1. Rizwan and Rekha Koita

Rizwan and Rekha Koita Honoured by Forbes India for Grassroots Philanthropy

IIT Bombay is delighted to announce that its Distinguished Alumnus, Mr. Rizwan Koita (B.Tech., Electrical Engineering, 1992), and Distinguished Alumna, Ms. Rekha Koita (B.Tech., Metallurgical Engineering, 1992), have been recognized with the Forbes India Leadership Award (FILA) for Grassroots Philanthropists by Forbes India. This prestigious accolade acknowledges their contributions through the Koita Foundation, which has been driving impactful digital transformation in healthcare, education, and livelihoods for nearly a decade.

The Koita Foundation’s work in digital health has been instrumental in accelerating the adoption of digital tools to enhance healthcare accessibility, quality, and efficiency. Their deep collaborations span academic institutions such as IIT Bombay, Ashoka University, and Maharashtra University of Health Sciences; healthcare organizations like Tata Memorial Centre/National Cancer Grid (cancer), RSSDI (diabetes), and FOGSI (maternal and child health); and government bodies including NABH and the National Health Authority. In addition, their partnership with ILSS led to the establishment of the Koita Centre for Digital Transformation, which equips NGO leaders with technological expertise.

Expressing gratitude for this recognition, Mr. Koita acknowledged the collective efforts of these institutions and the Koita Foundation team in driving digital initiatives forward. Looking ahead, he emphasized the vast potential of AI, ML, and Large Language Models (LLMs) in revolutionizing social impact. As the digital transformation of the social sector continues, the Koitas remain committed to leveraging technology for meaningful and scalable change.

Rizwan and Rekha Koita’s journey is a testament to the values nurtured at IIT Bombay: innovation, excellence, and a deep sense of social responsibility. As the Institute’s alumni continue to make transformative contributions across industries, IIT Bombay reaffirms its legacy of shaping leaders who excel in their fields and drive meaningful change in the world.

2. Prof. Neelesh. A. Patankar

Image Courtesy: Northwestern University

IIT Bombay alumnus, Prof. Neelesh A. Patankar (B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, 1993), has been appointed faculty director of the Northwestern-Argonne Institute for Scientific and Engineering Excellence (NAISE). A distinguished researcher in fluid mechanics and computational modelling, Prof. Patankar has been a faculty member at Northwestern University since 2000. His myriad accolades include receiving the Prominent Researcher Award at the Microflow and Interfacial Phenomena Conference (2023), being elected as a Fellow of the American Physical Society (2012), and receiving the Charles Deering McCormick Professor of Teaching Excellence (2014–2017). He holds an MS and PhD in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Pennsylvania.

Prof. Patankar’s research spans diverse fields, from advanced computational modelling to biomedical innovation. His recent study, published in Nature Biomedical Engineering, introduces a groundbreaking physics-based metric to predict aortic aneurysms—dangerous conditions that often go undetected until it’s too late. The “flutter instability parameter” (FIP), derived from a single 4D flow MRI scan, has demonstrated a remarkable 98% accuracy in predicting aneurysms up to three years in advance, offering the potential for life-saving early interventions.

As he takes the helm at NAISE, Prof. Patankar aims to deepen collaborations between Northwestern and Argonne National Laboratory, driving interdisciplinary research in energy storage, quantum computing, climate modelling, and materials science. His leadership will further solidify NAISE’s role as a model for academic-national lab partnerships, fostering technological breakthroughs with real-world impact.

IIT Bombay has long been a launchpad for visionary researchers and leaders, equipping its alumni with the expertise and drive to tackle global challenges. Prof. Patankar’s journey—from IIT Bombay’s rigorous academic environment to spearheading high-impact research at the intersection of engineering and scientific discovery—exemplifies the Institute’s role in shaping the future of innovation.

Read more about his appointment and vision for NAISE here.