This is an emerging area in technology. Institutions like yours are well voiced to apply this new knowledge for the benefit of the less well-off and for those in the rural areas,” the President said.
Additionally, fifty students from Navodaya schools across the country were invited to the convocation to interact with the students and alumni.
“I am confident that some of them will return in the coming years as IIT freshers,” Mr. Kovind said.
