The nostalgic echoes of the past reverberated through the halls of IIT Bombay as the Batch of 1973 came together for their Golden Jubilee Reunion on campus. The reunion was a two-day event that took the attendees on a captivating journey down memory lane and brought together 16 alumni and 10 of their family members for a weekend filled with camaraderie, reflection, and the sheer joy of reconnecting.

Day one included the official welcome address by Prof. Gudi, Dean ACR, and set the tone for the reunion, and fostered a sense of belonging and pride among the attendees. Then the IIT Bombay Alumni Association (IITBAA) took centre stage with a special video presentation on Project Evergreen, IIT Bombay’s ambitious hostel venture.

Alumni then went on a guided campus tour where they explored their old and familiar hostel grounds and departmental buildings. Day one ended with a gala dinner and entertainment extravaganza at  Hotel Meluha where alumni members serenaded the gathering with the rendering of soulful tunes. The atmosphere was filled with warmth and joy, creating an indelible mark on the hearts of those present.

On day two, alumni delivered heartfelt presentations, intertwining their 50-year journeys with professional accomplishments and personal growth. The stories shared painted a powerful tapestry of memories and connections, echoing the enduring spirit of the cherished 1973 community. Post-lunch, alumni visited Tinkerers’ Lab which showcased the cutting-edge innovations that are currently part of IIT Bombay’s extraordinary growth.

As the reunion came to a close, there was a palpable sense of fulfilment and camaraderie that permeated the air even as the attendees basked in their shared experiences at IIT Bombay that had defined their journey through life.

The Class of 1973’s alumni reunion at IIT Bombay not only rekindled old bonds but also created new memories. They encapsulated the enduring spirit of a generation that had once walked the same corridors as wide-eyed students, and who now returned as seasoned veterans to celebrate a shared legacy.

IIT Bombay is filled with immense gratitude for the Class of 1973 whose warmth and enduring contributions have enriched the legacy of the Institute. They have also stamped their indelible mark on the fabric of IIT Bombay and left behind memories that will resonate for generations to come.

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Prof. Aliasghar Contractor, an alumnus of the 1973 (MSc) batch and a retired professor of chemistry at IIT Bombay recalls how the Golden Jubilee Reunion for the Batch of 1973 (MSc) came about and gives us an insider take on the two-day event.

“The idea for a reunion of alumni who had joined IITB for MSc in 1971 was mooted during our 50th-anniversary trip to Matheran to recall our ‘historic’ bicycle trip in 1972. What bound us was that all of us were residents of Hostel 9, except the girls who were in the Ladies’ Hostel (LH). The reason for choosing the joining year rather than the graduating year was that while Chemistry/Physics/Maths were two-year programs, Applied Geology was a three-year program.

The search for locating our batchmates was quite an adventure. The most popular person in the batch was Ramji, whose booming voice singing the RD number, ‘Veeroo…. Taraa taraa taraa…. duniya mein… logon ko… dhoka kabhi ho jata hai…’ as he entered the dining hall or the Friday Convo movie, is still recalled with a chuckle. But no one seemed to know his whereabouts. Then we looked at the alumni database but found no one by the name of Ramji. This led to a discussion about whether Ramji was his real name. We asked Mahajan (aka Nandu) who was his classmate in Maths. He too had no clue that Ramji was not his real name. We knew that he was a Malayali and the only name that sounded like could be his was ‘Subramani Ramanarayanan.’ Interesting theories were floated about who the real Ramji could be and where he may be found. The only clue we had was that post-IITB he had joined the Indian Air Force(as told by him), by hoodwinking the medical examination panel about his knock-knee condition, which should have disqualified him. Another batchmate, emails, and calls to whom went unanswered were tracked by Raghuveer to his home, only to be told not to bother him. However, we did manage to locate 38 of the 52 in the batch, and 19 registered to attend the Reunion. Thus a 50% success rate was not bad.

Dashrathbhai Patel arrived early morning from Mehsana with several kilos of Fafda & Jalebi to make good his promise of the previous evening. The leftover Fafda was the official snack to accompany the High Tea every evening.

Registration and the morning program were well organised by IITBAA staff and the SARC coordinator. However, after Dean Ravi Gudi called for suggestions, the septuagenarians took over. The batch photograph was easy to handle with only 16 of the 19 registrants attending. Mr Lonappan, who had served as Mess staff in our time, joined us for lunch. The visit to H9 was the highlight of the afternoon. The dinner at Meluha was a cosy affair topped by songs from our newly minted singer, Ramakrishna Hosur.

The second day started with a lecture on Astronomy in Ancient India by Tushar Prabhu – an astrophysicist, which was accompanied by enlightened discussion. We had requested all attendees to present a snapshot of their life story post-IITB aided by a few slides. This was probably the most engaging part of the Reunion. While some of us had trod a conventional path in academia or industry, it was inspiring to see some who had ventured off the beaten path — a chemist turned police officer turned film producer. An entrepreneur who started well before entrepreneurship became a buzzword — a farmer who grows almost all his needs on a 1-acre farm on the outskirts of Mumbai, including a year’s supply of rice. All have made valuable contributions to their chosen areas of interest. The achievements of the more distinguished alumni were truly impressive, including a Bhatnagar Prize (Satish Shetye) and a Padma Shri (Ramakrishna Hosur), which made the whole batch proud. Some spouses joined these presentations, to make it obvious that they were the better half!

The visit to Tinkerer’s Lab generated a lot of positive energy and compliments for the vision exhibited by alumni and the Institute. Nandikar (aka Bhushan), with his decades-long experience as an entrepreneur, offered to mentor budding entrepreneurs.

All in all, it was a wonderful 2-3 days of nostalgia, especially considering that many had not seen some of the others for 50 years. The memorable bonding and the recall of incidents, humorous and poignant, made the Golden Jubilee reunion an event that none of the participants will forget in the years to come. Pictures were shared with those who could not make it due to various constraints, reminding them that they were also a part of this memorable family of those who joined for MSc in 1971.

People parted with promises to keep in touch and were looking forward to another reunion soon.”

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