With IIT-Madras celebrating its golden jubilee, it is appropriate that the fifth Pan-IIT 2008 is held here from 19-21 December.
The most interesting feature of the event is the six thematic tracks running along the three days of the event. Perhaps taking a cue from what Prof Ashok Jhunjhunwala is doing at IIT-Madras, the stress, for a change, is on rural India and what IIT-ians can do for them, and what some of the IIT alumni are doing silently.
Here are the six themes:
1. Research: Research is one area that has been neglected in India.
The first session is on Leveraging Research & Technology in Rural Development, and it showcases efforts by IIT alumni and others to deploy high-technology solutions in rural environments. The session also sets the framework for future developments.
The second session focuses on IIT, Research: Inputs and Outputs. As expected, the quality of research and research-scholar output from IITs (for that matter, any educational institution) depends on the quality of the input students and faculty. This session reviews this key issue, and formulates optimal strategies to upgrade IIT Research quality.
Session three is on IIT Research Ecosystem. This session discusses the issue that for IITs to succeed as well in Research as they have in UG education, an appropriate ecosystem must be in place.
2. Entrepreneurship: The objective of the theme is to identify the major gaps in entrepreneurship for India. The sessions also will see how solutions can be found in general and in particular by IIT's/ IIT-ians.
It is about building entrepreneurship/ self employment at the grass roots level and also building Indian global leaders from an early stage.
Session one is about Enabling and launching a Million Entrepreneurs. Other than talking about what is needed to create large scale entrepreneurship at the grassroots level, issues like micro-finance/ micro-equity; handholding/ mentoring both prior to becoming an entrepreneur and after the plunge also will be discussed.. Personal journey stories will be discussed too
Session two is about Building global leaders from early and growth stages of a business. The question that will be asked is, what is needed to build global leaders from India?
Session three is about IIT's Role in Nation Building through support of entrepreneurship. The session will discuss what IIT's can do to promote entrepreneurship.
3. Rural Transformation: With its main focus on the reality and challenges in Rural India today, the Rural Transformation Track will highlight some of the initiatives already taken and how they have made a positive impact at the micro level.
The sessions will try "to define how PanIIT can provide a forum to inspire and engage more IIT alumni in transforming the more than 6 lakh villages, where 70% of India lives."
There will be three sessions, and each session will have 6 or 7
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