New Delhi
5 February 2024
DIVYA AZAD
The Birla Institute of Technology Old Students Association (BITOSA) marked a significant milestone with the successful conclusion of its 8th annual BITOSA Global Conclave – BGC 8. The event, held at The Ashok, New Delhi, brought together 300 delegates from 6 countries physically and engaged 1,00,000 members across 60 countries through live streaming and recordings.
Under the leadership of Niraj Sharan, President, BITOSA Global, BGC 8 showcased a diverse array of discussions and presentations, addressing key themes such as Aerospace & Defence, Start-ups, Data Privacy, and AI. The conclave aimed to shape the future through insightful deliberations and collaborations on emerging global trends.
The inaugural session featured Ayush Aggarwal, Convenor BGC 8, along with a keynote address by His Excellency Freddy Svane, the Danish Ambassador to India, Nepal, Bhutan, and Maldives. Dr. G. Satheesh Reddy, Former Secretary Defence R & D, GOI, and Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, and Former Chairman of DRDO, provided a glimpse into India’s achievements in space-related fields.
Dr Reddy who is also known as the missile man of PM Modi revealed exciting news, “This year experimentation of the ‘Gaganyaan Mission’ is planned and India will be ready to launch the mission next year.”
Under the ‘Gaganyaan Mission’, ISRO will be sending three humans to an orbit of 400 km for a 3-day mission and bring them back safely to Earth.
Another keynote speaker was Dr Indranil Manna, Vice Chancellor, Birla Institute of Technology, Ranchi. Apoorva Chandra(IAS), Secretary I & B, GOI gave a thought-provoking talk. Speaking during the session, he stated, “Today, the development of technologies like UPI provides countless benefits to the common people. There was a time when the government had to go through numerous processes to send subsidy amounts, and it took a long time to reach the common people. However, today, thousands of crores of rupees can be transferred to beneficiaries with just one click.”
An engaging session on ‘NextGen in Wellness and Smart Food’ explored the importance of a ‘millet diet,’ featuring social entrepreneur Guneet Swani and Dr. Biswaroop Roy Chowdhury, the creator of DIP Diet. Dr. Vrinder Garg – President PGIMER, also addressed the gathering on the importance of regular health checkups. Dr. Sanjeev Juneja, known as “The Brand Machine,” received the Outstanding Business Leader award.
The conclave’s focus on innovation and start-ups included a panel discussion ‘Dream, Dare, Do,’ followed by an update on the startup accelerator BIG. Jagdish Mitra – Chief Strategy Officer and Head of Growth at Tech Mahindra talked about life in the era of AI.
In another panel discussion ‘AI Transformation and Digital Security’ which dwelled on data privacy, security and AI. Boston Consulting Group’s MD Saurabh Chandra shared his insights. Dr Nirmaljeet Singh Kalsi (IAS), Chairperson, National Council for Vocational Education and Training, GOI expressed his views. The session also saw Anoop Zutshi, Board Member Frost & Sullivan, USA giving his views.
Niraj Sharan, President, BITOSA Global, emphasized the significance of the discussions: “We organized important discussions on subjects that deliberated on the conclave theme – Shaping the Next. The conference brought together leading academicians, scientists, researchers, and industry experts from across the world.”
The organizing team for BGC 8, consisting of Niraj Sharan, Ayush Agarwal, Shipra Dutta, Sheetal Pratik, Rohit Kumar, Bhavya Sharma, and Sunil Chirania, played a pivotal role in ensuring the success of the event.
BITOSA Global, as an umbrella organization, unites local alumni chapters worldwide. Birla Institute of Technology Mesra (BIT Mesra), a 68-year-old institution with five campuses, stands as one of India’s leading and oldest educational institutes, consistently producing outstanding professionals and scholars across various disciplines.
