Parliament ready to consider ideas addressing citizens’ pressing concerns.
NEW DELHI, June 22 (The CONNECT): Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla has called upon IIT alumni to actively contribute to policy reforms and help find practical solutions to the problems faced by ordinary citizens.
Addressing the launch of IIT: The Story of India’s Most Prestigious Educational Ecosystem at the Indian Institute of Technology Delhi, yesterday Birla said Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of reforming every sector was aimed at improving the lives of all Indians.
“Your vast experience can contribute significantly to overcoming the challenges faced by ordinary people,” Birla told an audience of more than 400 distinguished IIT alumni, policymakers, entrepreneurs, academicians, students and industry leaders.
The event, organised by Pan IIT Alumni India, also marked the launch of the PanIIT Book Club as the IIT ecosystem celebrated its 75th anniversary.
Birla said Parliament’s Standing Committees should benefit from the expertise of IITians and assured participants that valuable suggestions would be forwarded for deliberation.
“Our Parliamentary Standing Committees should benefit from your experience regarding what needs to be reformed and in which sectors. Your contribution to the country is essential,” he said.
Highlighting the role of IITs in nation-building, Birla said the country consistently looked to the institutes for solutions during times of crisis.
“Whether it is COVID, infrastructure, environment, science, space, the digital world, artificial intelligence or robotics, solutions to these challenges emerge from India’s IITs,” he said.
He urged IITians to mentor and inspire younger generations to address everyday challenges faced by citizens and small farmers, while contributing to the vision of a developed India by 2047.
Pan IIT Alumni India, which represents more than 500,000 graduates from all 23 IITs worldwide, described the book launch as both a celebration of the IIT legacy and a call to action for future generations.
“The IIT story is India’s story,” said Prabhat Kumar, IRS, Chairman of Pan IIT Alumni India and author of the book. “It is time for IITians to move from Silicon Valley to the Indus Valley and build here, scale here and create for the world.”
Rajendra Kumar, Secretary, Department of Border Management in the Ministry of Home Affairs, stressed the importance of technological self-reliance amid growing global restrictions on access to advanced technologies.
He said India must strengthen its capabilities in areas such as artificial intelligence and digital technologies, with IITs playing a pivotal role in achieving the country’s economic and innovation goals by 2047.
The event also featured a panel discussion on “Celebrating the IIT Legacy: Shaping the Future of Viksit Bharat”, with leading entrepreneurs and industry experts discussing emerging opportunities in technology, startups and economic growth.
