Mumbai: The Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT-B) celebrated its 66th Foundation Day on Monday, recognising the remarkable contributions of its faculty, alumni, and various departments.

The event was graced by Ravi Pandit, Founder-Chairman and Non-Executive Chairman of KPIT Technologies Ltd., who served as the Chief Guest. Delivering his address, Pandit emphasised the need for technological advancements in the fields of intelligence, energy, and materials to tackle global challenges like climate change and societal security.

The Foundation Day celebrations commenced with a welcome address by the Director of IIT-B, Prof Shireesh Kedare, who highlighted the institute’s ongoing pursuit of excellence in academics and research. Prof Kedare expressed IIT Bombay’s commitment to strengthening its collaboration with industry and society while fostering stronger alumni engagement.

One of the major highlights of the event was the conferral of the prestigious Prof S.C. Sahasrabudhe Lifetime Achievement Award (2024-25) on Prof Jayesh Bellare from the Department of Chemical Engineering. The award recognised his exemplary contributions as a teacher, researcher, and administrator.

The 'Prof S.C. Bhattacharya Award for Excellence in Pure Sciences (2024)' was presented to Prof Gopalan Rajaraman from the Department of Chemistry for his outstanding work in Molecular Magnetism, Bioinorganic Chemistry, Spintronics, and Catalysis. Similarly, the 'Prof H.H. Mathur Award for Excellence in Applied Sciences (2024)' was conferred on Prof Maryam Shojaei Baghini from the Department of Electrical Engineering for her notable contributions in the areas of Analog/Mixed-Signal IC Design, Sensor-Systems, Energy Harvesting Circuits & Systems, and Neuromorphic Engineering.

IIT-B also honoured its alumni with the Distinguished Alumnus Awards (DAA) and Young Alumni Achiever Awards (YAAA). A total of 14 alumni were recognised with the DAA for their outstanding achievements in various fields, while five young alumni under the age of 40 were presented with the YAAA for their notable contributions in their respective professions. The awardees included prominent figures such as Jagdish J. Moorjani, Aniruddha Gole, and Dileep George, among others.

Continuing its commitment to a clean and sustainable campus, IIT-B also presented the Institute Cleanliness Awards (2024-25) during the ceremony. The Department of Civil Engineering secured the first position in the academic unit category, followed by the Department of Aerospace Engineering and the Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management. In the non-academic unit category, the Hospital Section claimed the top spot, with the Hospitality Section and Electric Maintenance Division securing second and third positions, respectively.

Among hostels, Hostel 17 was recognised as the cleanest, followed by Hostel 10 and Hostel 14.