As the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) celebrate 75 years, the milestone is met with pride and pragmatism. For decades, the IIT brand has been indisputably considered the gold standard of global engineering. However, the reality has changed now. At home, a new tier of Indian universities is churning out talent that rivals the old guard. Also, in the U.S., the IIT-ian aura is facing unprecedented pressure due to unfavourable visa rules.
At this juncture, the IIT alumni are holding their annual event – IIT2026 Global Conference – in Long Beach, California, from April 22 to 25, in what they are referring to as “a call to elevate the value of the Indian diaspora”. Also known as ‘Indiaspora’, most of them graduated from the IITs a decade or two ago, before shifting to the U.S. for careers in technology and business.
Shashi Tripathi, chairman of the conference and a venture capitalist in the U.S.-India corridor for over two decades, hinted at the currently “unwelcoming” geopolitical climate for immigrants.
“From the CTO of OpenAI to leadership at Amazon and Cisco, from CMOs at Pizza Hut to founders in the VC space, IIT-ians have made their presence felt in leadership positions across sectors in the U.S. Despite representing only 2% of the U.S. population, this group contributes a staggering 8% to the economy. The deep talent is undeniable. Yet, there is a growing sense that this contribution isn’t valued enough, the reason being we don’t have enough representation or role at the district, county or state level in policymaking,” Mr. Tripathi said.
