New Delhi [India], January 27 (ANI): The Indian Institute of Technology Delhi (IIT Delhi) celebrated its 68th Foundation Day on Tuesday, releasing its first-ever 'Alumni Impact Report', a comprehensive document highlighting the journey and contributions of its more than 65,000 alumni since the Institute's inception.

The Alumni Impact Report was released during the Foundation Day function organised by the Institute in the presence of Chief Guest Dr Gurtej S Sandhu, an IIT Delhi alumnus and Principal Fellow and Corporate Vice President at Micron Technology, and Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi.

Addressing the gathering, Sandhu said, 'Alumni are always seen as role models for the next generation of students. At the same time, they can also contribute in many ways to the institutions. It's not always about financial support, which is also important, but it can be much more than that in terms of guidance and connecting back through their companies, their institutions, and wherever they are working to the IITs. IITs also have a huge reputation worldwide. People know IIT Delhi, and alumni help build and strengthen that recognition, which in turn benefits the students.'

'The biggest impact is seen when you look at the CEOs of the largest companies and how many of them have a connection to IITs. On average, when a non-Indian hears that you are from an IIT, they recognise the name. To me, that's generic. I don't know if it's going to be measured or not, but that's the fact,' he added.

Sandhu (M.Tech., Electrical Engineering, 1985 batch) also delivered a talk on 'The Future of Chip Technology and Role of Innovation.' He has been recognised as one of the world's top inventors, holding one of the highest numbers of patents.

On the Foundation Day, Prof Rangan Banerjee addressed a press conference and spoke about the contributions of IIT Delhi alumni to the nation and the world. He said the Alumni Impact Report underscores how, over 65 years, IIT Delhi graduates have evolved into global leaders, pioneering entrepreneurs and public servants, creating significant economic and social impact worldwide.

Highlighting corporate leadership, Prof Banerjee said the primary mandate of IIT Delhi has been to engage with industry nationally and internationally from the very beginning. According to the report, nearly 10,000 IIT Delhi alumni currently hold leadership positions across the banking and finance, manufacturing, and engineering sectors, with 70 per cent based in India. More than 1,000 alumni serve on the boards of large corporations.

The report also highlights IIT Delhi's role in entrepreneurship and innovation, noting that over 2,500 founders and co-founders have emerged from the Institute, contributing to approximately 4.8 lakh direct jobs. Prominent alumni-led ventures include Zomato and Blinkit, Groww, Meesho, Flipkart, Eightfold.ai, Bloomreach, AppDynamics and Credgenics.

Beyond startups, the report notes that over 650 alumni serve in public institutions, including more than 270 IAS officers, over 100 officers across IPS, IRS and IFS, and 250 leaders in PSUs, regulatory bodies and scientific missions. Over 700 officers of the Indian Navy have been trained through the Naval Construction Wing at IIT Delhi.

The report further highlights the IIT Delhi Endowment Fund, built entirely through alumni contributions, which has recorded pledges of Rs 477 crore, with Rs 338 crore already realised. The IIT Delhi Class of 2000 pledged over Rs 70 crore during their Silver Jubilee Reunion in December 2025.

'From 150 alumni in 1966 to 65,000 today, our graduates remain the heartbeat of India's technological and social progress, Prof Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi, said.

Prof. Nilanjan Senroy, Dean of Alumni Relations, IIT Delhi, presented details of alumni contributions, while Prof. Sidharth Pandey, Dean, Faculty, announced the winners of the IIT Delhi Faculty Research Awards 2025. (ANI)