Tech brains and world opinion makers to gather in Mumbai

Come Saturday and IIT alumni from across the globe will converge in Mumbai
for Pan-IIT 2006, a convention where ex-students can meet and device
nation-building strategies.

This global convention which has been held in Delhi and Washington
previously, aims to provide a platform for IITians to come together to
provide practical ideas that are essential for India's development.
"During the course of this four-day formal meet, we will be focusing on core
issues that will bring much needed change in our country. The aim of the
convention is to inspire people, get involved and finally set about
transforming India into a better country. Issues like building India into a
knowledgeable economy, entrepreneurial development, sustainable development
through decentralization, good governance and others will be discussed,"
said Vinay Somani, IIT-Bombay alumni, and B.Tech student who graduated in
1980.

Another ex-student Shailesh Gandhi, says: "At the convention, IITians will
be able to network, and form smaller groups in order to prepare a plan of
action for developing the public sector. Ex students from all seven IITs
spread across the country will be working jointly with the government bodies
on various crucial projects."

So far, over 5,000 alumni from all the IITs have registered for the event,
which has been organised by the IIT Alumni Association. Renowned IITians
like George Soros, Shashi Tharoor, Sri Sri Ravishankar, Dr Ashok Ganguly,
Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Chandra Babu Naidu and Ajit Balakrishnan amongst
others, are expected to speak at the event. Current student too, will attend
the convention. Some IITians, who passed out recently and are part of IIT's
entrepreneurship cell, have designed a medium website, -www.nostaljigs.com,
which allows college alumni to keep in touch.

"Through our blogs, IIT alumni attending the convention will be able to make
any valuable suggestions they have which will help the project.
In order to produce more entrepreneurs, the convention organisers have set
up an entrepreneurship 'gurukul' programme, where budding entrepreneurs can
interact with 20 renowned entrepreneurs across the globe," said Rohit M, an
IIT alumni working with the entrepreneurship cell called 'Yuotopia'.

Publication: DNA; Section: Mumbai; Pg: 8; Date: 22/12/2006
URL :
http://digital.dnaindia.com/epapermain.aspx?edorsup=Main&queryed=9&querypage=8&boxid=31345566&parentid=30854&eddate=12/22/2006