New Delhi, March 22: The IIT Delhi Alumni Association (IITDAA) successfully hosted the IITD Alumni Leadership Conclave 2026 on Saturday at Hyatt Regency, New Delhi, bringing together over 400 IIT Delhi alumni—including CXOs, founders, policymakers, investors, and business and technology leaders—for an evening of insightful dialogue and collaboration. The event also engaged the wider global alumni network of over 65,000 members.
The Conclave was graced by the presence of Shri Shashank Mani, Hon’ble Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha, Deoria, Uttar Pradesh), and Dr Satyapal Singh, Former Minister of State for Human Resource Development (Higher Education), Government of India.
The theme, “Era of Symbiotic Atmanirbharta: Cooperation as a Competitive Edge,” underscored the growing importance of collaboration as a strategic pillar for innovation, resilience, and sustainable growth. Discussions highlighted how self-reliance in today’s interconnected world is increasingly driven by strong domestic capabilities complemented by meaningful global partnerships.
The Conclave featured engaging panel discussions on key themes shaping the future of technology, entrepreneurship, innovation, and education.
The session titled “AI and Humanity: Friend, Foe, or Future? – Adoption, Absorption, Application” explored the evolving role of artificial intelligence across industries and society. Panelists emphasised the need to move beyond viewing AI merely as a tool and instead embrace it as a collaborative partner—while ensuring that ethical frameworks, data privacy, and human-centric design remain central to its adoption.
In “Ideas to IPO: Start-up Ecosystem Enablers,” speakers discussed the journey of building resilient and scalable ventures, highlighting the importance of strong ecosystem support, mentorship, and effective founder–investor partnerships in driving value creation.
Another session, “Inclusive Learning & Education for the Unknown,” examined the urgent need to reimagine education systems to prepare individuals for an uncertain and rapidly evolving future. The discussion underscored lifelong learning, adaptability, and closer collaboration between academia and industry to bridge the skills gap.
A key highlight of the event was the felicitation of 44 IIT Delhi alumni who secured top ranks in the UPSC Civil Services Examination 2025, reflecting the institute’s continued contribution to public service and nation-building.
Kalpen Shukla, President of the IIT Delhi Alumni Association, said, “We are proud to bring together the IIT Delhi alumni community for meaningful conversations, partnerships, and collaboration. In today’s rapidly evolving world, leadership is defined not by titles but by vision, resilience, and the ability to inspire meaningful change. I am confident that the deliberations of the evening will contribute to building a more innovative, inclusive, and purpose-driven future.”
The Conclave featured an eminent lineup of speakers from across industry, technology, and entrepreneurship, including Dr Nikhil Agarwal (MD, FITT), Manish Mittal (CEO, Axtria), Dr Apurva Chamaria (Chief Business Officer, Nucleus Software), Sumant Sinha (Founder, Chairman & CEO, ReNew), Hitesh Oberoi (Co-promoter, MD & CEO, Info Edge India Ltd), Abhishek Bansal (Co-Founder & CEO, Shadowfax), Anju Gupta (Partner, IvyCap Ventures), Prof Trilochan Sastry (Chairman, Association for Democratic Reforms), Acharya Prashant (Author and spiritual teacher), Harshavardhan Chitale (CEO, Hero MotoCorp), Swati Vasudevan (MD, Khan Academy India), and Ashok Kumar (Retd IPS, VC, Sports University Haryana; Former DGP, Uttarakhand).
The IITD Alumni Leadership Conclave 2026 concluded with a strong emphasis on collaboration, innovation, and collective leadership—reinforcing the critical role of alumni networks in driving meaningful change in a rapidly evolving world.
