IIIT Hyderabad celebrates its 25th anniversary, marks a journey of innovation in science & technology and contribution to nation-building

Hyderabad, September 2023: The International Institute of Information Technology, Hyderabad (IIIT-H), an autonomous research university celebrates its 25th anniversary, and announces the appointment of new chairman, Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala. Founding Chairman Prof Raj Reddy has been a major part of its journey since its inception in 1998. IIIT Hyderabad, founded to foster research and innovation and with teaching and learning, has emerged as a knowledge hub, propelling it into a league of leading international institutes of repute.

As IIIT Hyderabad celebrates its silver jubilee of transformative education and groundbreaking research, it also begins a new chapter with the appointment of a new chairman, Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala who has a proven track record of visionary leadership and a deep passion for education and is poised to lead IIIT Hyderabad to new heights of excellence. Prof Raj Reddy, who made significant contributions was felicitated for decades of service as the Founding Chairman of the institute.

According to Prof. P J Narayanan, Director - IIIT-H, 20 PPP IIITs are formed in the "IIIT Hyderabad Model" across the country now. It is a great model for the country to fly high.  It is a self-supporting model and not government-supported. IIIT Hyderabad has been the guiding model and potent force behind several state and national institutions like  T-Hub, Centre of Innovation & Entrepreneurship(CIE), 21st Century Gurukulams, RGUKT, National Institute of Smart Governance(NISG) and others, he said.

In Data-Driven Research Rankings, IIIT Hyderabad is ranked 1st in India,  30th in Asia and 102 in the world, he added

Our current focus areas are Signal Processing and Communications, Data Sciences and analytics, Language Technologies, Robotics, Security, Theory and Algorithms, Smart Cities, Cognitive Science, Computational Social Sciences etc. and others, he said. 

He highlighted many research projects such as iRASTE, a Road Safety Project in Nagpur and Telangana; India Driving Dataset, Bodhyaan Platform, Biometric-Build deduplication and matching engines for UIDAI, Speech-to-Speech translation mission, bhAShiNi and Live annotation of players in a cricket match with Star Sports etc and others. 

We have 6000 strong alumni, we touched 6000 professionals through our Executive Education Courses. Several of our alumni are faculty at IITs, ETH and INRIA he said.  800 plus alumni worked in Microsoft, 900 in Google and 900 in Amazon. Several have become IAS and IPS officers, Prof P. J. Narayana informed.  

“We are extremely delighted to welcome Prof Ashok Jhunjhunwala and look to his guidance in creating waves in the scientific world and garnering a top slot among global institutions. Simultaneously, we are grateful to Prof Raj Reddy for his unstinted support and contribution to the growth of IIIT-H.  His guiding light will always remain a mainstay of our existence. We are at the cusp of the institute’s lifecycle where the growth trajectory will make us a force to reckon with. We are a self-sustaining institute committed to building an inclusive society in our quest for nation-building.”

IIIT- H now has over 100 faculty, 22 research centres, 5 research translation centres, major applied AI initiatives, and one of the country's largest academic incubators. IIIT-H is widely regarded as a premier institute for computer science research and research-driven innovation. From just 50 students in the first batch to around 1900 students today, the institute is widely regarded as India's top institute for the AI  areas (computer vision, machine learning, data mining, and Natural Language Processing) and among the country’s top 5 institutions in the CS/IT areas. 

The IIIT-H Kohli Centre for Intelligent Systems, established in 2015 with funding from Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), continues to be a leading centre on Intelligent systems, bringing together India's brightest minds to take research from lab to land for long-term social impact. In collaboration with Intel, an Applied Artificial Intelligence Research Centre (INAI) was established in 2020. A Technology Innovation Hub under DST’s NM-ICPS was established in 2020. About 5000 alumni of IIIT Hyderabad are making a significant impact in various institutions, roles, and geographies.

Prof. Raj Reddy, Founding Chairman, IIIT- Hyderabad, said, “I am immensely proud to look back on the transformative journey we took at IIIT Hyderabad. It was clear from the start that they would not only teach students but also conduct research. We envisioned a research-oriented institution that imparts technical knowledge and fosters innovation, creativity, and a deep understanding of the ever-changing tech landscape. Our dedication has been to cutting-edge technological advances which are the driving force behind our success. With Prof P J Narayanan at the helm, we ensured that our students received relevant education by fostering partnerships with industry leaders, facilitating research-driven curricula, and investing in state-of-the-art laboratories.”

He continues, “Today, I pass the torch to the new Chairman, Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, a capable visionary who will carry on the legacy we've established.   I extend him a warm welcome. I am confident that the foundation we've established will thrive in the future. The institute's faculty, administration, and students are ready to carry on the institute's legacy of innovation and excellence.  We've turned dreams into accomplishments together, and I'm looking forward to seeing this institution's continued growth and impact in the coming years”.

Prof. Ashok Jhunjhunwala, the New Chairman, IIIT- H said, "As I take over as chairman of this prestigious institute, I am both honoured and excited to carry on the legacy of excellence established by my predecessor and the dedicated team of faculty. The institution has achieved milestones, and I am determined to build on this solid foundation. My vision for the institute is to expand our horizons while maintaining our position as a hub for technological innovation and education. I believe in creating an environment that promotes interdisciplinary collaboration, where the lines between disciplines blur but research thrives at the intersections. We will continue to invest in world-class infrastructure, hire top-tier faculty members, and update our curricula to reflect the most recent industry trends in the coming years.”

Founded in 1998, IIIT Hyderabad set out to redefine education and research paradigms. With an unwavering commitment to nurturing curious minds and fostering creativity, the institute has been instrumental in producing exceptional graduates who have gone on to become leaders and innovators in a variety of fields.