Hyderabad: As International Institute of Information Technology Hyderabad (IIITH) enters the 25th year since its founding in 1998, the institute launched its silver jubilee celebrations with a Distinguished Lecture series that featured an inaugural session by Dr Gullapalli Nageswara Rao, founder of the L V Prasad Eye Institute (LVPEI) who spoke on “Institution Building – Some Lessons and Reflections”.
Dr Rao commended IIITH for being a true public institute, and for research and innovation for being part of its DNA, which helped it reach where it is today. Quoting Albert Einstein he said, “Imagination is more important than knowledge”. He mentioned that India is a country of disparities that doesn’t allow many opportunities, added to that Covid 19 brought many challenges. He mentioned Polio was a success story. He mentioned we do well in mission mode but fumble in sustainable efforts. He went on to share LVPEI’s success story and how they became a 3,000+ team today touching 35 million people, treated over 5 million children and became the world’s biggest corneal transplant centre. And also a leading eye research institute in India. He drew parallels between IIIT-H and LVPEI inspiration, innovation and being socially conscious in their work.
Dr Rao also launched IIITH’s commemorative Silver Jubilee Logo, designed by Pratyay Keda Suvarnapathaki, a third year student from the Dual Degree Program in Computer Science and Engineering program. IIIT H organised a contest to choose the logo and his design was chosen.
IIITH’s Silver Jubilee celebrations will be spread over 18 months, and will consist of various events, interactive activities, fundraisers, contests etc, aimed at bringing together alumni, faculty, students, staff and other members of the IIITH fraternity, while focusing on research that matters – graduating competent, creative and caring students making significant contributions to society.
