“The Celebration of Forgotten Times” evokes a poignant reflection on the passage of time, nostalgia, and the act of revisiting memories that may have faded with the years. It is a celebration of not just of the present or the future, but of the past—moments that may have once seemed distant or even forgotten, but are now being rediscovered and cherished. A reunion, a retrospective event and a personal moment of reflection, Alumni Meet 2025 at IIT Kharagpur brew the essence of relieving those moments of camaraderie among the batches of 1975, 1985 and 2000. Alumni Meet reflects a celebration of continuity, the cyclical nature of life, and the timeless bond between the past and the present. It invites people to embrace their history and memories, not as something lost or gone, but as something worthy of celebration, connection and reflection.
The Alumni Meet at IIT Kharagpur was a grand celebration of the institution’s rich legacy, bringing together the distinguished classes of 1975, 1985, and 2000. The event offered a nostalgic and enriching experience for alumni, offering them a chance to reconnect with old friends, relive memories, and engage in various fun-filled activities.
The weekend was marked by several events, starting with the nostalgic Hall Visits, where alumni revisited their old hostels and shared stories of their time at IIT Kharagpur. These visits were a walk down memory lane, rekindling memories of friendships, late-night conversations, and the academic hustle.
In the evening, the Entertainia event added an extra layer of excitement with a mix of cultural performances, skits, and comedy acts. It provided a platform for alumni to showcase their talents and relive their creative energies from their student days. With the electrical vibe of singing and dancing to the tunes of the DJ reminded the Alums of the fest and events that they worked tireless for.
Seeing two 60 year old friends paying table tennis and calling out on each other for cheating was a moment to remember. A family of four touring the old classrooms where the father is explaining his 6 year old daughter what he used to be like, as a student here and what he and his friends used to do in these classes; a 4 year old son very cutely demanding his mother to let him scribble on the black board, and a group of alums sitting on the back benches for a selfie and so on. Moments like these forms the essence of these celebrations…
Sports activities bringing together alumni from different batches. Whether it was cricket, football, or basketball, the competitive spirit and camaraderie were evident in every match. The games were not just about winning but about reconnecting and rekindling the sense of teamwork that defined IIT Kharagpur during their student years.
The event concluded with a vibrant Musical Night, where alumni and current students enjoyed live music performances, dancing, and singing. The blend of nostalgia, celebration, and unity created an unforgettable atmosphere, making it a memorable experience for all those who participated in the programs.
With almost 80,000+ Almuni including 400 entrepreneurs and 20 unicorns, the illustrious alumni of the institute are the captains of industry transformations, leading scientists of India’s space defence industry & nuclear establishment, renowned academician, entrepreneurs who have created different industries, civil servants of distinction and even famous politicians, actors, influencers and musicians. Alumni of the Institute are the
leaders of transformations who have helped throughout the development of the institute and guided us with their valuable inputs. Recently, the institute awarded Shri Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google and Alphabet Inc. with the D.Sc. Honoris Causa. Our alumnus Dr. V Narayanan, Director of LPSC;
ISRO and Captain N S Mohan Ram, Vice President, Technology Students’ Gymkhana, IIT Kharagpur 1957-1958 along with Prof. V K Tewari became proud members of Guru Dakshina.
The Alumni community of IIT Kharagpur are recognized globally for the invention of new applications of emerging technology; contributing to community development, good governance, participatory democracy, and as producers of scientific knowledge and pioneering research. They are passionate about their Alma Mater and are emotionally invested in the institute. Under the Institutional Development (ID) Program, several alumni fundraising campaigns are being carried out by the Office of Alumni Affairs this year to build corpus through endowment and gift mode to ensure self-sustainability in the long run. For the financial year 2023-24, Rs. 4,27,29,476 Crore was raised from various giving back initiatives run by the ID Program. Many grants are donated by the Alumni under student scholarships, awards and chair professorships. Out of 82433 alumni, the institute is now connected with the strong 63827 alumni community.
IIT Kharagpur has also launched the Guru Dakshina program in order to encourage the KGPians to give back to their Alma Mater. This program aims to inspire KGPians, both current students and alumni, to express their gratitude by contributing back to their Alma Mater. The passing out students and alumni have been requested to pledge One Month’s salary/income/pension that they can pay at their convenience during 1st/2nd/3rd/4th/nth year of their profession. Some students may like to take this pledge even during their 3rd year of studies at IIT KGP or even earlier. Students who sign the pledge form are given a beautiful certificate which they can show in their testimonials while appearing for their first job interview and can display later in their office. For the alumni, the institute will recognize this kind gesture and present a certificate that can be placed in their home or office space. A minimum donation of Rs 1 lakh will qualify the individuals for the Guru Dakshina Certificate. 50% of the funds received as Guru Dakshina will go to the IITKGP Corpus to make it Atma Nirbhar in the long run. 20% from students and 10% from Alumni – Gymkhana events (Spring Fest, Kshiti, etc.), 10% will go to their respective halls and 10% will go to their respective departments, 10% benevolent fund for emergency services and welfare of students, alumni, staff (both teaching and non-teaching, and also including mess workers) and 10% remaining balance from Alumni – functional activities of the US-India Foundations; out of that, 5% will be transferred to concerned chapter(s) of the Guru Dakshina devotee Alumnus, provided that the chapter exists.
The joy of reconnecting with past experiences, people, and places that shaped one’s life was a shared emotion among the batches. This gala get together when individuals come together after years of being apart, and the act of recalling their shared history brings a sense of unity and joy fills the campus with a mesmerizing energy where souls connect with each other to relish the time of their lives. Even though the times may seem distant, the memories are rekindled, and the celebration serves as a bridge between past and present. The joy of rediscovery—finding old friendships, passions, and traditions that were once put aside but now hold new meaning to the good albums of life. It is a reminder that the past, though it may seem forgotten, continues to shape who we are today, and there is beauty in revisiting it and giving it new life.
By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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