Silicon Valley lays red carpet for IIT

Some of the biggest names in business and higher education, including Microsoft chairman Bill Gates, will get together in Silicon Valley next week to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Indian Institute of Technology.

HRD Minister Murli Manohar Joshi will be the chief guest at the largest-ever IIT-event being held on January 17 and 18 to celebrate and recognise the accomplishments of IIT’s alumni. US ambassador to India Robert Blackwill, and Stanford University president John Hennessy will be among the speakers.

‘‘It (IIT) attracts the real cream of the crop, who view IIT as their ticket to economic freedom and interesting jobs,’’ says venture capitalist Vinod Khosla who was a co-founder of Sun Microsystems.

The anniversary gives the Indian government-funded institution an opportunity to launch an organised alumni fund-raising campaign.