Education Minister Pralhad Joshi Urges IIT Madras Alumni To Mentor Young Innovators
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi has urged IIT Madras alumni to contribute more actively to India’s innovation ecosystem by mentoring young innovators, supporting deep-tech entrepreneurship and helping connect Indian technology with global opportunities.
Union Education Minister Pralhad Joshi has called on IIT Madras alumni to take a more active role in supporting young innovators and strengthening India’s technology and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Joshi made the remarks while addressing the seventh edition of SANGAM, an initiative of the IIT Madras Alumni Association, held in Bengaluru. The event was organised around the theme “Atmanirbhar Bharat - Building a Self-Reliant India”.
The minister highlighted the potential role of experienced IIT Madras alumni in helping young innovators take their ideas forward. He also stressed the need to encourage technology commercialisation and deep-tech entrepreneurship while creating stronger links between India’s innovation ecosystem and international markets.
“I called upon the distinguished IIT Madras alumni to play an even greater role in this national journey by mentoring young innovators, accelerating technology commercialisation, supporting deep-tech entrepreneurship and connecting India’s innovation ecosystem with global markets and opportunities,” the minister said in a post on X.
Joshi also pointed to the broader connection between technology, education, industry and entrepreneurship. According to him, collaboration among these areas can contribute to India’s development and innovation ambitions.
“This new confluence of technology, education, industry, and entrepreneurship stands as the tangible embodiment of innovation propelling India toward ViksitBharat2047. IIT Madras continues to consistently demonstrate how scientific research and knowledge can be transformed into tailored solutions for modern technology, enterprises, and real-world challenges,” he added.
Addressed the 7th edition of @iitmadras Alumni Association’s SANGAM 2026, centred on the theme ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat – Building a Self-Reliant India’.
— Pralhad Joshi (@JoshiPralhad) September 26, 2026
The SANGAM of technology, academia, industry and entrepreneurship reflects the spirit of innovation driving India towards… pic.twitter.com/0w4r1DS5eB
The SANGAM event brought together the IIT Madras alumni community around discussions linked to technology, entrepreneurship and India’s self-reliance goals.
Joshi’s call for greater alumni involvement also comes as the Education Ministry is promoting initiatives aimed at encouraging young innovators to develop practical solutions. On September 25, he launched the website and registration portal for the Seva First Innovation Challenge at the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bengaluru. The initiative is being jointly undertaken by the Education Ministry, AICTE and UGC, with IISc Bengaluru as the nodal institute.
The challenge encourages students and young innovators to identify problems in their communities and develop solutions that can be tested, refined and implemented. It is open to students from schools, ITIs, polytechnics, colleges and universities, with the national finale scheduled to be held in December in New Delhi.
Sahil Behl is an education journalist at Jagran with over a year of experience in journalism. Prior to joining Jagran, he worked as a Sub-Editor in NDTV’s Education department, where he was responsible for writing and editing education-related content as well as managing the department’s social media presence. At Jagran, he covers a wide range of education topics, including board examinations, school updates, admissions, and job notifications, while leveraging his editorial expertise and strong understanding of digital content strategy. Sahil holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and has also completed an eight-month certification program in Data Science. Passionate about emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, he closely tracks their growing role in journalism and explores how they are transforming shaping the future of the media industry.
