Taking a Break from a Life of Service – IIT Bombay Hosts First Ever Civil Services (CS) Alumni Reunion

Some of IIT Bombay’s alumni opt for a career in the Indian Civil Services after graduating from the Institute. It is a matter of immense pride for the Institute that they are serving the nation by way of governance and making high-impact policy decisions that benefit our country.

The Institute was delighted to honour them by hosting its first-ever ‘Civil Services Alumni Reunion’ on campus over three days between July 8-10, 2022. The event, planned by IIT Bombay Alumni Association (IITBAA), was attended by over 30 alumni from various batches.

The reunion explored ways in which IIT Bombay could help its CS alumni with the challenging and on-the-ground issues they face regularly. It also looked at ways the CS alumni can leverage the Institute’s pioneering research, the expertise of the faculty/student body, and its Centres of Excellence.

The three-day reunion was packed with activities. Several CS officers like Dr. Satish B. Agnihotri, Professor, Centre for Technology Alternatives for Rural Areas (CTARA), IIT Bombay; Mr. Ambrish Kumar, IAS officer and, currently, the Project Director at Isha Outreach; and Mr. Nandakumar Saravade, Independent Advisor, Cyber Security, and Risk, Indian Police Service, shared details of their inspiring professional and personal journeys.

There were a series of exciting interactions between the CS alumni, the Institute’s faculty from various departments, and other distinguished invitees, including Mr. Ashank Desai, the Institute’s Distinguished Alumnus, Prof. Chetan Singh Solanki, Department of Energy Science and Engineering, and the Ashank Desai Centre of Policy Studies, IIT Bombay faculty members from CTARA and the Department of Computer Science and Engineering.

The reunion was not just serious meetings and conversations though. They were interspersed with fun activities like a campus tour where CS alumni went back to their old hangout spots, discovered new infrastructures on campus, played indoor cricket and table tennis matches, crooned their favourite tunes during a lively karaoke night, and physically challenged themselves with a trek to Lohgadh.

The three-day CS alumni reunion came to an end on July 9. Both sides agreed to work together closely and support each other moving forward. The Institute is committed to compiling the technology requirements of its CS alumni and developing solutions for them. IIT Bombay also agreed to create a portal with some of its key technology projects and collaborate with them on an e-Governance course. The reunion allowed the Institute to start building a network of CS officers who assured their alma mater of their help with any government-related issues. In the future, the annual CS alumni reunion will be more structured and each department on campus will create innovative technological solutions for the CS alumni.

The Institute is extremely gratified that the civil services alumni took the time out from their busy schedules to bond with their cherished alma mater and promised to return next year.

We cannot wait to meet them again!