The Lecture Series at IIT Bombay serves as a platform for scholarly exchange, bringing together renowned academicians, distinguished faculty, and thought leaders to discuss critical scientific and technological advancements shaping the world today. Flagship initiatives like the Institute Colloquium Series and the N.R. Kamath Lecture Series provide the IIT Bombay community with invaluable insights into emerging challenges, groundbreaking research, and transformative innovations across disciplines. Over the past month, the Institute has hosted a series of thought-provoking lectures that have enriched academic discourse and fostered meaningful intellectual interactions among students and faculty, further strengthening the Institute’s vibrant academic ecosystem.

This month, the Institute featured the following lecture(s).

Lumina: Lighting Her Path Lecture Series

Ms. Sujata Salem – Ms. Shivani Govil

Ms. Sujata Salem                                              Ms. Shivani Govil

The Lumina: Lighting Her Path Lecture Series hosted an engaging interactive session titled From Models to Applications: Real-World Examples of How to Use AI, and brought together 64 participants for a thoughtful exchange on translating AI models into impactful real-world solutions.

Led by seasoned technology executive and IITB alumna, Ms. Shivani Govil (B.Tech., Chemical Engineering, 1992) and product engineering leader Ms. Sujata Salem, the session combined industry insights with practical perspectives on deploying AI across sectors such as education, software development, and customer service.

The session began with an interactive poll to understand participants’ familiarity with AI, and then emphasised that true value lies not in building models alone but in solving meaningful problems through high-quality data, experimentation, and a clear understanding of use cases. The speakers also highlighted that scaling AI adoption goes beyond technology, requiring alignment across people, processes, and organisational change. Participants widely appreciated the session for its depth and relevance, applauding IITBAA for creating a meaningful platform for learning and dialogue.

Key takeaways from the session:

– AI becomes valuable when it is applied to solve real problems.

– Moving from models to real applications requires understanding what problems should be solved, access to high-quality data, and hands-on experimentation.

– AI is already transforming sectors such as education, software development, and customer service – enabling personalised learning, intelligent automation, and better decision-making.

– Adoption of AI is not just a technology problem. Scaling AI adoption also requires addressing people, process, and change management across the organisation.

For more on the story, click here: IITBAA LinkedIn Lumina 1

2. Ms. Garima Bhatia

The Lumina: Lighting Her Path Lecture Series hosted an engaging interactive session titled From Backyards to Remote Wilderness: A Birder’s Journey on 25 April 2026, bringing together 60+ participants led by IITB alumna, Ms. Garima Bhatia (B.Tech., Chemical Engineering, 1995).

The session began with a brief introduction to Lumina and the theme of the evening by IITB alumna, Ms. Swapna Samant (B.Tech., Civil Engineering, 1995).

Ms. Bhatia then shared a deeply personal and inspiring journey—from her early interest in birds and time at IIT Bombay, to rediscovering birdwatching in Bengaluru, and eventually transitioning from the corporate world to becoming a nature educator at the Nature Conservation Foundation.

Key themes explored included:

– What makes birds unique, including surprising facts and interactive audience responses

– Memorable birding experiences from remote locations such as the Nicobar Islands, Colombia, and pelagic expeditions

– The role of birdwatching in conservation through citizen science and long-term data collection

– How birds act as important indicators of environmental and climate changes

Ms. Bhatia also spoke about her work in nature education, including initiatives like early bird, bird song exhibits, and community-driven outreach programmes. The session concluded with an interactive Q&A, making it a thoughtful and enriching exchange of ideas.

You can watch the entire session here.

Resource links are available in the YouTube video description.

For more on the story, click here: IITBAA LinkedIn Lumina 2

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