Alumni Reunion: Nostalgia and New Beginnings at IIT Tirupati

Having completed its eight years of progressive Academic journey, IIT Tirupati had its first Alumni Meet on 24th October 2023. OIA (Office of International and Alumni Affairs) IIT Tirupati, mainly led by Prof. Sasidhar Gumma, Dean, International and Alumni Affairs, Ms. Aparna Uday: Assistant Program Administrator, Dr. Vijaya Kumar Gurugubelli: Faculty Advisor, Alumni Affairs through this event, took their big step ahead in establishing the Alumni Network of the college.

While it all started with the authorities fluctuating between adding and dropping the 2019 batch invitations, finally, it was the 2015 to 2018 joined batch along with the graduated Pg students and Research scholars who made up the first Alumni Meet.  The emails were sent to all the planned students around the end of September 2023. Out of which, only around 35 students finally made it to the reunion. Truly small for the number of invitations that were sent but was quite expected for the first one of its kind after a long time of direct detachment from the college campus and community and given the short notice. Several sessions took place, involving the OIA team, secretaries, club heads, and student volunteers engaged in energetic discussions to plan a variety of enjoyable and insightful activities.  On the 13th of October, the Alumni started coming for the event, and all of them were accommodated in the Bhairav and Kedar Hostels, making them experience a new side of the campus that they had never seen before.

It’s the 14th of October, and the D-day began with a group photo near the new main gate, where the alumni explored the lake view and the admin area of the campus further followed by a symbolic tree-planting ceremony on the premises of Des Hostel, where graduates from various batches came together to commemorate their connection to the institution. After this meaningful start, alumni had a grand welcome with a drone made by the technical clubs of the institute. Subsequently, they explored the newly established departmental blocks and laboratory facilities, revealing the recently developed section of the campus. The event continued with a warm welcome talk by our Director, Prof. K N Satyanarayana, who inquired about their personal and professional well-being and shared updates about the institution's tremendous progress. Later, an elaborate session surrounding the alumni bylaws and the nomination of executive members for the IIT Tirupati Alumni Association was held. This event showcased a commitment to the enduring relationship between alumni and their alma mater. Despite a short delay, the event continued with the current batch of students performing various cultural activities: dancing and Singing, entertaining the alumni, reigniting cherished memories and organising a few fun literary events like Shipwreck etc.

Apart from this, the event also reunited the current and the previous secretaries and club heads, leading to fruitful discussions on further development of student organisations. Soon after, Alumni had a Short nostalgic interaction session with their professors and many current students who had insightful talks on their career scope and opportunities. The events were concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr Vijaya Kumar Gurugubelli. At last, the day ended with a delightful dinner, and each attending alumnus received a small plant as a token of appreciation, symbolising the enduring roots of their connection with IIT Tirupati.

It was a day of rekindling friendships, celebrating achievements, and strengthening the bonds that make IIT Tirupati a thriving community of excellence. Further, the few Alumni who stayed back on the campus the next day were invited to join the director on a peaceful morning walk, exploring the campus beauty and reliving their campus walks, thereby creating even more memorable moments with each other and the Institute too before they leave their college and head off to their normal lives.

From the lens of the organisers

The only challenge was to keep up with the schedule. We didn't receive any major feedback, and they wanted to be informed well in advance. We are hoping to organise more reunions soon.

• Ms. Aparna Uday (Assistant Programme Administrator, OIA)

It is a very happy and also slightly challenging experience at the same time - organising the first Alumni Meet. The major challenge we faced was to get in touch with all the Alumni. However, once we reached out to almost all the batches, it became a comparably smooth process regarding all the logistic arrangements. One of my favorite moments as a whole, is to make the Alumni plant the trees in the Des Hostel premises, which stays as a rooted memory of them for a long time. However, the number of alumni who have responded on their arrival and the final count of arrival is a little disappointing, which we will be improving next time with much prior notice. Also, next time, we would like to take the alumni's suggestions on the fun events that they expect in the reunion. At last, I would like to thank all the student volunteers who played a key role in the on-field coordination of the event.

• Dr. Vijaya Kumar Gurugupalli (Faculty Advisor, Alumni Affairs):

It was a good experience taking part in organising the First Alumni Meet. Undoubtedly, the event was a perfect blast of all mixed emotions, nostalgia and reunions. We had a lot of meetings with Vijaya sir and Aparna Ma’am to review and finalise all the events being organised from the students’ side. We planned a lot of cultural, literary and fun interactive events with them. But due to the time constraints, we weren't able to conduct all of them. My personal favourite was the Alumni - Student interaction (“Chai pe charcha”), which provided scope for students to get to know the establishing roots of the college, which I feel could be given a little more time. Despite all the minor mistakes, I feel that the event went on so well, making alumni feel and relive their college life again and paving the roots for establishing the Alumni Network of the Institute. -Gopi Krishna(Academic Affairs secretary)

As the head of the tech club, I had the opportunity to showcase our club's innovative projects, including drones, piano stairs, speakers, and a line-following bot.

Our alumni expressed genuine interest in our projects, engaging in detailed discussions and even seeking hands-on experiences like learning how to fly drones. However, a slight drawback was the limited time allocated for student-alumni interactions. This constraint hindered our ability to adequately present the accomplishments and ongoing projects within our clubs. We believe that showcasing these aspects is crucial, as it could potentially garner industry support for our club and contribute to its growth. Despite this minor setback, the event overall was a dream come true, providing invaluable connections and insights that will undoubtedly shape our future endeavours. -Chirag Kotian (Technical lead)

The Alumni Meet provided a valuable platform for me and my friends to engage with our seniors currently excelling in various industries. Interacting with them proved to be an enlightening experience, offering profound insights into corporate life. The highlight was establishing personal contacts with these accomplished individuals, along with the assurance of recommendations if we ever applied to their respective companies—an incredibly gratifying moment for us.

• Students

In conclusion, the inaugural Alumni Meet at IIT Tirupati marked a significant milestone in the institute's eight-year academic journey. Despite the challenges and the modest turnout, the event was a blend of nostalgia, reunions, and the establishment of lasting connections. As the campus echoes with memories and new friendships, the hope is to continue strengthening the bonds that make IIT Tirupati a thriving community of excellence, fostering enduring connections between alumni and their alma mater.