100 Great IITians: Torch Bearers for Viksit Bharat 2047 Honoured at Jio World Centre, Mumbai

Mumbai:  In a grand ceremony at the ‘PIWOT – World of Technology,’ led by PanIIT Alumni India held from January 17 to 19 at Jio World Centre (JWC), Mumbai, the remarkable contributions of 100 IITians who have dedicated their lives to the service of the nation were celebrated. These individuals, who chose to stay in India or return after gaining experience abroad, have made significant strides in contributing to the nation’s progress.
The occasion marked the book launch of   ‘100 Great IITians: Dedicated to the Service of the Nation,’  edited by Commander V. K. Jaitly, a Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur and a veteran of the Indian Navy. The book, published by Excel India Publishers, Delhi, showcases the inspiring stories of these IITians who rejected the allure of Western countries in favour of contributing to the development of India.
The launch event included a felicitation ceremony for the IITians from Mumbai and other cities, was graced by distinguished guests.

Padam Shri awarded  Uday Vishwanath Deshpande,  popularly known as ‘Mallakhamb Vishwa Guru’ was the Chief Guest while Professor Abhay Karandikar, Secretary, (DST) and Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director of IIT Guwahati, an esteemed academician were the Guests of Honour for the event.
Fifteen great IITians from Mumbai and some other cities were felicitated. They included  R. Gopalakrishnan,  Arun Jogalekar, Sharad Saraf, Professor Deepak Phatak,  Ashank Desai,  Pradeep Gupta,  Jayant Patil,  Prabhat Ranjan,  Rabi Bastia,  Sahaya Raj,  SP Shukla,  Jyotindra Thacker and  R Ramanan. Late Krishan Khanna ji’s daughters Devika and Gayatri were felicitated on behalf of their father. Late YC Deveshwar ji’s daughter Garima and her husband were present to receive the memento and a copy of the book on behalf of their father.
The book has already been launched in Bhubaneswar, Bangalore, Chennai, and now at Mumbai. In his address, Commander V. K. Jaitly emphasized the invaluable contributions of these IITians to India’s development in diverse areas particularly in the areas of technology, research, and innovation.
Uday V Deshpande said, “India has given lots of pearls to the world including Mallakhamb, many of you may not be knowing that. It is a simple wooden pole and a cotton rope and different acrobatic and yogic postures are performed on that. It gives exercise to each and every part of the body in the shortest time. I am thankful to Reliance Foundation and  Nita Ambani, as she selected this to be showcased in India House in the Paris Olympics. I congratulate all who have been included in this book, I know many may not have been included but may be included in the second edition and in the four other books that Commander Jaitly is working on.”
Professor Abhay Karandikar said, “Large number of alumni have made distinguished marks in all walks of life but those who have stayed back in India and contributed are not talked about that much. This is indeed pioneering efforts. This book will serve as an inspiration for the younger generations not because of their achievements but because of the fact that (it proves) that things can be done in India also.”

IITian Jyotindra Thacker, Reliance Industries, said, “I am humbled. I want to express my sincere gratitude to Cmdr. VK Jaitley and his team for recognizing my work and featuring me. I’ve had a great privilege of working with Reliance Industries for the past 34 years and I wouldn’t be standing here today without the full support and tremendous opportunities provided by the company. I especially want to thank Chairman Mukesh Ambani for his visionary leadership and for fostering a culture of innovation and growth.”
Author  Cdr. Jaitly  averred, all profits from the sales of the book are being directed towards charitable causes via the Rashtrahit Foundation, founded him. The distribution of proceeds will be as follows:
40% for scholarships for underprivileged students gaining admission to the 23 IITs across India.
40% for the development of tribal villages near IIT Kharagpur.
10% to the PM CARES Fund.
10% to support NGOs such as Youth4Nation and Sewa Bharati, with which Commander Jaitly and his wife Neetu are actively involved.
The book is being hailed as a must-read for the younger generation providing them with a wealth of inspiration drawn from the exceptional lives of these IITians. Their stories embody the spirit of service to the nation and the vision for Viksit Bharat 2047. The editor’s personal humble journey from the lanes of Jammu Tawi to becoming an IIT graduate to an Indian Naval Officer and his continued contributions to society stand as a testament to the impact one individual can have when they choose to serve their motherland.
The 100 IITians featured in the book are an embodiment of commitment, sacrifice, and excellence, and their work continues to inspire and shape India’s bright future.
(The viewers may  contact, for more info:  Commander VK Jaitly, Rashtrahit Foundation M: 9811 777904  and  Sanjay Kumar, Excel India Publishers M: 9899 12775)