DEAN ACR NEWSLETTER – SEPTEMBER 2025

From the Dean's Desk September-2025

Prof. Upendra V. Bhandarkar

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

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Dear Alumni,

 

It is a special honour to write to you today as I begin my tenure as Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations at IIT Bombay. As an alumnus of this very Institute, I have experienced firsthand the pride, connection, and lifelong impact that being part of IIT Bombay brings. In this new role, I look forward to building on the strong foundation laid by my predecessor, Prof. Ravindra Gudi, and to deepening our engagement with you, our global alumni community. Your continued support and involvement are vital as we work together to advance the Institute’s mission and empower the next generation of students and researchers.

 

Even as I step into this new role, the work of our office continues with its usual energy and commitment, and I’m pleased to bring you a snapshot of the exciting developments and milestones from the past month.

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DEAN ACR – LEADERSHIP TRANSITION



A Note of Gratitude and Looking Ahead
Prof. Upendra V. Bhandarkar, Dean ACR

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SPECIAL REPORT







• IIT Bombay Unveils Landmark Projects


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CORPORATE COLLABORATION



• Infosys
• ICICI Foundation
• Rolls-Royce

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ALUMNI SPOTLIGHT








Lalith Vadlamannati

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ALUMNI STARTUP SPOTLIGHT



• Composio
• Armory

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NATIONAL INITIATIVES








IIT Bombay & KSEB Launch V2G Pilot

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CENTRES OF EXCELLENCE



• NCPRE
• SBI Foundation Hub

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RESEARCH SPOTLIGHT


• Collagen Might Be Making Type 2 Diabetes Worse
• IITB Researchers Decode S-Start in Baby Anacondas
• IITB Researchers Develop a Smart Irrigation Plan
• Why Accounting for Fragmented Forests is Crucial

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LECTURE SERIES



Shashwat Panda Memorial Lecture

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INSTITUTE HIGHLIGHTS

IIT Bombay Partners with Govt. of Maharashtra for CM Fellowship 2025-26

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REGULAR GIVING - Young Faculty Fellowship (YFF)

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Faculty Accolades

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IITB Delegation Visits University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

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IIT Bombay and the University of Tsukuba Hold Research Workshop

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Institute Highlights Part - 2

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Upcoming Events

From the Dean's Desk September-2025

Dear Alumni,

 

It is a special honour to write to you today as I begin my tenure as Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations at IIT Bombay. As an alumnus of this very Institute, I have experienced firsthand the pride, connection, and lifelong impact that being part of IIT Bombay brings. In this new role, I look forward to building on the strong foundation laid by my predecessor, Prof. Ravindra Gudi, and to deepening our engagement with you, our global alumni community. Your continued support and involvement are vital as we work together to advance the Institute’s mission and empower the next generation of students and researchers.

 

Even as I step into this new role, the work of our office continues with its usual energy and commitment, and I’m pleased to bring you a snapshot of the exciting developments and milestones from the past month.

 

This month marked a special milestone. It was the fifth anniversary of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020. IIT Bombay was honoured to have the Union Education Minister, the Hon’ble Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, inaugurate several landmark projects at IIT Bombay, including Project Evergreen, the new Desai Sethi School of Entrepreneurship building, and the TARA reading assessment app. You can read more about these projects in our Special Report section.

 

One of the key pillars of our work is building meaningful partnerships with industry to advance research and innovation. This past month saw several significant strides on that front as IIT Bombay strengthened its industry partnerships through several impactful collaborations. I am delighted to share that IIT Bombay has signed an MoU with Infosys, represented by our very own Distinguished Alumnus, Mr. Nandan Nilekani, to jointly advance AI-powered methodologies, publish cutting-edge research, and develop proof-of-concept solutions for real-world applications. A landmark tie-up with the ICICI Foundation will catalyse innovation in affordable medical technologies through a new BETIC hub. Our MoU with Rolls-Royce India opens exciting avenues for internships and joint research. You can read more about all these partnerships in the Corporate Collaboration section of the newsletter.

 

The above collaborations exemplify how industry-academia partnerships can drive real-world impact. At the same time, our Centres of Excellence continue to push the boundaries of research and innovation across diverse domains. IIT Bombay continues to shape India’s future through high-impact Centres of Excellence. Last month, we hosted Union Minister Shri Pralhad Joshi at the National Centre for Photovoltaic Research and Education (NCPRE), where he explored breakthroughs in solar tech and toured advanced labs. Meanwhile, we are pleased to update you on the progress made by the SBI Foundation Hub at CMInDS. The Hub is delivering sector-shaping research in AI for banking, ranging from generative AI to trustworthy, verifiable systems, with papers accepted at top global conferences. Read more in the Centres of Excellence section of the newsletter.

 

While our Centres of Excellence push the frontiers of research in critical domains, our alumni, too, are driving meaningful change across industries and geographies. To that end, I am delighted to share that our very own Lalith Vadlamannati has been appointed Chief Technology Officer at Aledade, the largest network of independent primary care providers in the U.S. You can read more about him in our Alumni Spotlight section.

 

From bolstering national security to reshaping enterprise AI, IIT Bombay alumni are also leading transformative innovations with their startups. Amardeep Singh’s startup, Armory, has raised Rs. 13 crore to advance its AI-powered counter-drone systems used by the Indian Army. Meanwhile, Soham Ganatra and Karan Vaidya, co-founders of Composio, have secured $25 million in Series A funding to build agentic AI that learns and evolves. Read more about both these groundbreaking ventures in the Alumni Startup Spotlight section of the newsletter.

 

Just as our alumni lead transformative change across the globe, IIT Bombay continues to play a pivotal role in shaping national priorities through research and innovation. The Institute, in collaboration with the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB), has launched India’s first field-level Vehicle-to-Grid (V2G) pilot. Read more in the National Initiatives section.

 

As always, you’ll also find our regular features, including Research Spotlight, Lecture Series, Institute News and Highlights, Upcoming Events, and more in this month’s newsletter.

 

As I wrap up this edition, I want to take a moment to thank Prof. Gudi for his remarkable leadership and lasting contributions to the Dean ACR office. I also extend my heartfelt gratitude to you, our alumni community, for your continued support, inspiration, and engagement. Your achievements, generosity, and spirit of collaboration are at the heart of IIT Bombay’s progress.

 

As the new Dean ACR, I look forward to building deeper connections with you, exploring new avenues of partnership, and celebrating the impact we create together. Let us keep the conversation going.

 

Best regards,

 

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