IIT ROORKEE ALUMNI ASSOCIATION
14th May 2022
Event information & Key Take Away Points
The University of Roorkee, now the Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, is celebrating its 175 years of existence and will be marked with yearlong celebrations from 25th Nov. 2021 to 2022.
To make this occasion memorable, and to represent the global strength of the outstanding and prestigious alumni, a series of events and celebrations have been organized by the IITR Alumni Association (IITRAA) and its Local Chapters around the country to mark the 175th Anniversary Year with full glory.
As part of this series of events and celebrations, the IITRAA Delhi NCR Chapter organized an event on 14th May 2022 at the Airport Authority of India Club. The event was organized under the mentorship of Dr. Achal Mittal, Vice President, IITRAA, and Alumnus Mr. Vishnu Kant (A graduate of 1990 Batch), along with Mr. Gyan Singh (AGM, Air India) and Alumnus Rajat Mittal. Lt. Gen. Vishwambhar Singh, President- IITRAA and Dr. N.S. Kalsi, Chairman of the Delhi Chapter, presided over the event.
A panel discussion was held with distinguished alumnus Dr. R.K. Tyagi, former Chairman HAL, as chair, and Sh. Sanjeev Kumar (IAS 1993), Sh. Rajiv Kumar (CVP Microsoft), Sh. Navniet Sekera (IPS 1996), Sh. Prasoon Gupta (Co-founder Sattviko), Sh. Achin Garg (IPS 2019) and Ms. Shifa Garg (Startup Leadership) as panel members. The key takeaways of the discussion meeting and the resultant critical actionable for IITRAA are summarized.
Key Takeaways of Panel Discussion Held on 14.05.2022 at AAI Convention Hall
Navniet Sekera in Panel Discussion
Summary:
- Since email is the new identity and a proof of unique existence, all alumni should have an IITRAA organization email address
- The mailers being sent from IITRAA are very drab, resulting into bulk deletion by recipients. IITRAA emails should be according to the interest of alumni age groups or work interests using new social media AI tools.
- Referring to the idea initiated by Dr R K Tyagi that videos or other social media post can be monetized resulting into a revenue stream for IITRAA of up to Rs.1 million per annum in a very short span of time, Navniet stressed that our social media drives should focus on that.
- Navniet noted with intense pleasure that there is a continuous bridge of learning right from 1975 alumni to 2014 alumni on the panel itself wherein a perfect blend of discipline, innovation, experience and skills which is something enough to propel IITRAA into a modern connected world.
- The interest of the individuals in different age groups are entirely different, on one hand youngsters like Prasoon who talk of web 3.0 and AI, and on the other hand we have earlier generations who rely upon more of disciplined reception with handwritten notes.
- Each of the alumni of Roorkee has been an achiever in one sense or other, but at the same time even the most accomplished achiever will have certain regrets in his life. If we can make a note of all the regrets and share with the next generations there will be firstly a good learning for the younger generation and secondly a conscious youth will be able to avoid several of the regrets faced by the seniors. One might have his own new list of regrets, but at least he will have the advantage of the learning curve of the senior alumni. Navniet, therefore, promulgated the idea of IITRAA owning up for mentoring a group of 4-5 young alumni.
- This mentoring can be job related mentoring, so let’s say for people getting into corporate world or civil services or into other entrepreneurship or work related guidance. Same way it can also be college admission related career counseling which every alumnus will face at some stage of his life for his/her children.
- Navniet also stressed branding of Alma matter. He gave the example of the visual impact created by the song ‘Shape of You’. He mentioned that he had offered to Prasoon that let’s go back to the institute and perform steps of dance to the tune of a number on the lines of ‘Shape of You’(Shape of India) which brings out the best of the brand Roorkee.
Sanjeev Kumar in Panel Discussion
Summary
- Sanjeev exemplified the power of alumni network by detaining how a call from a fellow alumnus of trust can streamline things much faster than in the formal process. To set up such trust by continued engagement, the first requirement is to have a direct alumnus to alumnus connect. To develop this systematically a monitoring mechanism and a structure for the above purpose is highly required which means that a strong secretariat of IITRAA should exist with adequate paraphernalia and resources.
- By an intensive reach-out, the system itself should force each alumnus to come out of their comfort zone and be on the social platform to connect with others platforms provided by IITRAA. This reaching out can be to give or take help or exchange ideas, expertise or knowledge. According to the needs of alumni in different age groups or different work profiles, the help can be instantly provided by this network.
- We will also have to measure the value of this connection by the intrinsic value to society which is ultimately provided by this connection.
- Ideation on current situation or problems whether social, economic policymaking or others can help wider society.
- Therefore, a Secretariat maybe less in physical manpower but more in technology must exist, to enable and support all above. For matching the interest or needs of alumni with the resources provided by the secretariat, technology will be a great enabler of services rendered by Secretariat.
Dr R K Tyagi in Panel Discussion
Summary:
Dr R K Tyagi re-stressed the point that it is youth who understand technology and who will be able to lead IIT are in the direction of technology connecting the alumni. He explained by an example that the most difficult situations in real life can also be resolved if a sympathetic alumnus is willing to listen to you in trust.
Prasoon Gupta in Panel Discussion
Summary
IITRAA must evolve into a centralized place, for all the news, for all the blog and every thing. Prasoon further suggested that even a currency for alumni can be launched like a cryptocurrency. Combination of experience of seniors and technology of young alumni is ready to create this network for Thomasonians. IIT Roorkee global network must become parallel to the most reputed global network of any institution.
Achin Garg in Panel Discussion
Summary
Achin talked about an umbrella organization. Idea of a think tank. Idea of a social media and documentation of every memory experience or creativity. Sectoral expertise or the sectoral platforms for multiple needs and sectors of alumni.
Shifa Garg in Panel Discussion
Summary
Shifa spoke about streamlining policy framework in India to encourage start-ups. She also asked the alumni to remain connected on professional network as well as on personal network.
Rajiv Kumar in Panel Discussion
Summary
Rajiv spoke about Vision 2047 in context of Alumni. He divided the vision in three parts –
- How to bring alumni together?
- How the alumni can serve self, society and country?
- How to achieve the objective using technology that includes social media and web 3.0?
He also discussed the five tech sectors where the country is doing fairly well.
- Social media
- Edtech
- Fintech
- Fintech
- Ecommerce
He suggested that vision 2047 as guided by Dr R K Tyagi & Dr N S Kalsi may be developed focusing on these sectors, like use of social media for alumni network, skill development in Edtech, sector and by using Fintech tools for alumni network…
Suggestions from Audience
- Lokesh spoke about need to contribute to the society in a concrete fashion.
- Vishnu Chandra spoke about using the technology tools to further the goals of alumni network
- Narayana Rao emphasized that to execute any community work, willingness to spare time for it is a must.
For videos of the panel discussion and pics of the IITRAA Get Together on 14052022 at AAI, please visit: