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IIT KGP-AASC Inauguration In Los Angeles

Under the chandelier lit canopy of Shehnai cuisine in Brea, the IIT Kharagpur alumni Association of Southern California was officially launched at a dinner event on October 4, 2000. The newly formed association had been planning this gala event for a couple of months. The sub committee of this event was jubilant that they had the good fortune of having as their chief guest none other than Prof. M.N. Faruqui, VP of IIT Foundation and Prof. R. Bhaskaran Managing Director of the Technology Foundation, both from Kharagpur. The inauguration was well attended by alumni who graduated from this premier institute between 1955-2000.

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), system is a national system of engineering universities in India that accepts and graduates the best and the brightest of India and abroad. IIT Kharagpur (KGP) is the oldest and the most well known of the six IITs.

The evening ceremony began with a social hour after which the Master of Ceremonies, Nathaniel Behura, a 1986 graduate, commenced the proceedings. The executive committee, which was introduced next consisted of individuals who are very successful, technically competent, entrepreneurial, and highly positioned in the industry. After the introduction of the committee, Alok Chatterjee, a 1973 graduate and the president of the association, addressed the audience. A moment of silence was observed in memory of the untimely passing of Dr. Anindita Dutta, wife of Nibir Dutta, alumnus of 1970.

Mr. Chatterjee emphasized the need for a strong network of alumni to benefit members professionally as well as the alma mater. He also urged the members to participate in celebrating the golden jubilee year (2001-2002) of the founding of IIT Kharagpur, through various cultural events, such as the Southern California Spring Festival - an annual grand cultural event held even today at IIT Kharagpur. Other IIT campus alumni would be invited to participate in these celebrations. The chief guest, visiting Prof. M.N. Faruqui, explained that the IIT Foundation is an alumni funded organization for the benefit and improvement of IIT Kharagpur, where as the Technology Foundation is an arm of IIT Kharagpur charged with alumni relations. Prof. Faruqui also addressed the need for association members to provide new and cutting-edge research and course ideas that IIT can undertakein the future. Professor Bhaskaran detailed the events and improvements that are ongoing and planned at Kharagpur, including a year long golden jubilee celebration from August 2001-2002, where arrangements would be made for all attending world-wide alumni.

Professor Faruqui officially inaugurated the association through a ribbon cutting ceremony. Professor K.C. Sahu, Professor Emeritus, an IIT KGP 1957 graduate and Jayashree Saha, a 1970 graduate led a panel discussion to generate ideas on what tasks should be undertaken by the association to ensure its success for its members. Ajit Bhargava (1971) Vice President of the Association rallied the organization for financial support. Basu Ghosh, a graduate of 1970 and a successful entrepreneur, sponsored the dinner. Special mentioned were the committee members who contributed to this exciting event were Dave Banerjee, KGP Association Treasurer, Debojyoti Dutta and Shantanu Sinha, creators of the Association's constitution, Kirtan Behera, the architect of the executive committee and Deepak Chatterjee, responsible for the promotion and publicity for this event.

The event ended with a vote of thanks and the singing of the alumni song, a composition by Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore, appropriately selected for this occasion. This glorious beginning towards the formation of the IIT KGP-AASC Chapter was whole-heartedly supported alumni spouses, who turned out in large numbers to support and interacted among the newly formed association. Special mentionable were Nisha Bhargava, Lupin Chatterjee and several others. Members left with a feeling of camaraderie and with the feeling that this gathering of the talented alumni representing the very best standard of education is off to a glorious start. Together, they can establish a lot in the days to come as alumni, both here and in Kharagpur, socially and professionally.

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