PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/Dehradun
A new book titled IIT: The Story of India’s Most Prestigious Educational Ecosystem traces the evolution of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) from their post-Independence origins to their current role as global innovation hubs.
Authored by Prabhat Kumar, chairman of PanIIT Alumni India and a 1994-batch Indian Revenue Service officer, the book will be launched at IIT Delhi on June 20. Published by HarperCollins India, it examines how IITs have grown from a handful of elite institutions into a network of 23 campuses with over 5,00,000 alumni worldwide.
Blending historical research, institutional insights and personal narratives, the book explores themes beyond academic success, including the rise of the Joint Entrance Examination (JEE), the expansion of India’s coaching ecosystem, and the social and psychological pressures faced by aspirants. It also revisits the debate on “brain drain”, highlighting a shift towards “brain circulation”, with IIT alumni contributing to India’s growth through entrepreneurship, investment and global collaboration.
The book further positions IITs as key drivers of India’s innovation landscape, particularly in areas such as artificial intelligence, deep-tech and startups, while reflecting on their role in shaping India’s journey towards becoming a developed nation by 2047.
