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IIITH celebrates its 25 years

IIIT Hyderabad celebrated its 25th anniversary from 1 – 3  September.  Several workshops, talks, cultural programs, alumni reunions and more were organised during these 3 days. On the first day of the celebrations, IIITH announced the appointment of  its new chairman, Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala who takes over from founding chairman Prof Raj Reddy, who has been a major part of its journey since its inception in 1998. Retiring Prof Raj Reddy, Chairman who had made significant contributions was felicitated for decades of service as the Founding Chairman of the institute.

Events on 1 September (Celebrating Prof. Raj Reddy)

  • Silver jubilee  art installation unveiled on research street
  • Performance by Dance Crew Club
  • Aryaman Manish Kolhe, Nancy Hada and Kriti Gupta announced as winners of SJ creatives contest
  • Saakshatkaar: the realisation of timeless knowledge, an art production by IIITH art faculty and students 
  • Amrit Dhara music concert by Mr. Devi Prasad 
  • DJ night
  • Gala dinner in honour of Prof Raj Reddy
  • SJ press meet

Events on 2 September (Foundation Day)

  • Curated demo videos in exhibition halls 
  • Students and alumni Interactions – career guidance
  • Panel discussion with senior alumni from industry on AI for Society
  • Panel discussion with senior alumni from academia on Vision for 2050 (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=opPT95UPX3E)
  • Pottery workshop 
  • Block printing workshop
  • Talks by Prof P J Narayanan, Mr Srini Raju & Prof Raj Reddy 
  • Video messages by tech industry pioneers
  • Prof Raj Reddy Lecture Series – Inaugural lecture by talk Dr. Vinton G Cerf
  • Address by new GC chairman Prof Ashok Jhunjhunwala
  • Unveiling of Prof Raj Reddy’s Reflections video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gha6xPlrtY0&t=22s)
  • Cultural programs by students and alumni Falak Chhaya and band

 

Events on 3 September (Alum Day)

  • Mock class by Prof. Kaul (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvqJhZqVCJg)
  • Fireside chat between alum civil service officers and Mr. Jayesh Ranjan (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VvqJhZqVCJg)
  • Alumni Association India Chapter announcement, alumni felicitations & alumni digiwall launch
  • Prof. Rajeev Sangal’s book release 
  • student club events – Resin art workshops, Minecraft build battle, Minecraft bedwars competition, CineDanceCon dance event and Exoplanet hunt

Dr. Vinton G Cerf

As part of IIITH’s silver jubilee celebrations, IIIT Hyderabad launched Prof Raj Reddy lecture series and the inaugural lecture was given by Dr. Vinton G Cerf on 2 September. Dr. Vinton G Cerf is the Vice President and Chief Internet Evangelist for Google, popularly known as one of the “Fathers of the Internet”. In light of Chandrayaan-3’s successful moon landing, Dr. Cerf spoke about the Solar System Internet.

Here is the summary of his talk: The Internet’s origins reach back to the early 1960s as the US Mercury, Gemini and Apollo programs were nearing their climax. Shortly after the Apollo 11 moon landing, the first packet switch of the Arpanet was delivered to UCLA. In the talk, some of the history of the Internet got some attention but more time was spent on the emerging Solar System Internet and its implications. In addition to the design of new protocols for deep space communication, we will also experience commercialization of space well beyond simple use of satellites for communication. This commercialization raises many very interesting questions about jurisdiction, policy, legal agreements and the like. The success of the recent Indian Moon landing underscores the pace at which this new chapter in human history is evolving.

 

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uDbpEwbZHBc

 

 Prof. Rajeev Sangal’s book release

As part of IIITH’s silver jubilee celebrations Prof Rajeev Sangal released his book – Transforming Academic Institutions, My Experiments with a Human Touch on 3 September.

The book is based on the experiments and experiences of Prof. Rajeev Sangal when he was the Director of IIT(BHU), Varanasi, and where he also held the charge of Vice Chancellor of BHU for a few months. He brings with him the knowledge and insights gained earlier by being Director IIIT Hyderabad, and Professor IIT Kanpur.  

Here are the author’s note  about the book:

There are three layers in an institution: (1) systems, (2) culture, and (3) values. The first layer which connects with offices and processes is the most  visible one. As a result, work gets done on the former, and the latter two are ignored. This book addresses all the three layers and describes how they can be aligned.

The book is about managing and leading academic institutions by connecting with people, being sensitive, gaining confidence by one’s behaviour and actions, and taking people along through dialogue and understanding. It would be of general interest because the situations occur in everyday life.

Young people running startups or working in jobs can learn how to lead or collaborate with people by connecting with them. The book also describes many interesting real-life incidents.

 

 

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v0p7TuAl0mg

The book can be bought at: https://www.banyantreebookstore.com/product-page/transforming-academic-institutions 

 

Amrit Dhaara

Mr. T V Devi Prasad, Head of Placements, a talented vocalist whose musical journey spans decades gave a concert on 1 September at Tarangani Amphitheatre. Mr. Devi Prasad was accompanied by Sri. D. Jayakumar Acharya on tabla and mridangam, Sri. O Guruprasad on keyboard and a few artistes on rhythm pads and flute. 

Mr. T V Devi Prasad trained in Carnatic and Hindustani music, honed his skills under legends like Sri Muralidhara Charyulu, Smt. Kovela Shantha, Kum. Srirangam Gopalarathnam (Carnatic vocal) and Sri Jangiah (Hindustani vocal). His mellifluous voice earned him AIR awards, including Akkineni Nageshwar Rao Award in 1993, 1994 and 1997. He was recognised as an All India Radio ‘ A’ Grade Artiste in Light Music. Devi Prasad’s artistry extends beyond music. He is recognized for acting and playback singing for  ETV serials, composed by Telugu film music director Sri R P Patnaik. 

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lxg1_4RU78

 

Sakshatkar

Sakshatkar – Realization of timeless knowledge was held on 1 September at Tarangani, Open Amphitheatre.

The Concept: When Prof. Indranil Chakrabathy approached the IIITH Art faculty to create an Art Production, involving students, faculty members and professional artistes, for the Silver Jubilee Celebration, it got the Art faculty pondering over the apt theme for the event. While IIITH has played a very important and life changing role in the lives of many young minds of the country, it has silently witnessed not only the development of IT in this part of the world but also the evolution of education and its values in India. Therefore the Art production work sought to address questions raised such as – what are the educational values the institute has stood by, the challenges it faced during the growth phase, how it has served as a witness to all the events that unfolded within itself and without itself.

The Artistic Framework: In order to narrate the idea through the eyes of the ‘witness’ or ‘Sakshatkar’, a need was felt for an entity on which IIITH’s narrative could be pinned. The locus of the narrative was Gachibowli and the indigenous Banjara culture it has conceived, fostered and inherited. The wisdom of the Banjara community, its response to the sprawling educational services of Hyderabad, the pride it takes in standing for life values, its proximity towards nature and in response its respect for an ever-expansive banyan tree was taken as a motif. Incidentally, the banyan tree which is the logo of IIITH stands as the symbol for expansive wisdom. The root of the banyan tree stands for the intangible values of the institute – the three Cs, namely, Creativity, Competence and Care which served as the three major episodes of production. The balance between the three Cs is considered to be the highest form of wisdom to which the institute stands tall as a living Sakshatkar, a witness.

Production Work: ‘Avva’, a Banjara woman of experiential wisdom, was chosen to be the narrator of the story. As the story was located in Hyderabad, the idea of Hyderabad, its existence and service was sung, danced and showcased. When two young birds,  pitta and pitti, refuse to eat the grains that Avva serves in the foyer of her residence, she is bemused. Avva talks to them and listens to their pangs. They say that they are in search of a wisdom-ful tree in the deep forests of Gachibowli, where wisdom is served. The Banyan tree whose colours expand from the colour of the earth, to the colour of the sky serves as the suggestive stage backdrop. The birds, depicted through hand gestures, serve as an active backdrop, coming alive whenever Avva gives a sermon to them. They reside in the branches of the Banyan tree. Avva discusses the importance of the three ‘C’s, that is, Creativity, Competence and Care to the young birds, especially when it comes to education. At the end of the conversation, the timeless wisdom that is imparted is that education is not about competence building but finding a balance in all the three Cs. The birds also revere the role played by the Banyan tree as a timeless witness.

Production Device: In order to narrate the story, various lyrical forms of poetry and music were used such as a poem of Kabir, a Bengali song from Rabindra Sangeet, a poem from Tirukkural, a Kannada song by B M Srikanthan, three songs composed by Dr. T K Chudamani , a portion of Tyagaraja’s Endaro mahanu bhavulu, a sloka from the Bhagavad Gita composed as a Tillana, and the three-note song of Ilayaraja.

 

 

Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Lxg1_4RU78

Cast and Crew:

Concept: S. Jayachandran and Dr. T K Saroja

Music composition: Dr. T K Saroja

Choreography: S Jayachandran

Stage Backdrop design: S Jayachandran

Stage Backdrop execution: Shajil Padiyoor, Taposhi Nath, Puja Chauhan

Music orchestra: Dr. T K Saroja, Dr. T K L Sujatha (Guest Artiste), Praveen (Guest Artiste), Uday Kumar (Guest Artiste) and students of IIITH

Dance: S Jayachandran, Shajil Padiyoor, Taposhi Nath, Madhavi Goruganti (Guest Artiste), Rajeshwari Aravind (Guest Artiste) and students of IIITH

Voice over: Dr. Kavitha Vemuri and students of IIITH

Stage Power Point Presentation: Students of IIITH

Production Assistance: Dr. T K L Sujatha (Guest Artiste)

Stage Decor, Lights and Sound: Narsing Khadke and team

 

 

 Art installations

 

A Humble Entry: Representation of IIITH through resumption.

There are three things that the letter “I” denotes.

 Here the letter “I” is likened to an abstract representation of eyes.

1) Seeing – We comprehend what we see;

2) Eye of Knowledge – Experimenting and discovering new things

3)Vision -is the ability to see how to use technology to create things that are beneficial to society. It also alludes to the eye of awareness and perception.

 People are urged by these three eyes to perceive the world beyond their physical senses. It exhorts readers to use their minds to perceive the world.

Technology is represented by the letter ‘T”.

Hyderabad is represented by the letter ”H ‘’.

Silver jubilee Sculpture

IIITH is a unique institute which aspires to work at the crossroads of technology, society and education. It aims to constantly push the boundaries of knowledge further while simultaneously thinking how this knowledge can be fruitfully translated into action in society. The surrounding space, the natural beauty of IIITH campus, its growth and the life in IIITH always makes one think about the importance of imagination in such a space and also the importance of technology in one’s daily life.

 This sculpture commemorating 25 years of IIITH’s journey captures the essence of IIITH and reflects its spirit soaring towards higher realms.  the origin of this place, its growth, the innovations it made, and the protection it provided to the students. There are two concepts:  The first is “Origin” (how and where it started) and the second idea is that of ‘’Saakshi” (witness of the space, who has been seeing the growth of IIITH).

 Banyan Tree, the logo of IIITH, is central in this sculpture as the ‘’Saakshi” of this place. The banyan tree has seen the whole life of IIITH. The banyan tree also has a lot of experiences and a unique story to tell. Here the tree has not just been growing. It has been protecting many  lives and has been a shelter for others. And over time the root has become wider than the tree. Just as our institution which has been giving opportunities to people to spread knowledge across the world.

 IIITH started the journey 25 years ago just like the tree. In a very symbolic and abstract form this artwork is trying to represent IIITH itself.

Technology teaches one to keep in pace with newer needs. If so, what would be the essence of the institute which imparts it for the past 25 years? Ironically still, viewing in all quietude, the ocean of change as a ‘saakshi’, a witness, not viewing from a comfortable vantage-point, but to participate, to breathe, to sweat yet reinstate its steadiness. Springing from the core of an ever-expanding trunk to the likes of a banyan tree, an embodiment of internal conflict, contemplation, experience and finally offers the fruit of wisdom to its inmates.

Along with the unveiling of art installations there were performances by The Dance Crew and Music Club of IIITH at Research Street.  And later in the night there was DJ Night, an unforgettable night filled with pulsating beats and infectious energy. The evnt was open for all, whether a seasoned dancer or someone who just loves to have a good time.

 

Qualcomm Day

Qualcomm Day@IIITH was held on 29  September to celebrate IIITH’s long association with Qualcomm funded labs, sponsored research, knowledge exchanges, several students hired each year and much more. IIITH always cherishes and recognizes the role of  its Industry partner’s in its  journey and Qualcomm is one such. On this day Engineers and leaders from Qualcomm, faculty and students from IIITH came together for an evening to celebrate each others association.  The following events were held during the event:

  • Showcasing some of the emerging technologies/products from Qualcomm
  • Research showcase from IIITH side
  • Panel discussion with senior engineers at Qualcomm
  • Networking dinner

September 2023