Three generations of IIT Madras graduates discuss how the school influenced their entrepreneurial paths

INN/Chennai, @Infodeaofficial

IIT Madras hosted a discussion on innovation and entrepreneurship that honoured the relentless spirit of entrepreneurship fostered by the Institute ecosystem and provided insightful commentary.

Students and researchers at IIT Madras had the unique chance to hear from three generations of alumni about how their alma mater shaped their entrepreneurial spirit. On October 28, 2024, the Office of Alumni and Corporate Relations (ACR), IIT Madras, hosted an event on campus called “Innovation and Entrepreneurship Ecosystem in IIT Madras,” where these accomplished alumni engaged with students.

In the article “Three Generations of Alumni Share How IIT Madras catalysed Their Journey,” CEOs, entrepreneurs, and leaders of significant commercial endeavours discussed how the institute influenced their journeys to creating profitable businesses. Several IITM Alumni Entrepreneurs, teachers, and students participated in the event, along with Prof. Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), and Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras.

The panellists included:

Ø  Mr. D. Chandrasekar (1970 – B.Tech – Metallurgical and Material Engineering), Entrepreneur and President, Madras Dyslexia Association: He began as a first-generation entrepreneur with zero capital in the small-scale sector way back in 1974 and made a success of many companies in different areas of engineering: machine-building, aluminium foundry, electro-less nickel coating, light chemicals.

Ø   Mr. Venkat Vishwanathan (1992 – B.Tech – Civil Engineering), Chairperson, LatentView: LatentView is now one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing digital analytics firms. It provides a 360-degree view of the digital consumer, enabling companies to predict new revenue streams, anticipate product trends and popularity, improve customer retention rates and optimize investment decisions.

Ø  Mr. Pradeep Gulipalli, Co-founder, Tiger Analytics (2003 – B Tech – Civil Engineering): Tiger Analytics works with 100+ clients worldwide, building cutting-edge solutions using AI and Advanced analytics, enabling them to transition into a new world where human ingenuity is augmented by artificial intelligence.

Ø  Mr. Kedar Kulkarni, Co-founder & CEO, HyperVerge (2012 – B Tech – Metallurgical & Material Engineering): HyperVerge is a B2B SaaS company providing AI-based identity verification (KYC) & business verification (KYB) solutions for companies in Fintech, BFSI, Insurance, Lending, Gaming, Logistics, EdTech across 195+ countries.

Ø  Mr. Rajiv C. Lochan (1993 – BT-CE) MD & CEO, Sundaram Finance Limited: He is active in the social sector‎ in the areas of financial inclusion, public health and education. Before his current position, he was the Managing Director and CEO of Kasturi and Sons Ltd., publishers of The Hindu and Group publications.

“Bharat must be a start-up nation to achieve supremacy,” remarked Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director of IIT Madras, welcoming the alumni to their alma mater. It is encouraging to see that a number of our alumni are prosperous business owners, and I am confident that there will be many more in the future.

“IIT Madras has a proud legacy of its alumni who have had remarkable success as entrepreneurs and have gone on to be guiding lights for the next generation of students,” said Prof. Ashwin Mahalingam, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), emphasising the significant role alumni can play in inspiring current students. In addition to being shining examples of successful businesses, they have been instrumental in motivating the Institute’s upcoming generation of entrepreneurs. Each generation of alumni has carried on the entrepreneurial torch to the next through their achievements and unwavering support of the institute, creating a thriving innovation culture.

After the panel, Mr. V. Shankar, the founder of CAMS, participated in a fireside chat where he discussed his incredible journey to establish and grow CAMS into a major force in the financial infrastructure industry.

“IIT Madras gave me more than just technical expertise; it instilled the resilience, curiosity, and analytical mindset essential for entrepreneurship,” remarked Mr. V. Shankar, Founder, CAMS, while describing the importance IIT Madras played in his entrepreneurial career. My career as a founder has been greatly aided by the innovative, collaborative, and unrelentingly solution-focused environment I encountered there.

The occasion concluded with the relaunch of “An Eye for Detail,” a book written by historian Mr. V Sriram that was first released in 2016 and details Mr. V. Shankar’s business career. Prof. V Kamakoti’s relaunch also included the audio and video podcast series for the book.