Mr. Ashok Kalbag started his career with Godrej & Boyce in the year 1974 in the Design & Development department. He joined Klaas Equipment, Nashik in 1981. After a 4 year stint with the company he went on to join Mechelonic Engineers, Mumbai from where he retired in 2008 as General Manager (Ops). He was involved in design & manufacture of resistance welding systems including India’s first Rail Flash-Butt Welding Machine.

Mr. Kalbag has been actively associated with IIT Bombay. He was a part of the core team for the Silver Jubilee event of 74 batch in the year 1999. He recommended Higher Education Forum (HEF) awards to Profs. Milind Rane, Kavi Arya, and Kanan Moudgalya who were awarded the distinguished engineering faculty awards during HEF Teacher’s Day awards. He has contributed regularly through GO-IITB and has been President of IITBAA Mumbai Chapter in the past. He has also participated in 3 Goa conclaves to help drive IITBAA-IITB initiatives (including Global Business Forum). He has been a regular participant of Student Alumni Mentorship programme.

Mr. Kalbag has got recognition from Higher Education Forum for his NGO activities. He used to actively participate in aero-modelling, flying, sailing, trekking, sky diving, etc. in the past but currently he indulges himself in contributing to changing the narrative of formal education in the country during his free time. Sharing an anecdote from his stay at IIT Bombay as a student he says, “ Despite 5 years in IIT hostel (2) I never picked up the habbit of smoking or alcohol consumption by choice. However, was penalised for drunken behaviour on the last day send off party in hostel (one of only two teetotallers in the whole party – both fined!)”.