DEAN ACR NEWSLETTER – February 2026

From the Dean's Desk February-2026

Prof. Upendra V. Bhandarkar

Dean – Alumni and Corporate Relations
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering IIT Bombay

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Dear Alumni,

 

We hope this newsletter finds you well. I am pleased to bring you key developments from across the Institute, reflecting the energy on campus, the strength of our academic and research initiatives, and the enduring engagement of our alumni community.

 

But first, I am happy to share some excellent news from our alumni community. Two of our alumni, Prof. Juzer Vasi and Mr. Shashi Shekhar Vempati, have been conferred the Padma Shri, one of the country’s most prestigious civilian honours. Their contributions to academia, technology, and public service reflect the values and impact of the IIT Bombay community. On behalf of the Institute, I extend my warm congratulations to them on this well-deserved recognition.

 

In a Special Report, we feature IIT Bombay’s annual Techfest 2025, which brought together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and students to engage with emerging technologies shaping the future. Through TechConnect, the Institute highlighted its research and innovation ecosystem across disciplines via exhibitions, symposia, and student-led forums.

 

 

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Dean ACR Annual Report

2024-25

ALUMNI ACCOLADES


• Prof. Juzer Vasi
• Mr. Shashi Shekhar Vempati

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NATIONAL INITIATIVES


• BharatGen Technology Foundation
• Prof. Abhay Karandikar Inaugurates PARAM Rudra Supercomputer

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SPECIAL REPORT


Techfest 2025

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UNLOCKING CSR POTENTIAL







SWIFT CSR


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ALUMNI GIVING


• Madan Avadhani
• Sunita Parasuraman
• Suresh Pahwa
• Deepika Sood- (w/o late Dexter D’Souza)
• Parimal Jhaveri

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CORPORATE COLLABORATION







Groww Foundation


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CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE


IITB Trust Lab Celebrates the Grand Finale of Capture the Flag (CTF)

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STUDENT SUCCESS STORY







IIT Bombay Students Attend the IITB–Tohoku University Global Immersion Programme


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RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT


• Ancient Martian Climate Changed With Time in the Thaumasian Highlands Region on Mars
• From Light to Logic: Ultrafast Quantum Switching in 2D Materials
• A Novel Spatially Aware AI Model Makes Hurricane Damage Assessment More Accurate

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LECTURE SERIES/SEMINARS


• Prof. Pramod Khargonekar
• Dr. Kicha Ganapthy
• Dr. Girija Narlikar

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INSTITUTE HIGHLIGHTS

IIT Bombay Hosts Alumni Reunions (Class of 1985/Class of 1980)

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IITB’s E-Summit Hosts Several Industry Leaders

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IIT Bombay Signs MoU with Society for Applied Microwave Electronics Engineering and Research (SAMEER)

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Faculty Accolades

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INSTITUTE HIGHLIGHTS PART – 2

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Upcoming Events
CSR Conclave 2026

IIT Bombay will host its annual CSR Conclave in June 2026. This pivotal event will bring together industry leaders, scholars, and practitioners in corporate social responsibility from across the nation and beyond. Attendees will have the opportunity to engage in insightful discussions, participate in workshops, and network with peers, all focused on the latest trends […]

Day & Date: June 5, 2026
Time: 9:00 am to 6:00 pm
Venue: IIT Bombay Campus
Institute Valedictory Function (Valfi)

IIT Bombay will celebrate its annual Institute Valedictory Function (Valfi) in May. As always, Valfi will feature an extraordinary alumnus as the Chief Guest for one of its most popular and significant events. The Institute hopes that graduating students will take away many of life’s key lessons from his/her extraordinary professional journey and impactful personal […]

Day & Date: May 1, 2026
Time: 5:30 pm
Venue: Venue: Convocation Hall
Faculty Alumni Network (FAN) 2026

FAN 2026 will bring several of IIT Bombay’s highly accomplished alumni who are in leading positions in academia and industry, together with the senior administration and faculty of IIT Bombay. They will deliberate on strategic matters related to the Institute’s growth as well as emerging areas of research, to nucleate collaborative programmes for mutual impact, […]

Day & Date: Jun 26 - Jun 27, 2026
Venue: TBA
Nashik Alumni Connect

IIT Bombay is pleased to announce the Nashik Alumni Connect in May 2026. Join us to reconnect with fellow alumni, celebrate the IIT Bombay spirit, and be part of engaging conversations and networking opportunities in your city! Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026 Time: 6:30 PM to 8:30 PM Venue: TBA Registration Link: https://www.iitbombay.org/e/nashik-alumni-connect-2026/

Day & Date: May 9, 2026
Venue: TBA

From the Dean's Desk February-2026

Dear Alumni,

 

We hope this newsletter finds you well. I am pleased to bring you key developments from across the Institute, reflecting the energy on campus, the strength of our academic and research initiatives, and the enduring engagement of our alumni community.

 

But first, I am happy to share some excellent news from our alumni community. Two of our alumni, Prof. Juzer Vasi and Mr. Shashi Shekhar Vempati, have been conferred the Padma Shri, one of the country’s most prestigious civilian honours. Their contributions to academia, technology, and public service reflect the values and impact of the IIT Bombay community. On behalf of the Institute, I extend my warm congratulations to them on this well-deserved recognition.

 

In a Special Report, we feature IIT Bombay’s annual Techfest 2025, which brought together policymakers, industry leaders, researchers, and students to engage with emerging technologies shaping the future. Through TechConnect, the Institute highlighted its research and innovation ecosystem across disciplines via exhibitions, symposia, and student-led forums.

 

IIT Bombay has advanced key national initiatives with the incorporation of the BharatGen Technology Foundation to strengthen India’s sovereign, multilingual, and multimodal AI ecosystem, and the inauguration of the PARAM Rudra supercomputing facility under the National Supercomputing Mission.

 

Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director, IITB, and Prof. Ravindra Gudi, Deputy Director, IITB, both from the Class of 1985, joined their fellow batchmates from the Class of 1985 to mark their Ruby Jubilee Reunion. We also celebrated the 45-year reunion of the Class of 1980. These reunions allowed alumni to revisit familiar spaces, renew old friendships, and reflect on a shared journey that began decades ago at IIT Bombay.

 

Our alumni continue to demonstrate deep commitment to IIT Bombay through generous contributions supporting a wide range of priorities, including student sports and well-being, hands-on learning spaces, residential infrastructure, scholarships, endowed faculty positions, and early-career faculty development. We are deeply grateful for their enduring support and for partnering with their alma mater to create lasting impact across generations.

 

The Institute partnered with the Groww Foundation to strengthen deep-tech innovation and advance India’s translational research ecosystem, with a focus on enabling student-led entrepreneurship. Over the coming years, the initiative aims to help hundreds of student teams translate ideas into real-world solutions across critical societal sectors.

 

As always, you’ll also find our regular features, including Centres of Excellence, Lecture Series, Research Spotlight, Faculty Accolades, Student Success Stories, other Institute News and Highlights, Upcoming Events, and more in this month’s newsletter.

 

Finally, I urge you to engage with a few initiatives that are shaping our community’s future. The Dean ACR Annual Report 2024–25 offers a snapshot of what we have accomplished together this past year. And as part of Regular Giving, please consider contributing to our annual GO IITB Scholarships and Hostels campaign. Each of these efforts reflects the generosity and shared commitment that make our alumni network strong.

 

Thank you for your continued engagement with IIT Bombay and for the many ways in which you contribute to the life of the Institute. As we look ahead, we remain committed to advancing excellence in education, research, and innovation, while deepening our connections with the larger IIT Bombay community. We value your support and partnership as we work together to shape the Institute’s future.

 

Warmly,

 

Prof. Upendra V. Bhandarkar
Dean – Alumni and Corporate Relations
Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering
IIT Bombay