PAN IIT 2008

I was going to write about the Global Conference of IIT Alumni held in IIT Madras 19-21st Dec, 2008. I was going to write about who all attended as delegates and speakers and what all was said and done. But then, I am not a news reporter and the conference received a lot of good press and media coverage.

So, I write with a slight difference.

It was an opportunity for us young under grads to meet the alumni of an organisation that really deserves to be praised. IITs have been praised to produce distinguished citizens who have held responsible positions across the world. I did not grasp the statement much.
But as I was networking over a cup of coffee with elderly alumni from different IITs I realised they all had one thing in common. They were mostly, CEOs or Co-Founders or Directors or any other word that gives the same awe. Everyone about 40 to 60 years of age had a lot say about what lay ahead. They gave out advice, shared anecdotes, talked about their IITians days.

And when they did talk about their IITian days, they did not seem very different from us. This was inspiring as well as scary. To think that my institute had produced such as those I was talking to was slightly unbelievable. And all I did so far was get through the JEE. It is scary to think that my friends are expected to uphold that awe these people had bestowed upon the term IIT.

It was an event was meant to inspire, innovate and transform. And so it did.

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