Honouring Excellence and Innovation: IIT Madras Celebrates 66th Institute Day
A vibrant air of pride and celebration enveloped our beloved campus as we marked our 66th Institute Day— an occasion that brought together students, alumni, faculty, and staff to celebrate a legacy of excellence and a future shaped by innovation. The event was not only a moment of reflection on the institute’s monumental achievements but also a tribute to the extraordinary contributions of its community across education, research, industry, and nation-building.
Among the institute's proudest milestones this year is our continued dominance in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)—securing the No.1 spot in the Overall Category for the sixth consecutive year, and maintaining our top position among Engineering Institutions for the ninth year in a row, a testament to the institute’s relentless pursuit of excellence.
A Homecoming with a Vision
The Chief Guest for the celebration was Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, a 1993 B.Tech graduate in Computer Science from IIT Madras and currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). In a nostalgic return to his alma mater, Dr. Kalyanaraman outlined the vision and mandate of the ANRF, an apex body set up under an Act of Parliament in 2023 to drive scientific research and innovation across India.
“The ANRF is envisaged as one of the pillars of Viksit Bharat 2047,” he said, emphasizing the Foundation's strategic mission to support moonshot projects, catalyse private-sector R&D investment, and nurture India’s next generation of researchers and innovators. Drawing inspiration from global models like the U.S. DARPA and NRF, he called for collective national ambition in transforming India’s R\&D ecosystem. “The pathway from fundamental research to applied innovation is arduous, but I am delighted to see IIT Madras cultivating an exceptional innovation ecosystem,” he remarked.
The Director's Address: Looking Back, Marching Ahead
In his Special Address, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, celebrated the dynamic and impactful year gone by. Highlights included the Padma Shri award to Dr. Pawan Goenka, Chairman of the Board of Governors at IIT Madras, and the recognition of Shri Sethuraman Panchanathan, Distinguished Alumnus and Director of the U.S. National Science Foundation.
The Director spotlighted the success of the BS in Data Science and Applications program, with students securing top GATE ranks, including All India Rank 1 in the DA paper. He also celebrated the Women’s contingent victory in the 57th Inter-IIT Sports Meet, and announced new incubators in quantum technology, fintech, and sustainability.
Underlining a major paradigm shift in student aspirations, Prof. Kamakoti said, “Gone are the days when jobs were the only option. With the Career Pathway Centre, we guide students across diverse avenues—from entrepreneurship and higher studies to Civil Services. Our structured UPSC preparation program is already showing promise.”
Celebrating Excellence
The heart of the Institute Day lay in the felicitation of exceptional individuals who have embodied the spirit of IIT Madras through their achievements in their professional journey.
Distinguished Alumnus Awards 2025
Celebrating contributions across academia, industry, public service, and philanthropy, the Distinguished Alumnus Award was conferred upon:
- Prof. Ramesh K. Sitaraman (1985/BT/EE) – University of Massachusetts Amherst & Akamai Technologies
- Prof. Srinivasan Natarajan (1990/Ph.D/CY) – Indian Institute of Science
- Prof. Sandhya Dwarkadas (1986/BT/EE) – University of Virginia
- Dr. Vijay Narayanan (1995/BT/MT) – IBM T.J. Watson Research Center
- Shri Sreenivas Subramoney (1995/BT/CS) – Intel India
- Dr. S. Somanath (2024/Ph.D/ME) – Former Chairman, ISRO
- Shri Vellayan Subbiah (1990/BT/CE) – Executive Chairman, Cholamandalam Investment
- Shri B. K. Kameswara Rao (1979/BT/CE & 1981/MT/CE) – GMR Airports Developers
- Shri Ramesh Srinivasan (1992/BT/CS) – McKinsey & Company
- Smt. Jaishree Deshpande (1975/MSc/PH) – Deshpande Foundation
Young Alumni Achiever Awards 2025
- Prof. Swarun Kumar (2010/BT/CS) – Carnegie Mellon University
- Prof. Venkatasubramanian Viswanathan (2008/DD/ME) – University of Michigan
As the sun set on a momentous day of celebration, reflection, and vision-sharing, the 66th Institute Day stood as a powerful reminder that IIT Madras is not just an institution of academic brilliance—it is a crucible where ideas, leadership, and national transformation converge. With a growing global footprint and an unshakable commitment to nation-building, IIT Madras marches forward.
