- Centered on the theme “Atmanirbhar Bharat – Building a Self-Reliant India” this 7th edition brings together policymakers, industry stalwarts, technology experts, entrepreneurs, academics, & alumni to explore the critical opportunities & challenges shaping the nation’s journey toward self-reliance.
- The conference will address vital growth drivers across strategic sectors, including artificial intelligence, space technology, defence, digital payments, semiconductors, & infrastructure.
Bengaluru, September 21, 2026: The IIT Madras Alumni Association (IITMAA) will host its flagship annual conference, Sangam 2026, on September 26, 2026, at Taj MG Road, Bengaluru.
Centered on the theme, “Atmanirbhar Bharat – Building a Self-Reliant India” this 7th edition brings together policymakers, industry stalwarts, technology experts, entrepreneurs, academics, and alumni to explore the critical opportunities and challenges shaping the nation’s journey toward self-reliance. The conference will address vital growth drivers across strategic sectors, including artificial intelligence, space technology, defence, digital payments, semiconductors, and infrastructure.
The event will feature a distinguished line-up of speakers including Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Honourable Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India; Shri Pralhad Joshi, Honourable Minister of Education, Government of India; General N. S. Raja Subramani, Chief of Defence Staff, Govt. of India; Vice Admiral Sanjay Sadhu, Controller of Warship Production & Acquisition, Indian Navy and Shri S. Krishnan, IAS, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology, Govt. of India (MeitY).
Other eminent speakers include Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras; Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-founder, Infosys Chairman, Axilor Ventures; Shri Giridhar Aramane, IAS; Shri Sunil Paliwal, IAS; Smt. Ashwini Bhide, IAS; Ms. Nandini Jayamurugun, Vice Chairperson, SNJ Group of Companies; Air Marshal Vijay Kumar Garg; Dr. A. P. Dash, HEMRL, DRDO; Dr. S. Unnikrishnan Nair, former Director, Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre; Mr. Kameshwara Rao B. K. of GMR Group; Prof. Satya Chakravarthy, Founder & Technical Lead, The ePlane Company; R. Muralidharan of Tata Advanced Systems; Dr. Pratyush Kumar, Co-founder, Sarvam AI; Mr. Naga Bharath Daka, Co-founder, Skyroot Aerospace; Ms. Goda Ramkumar, Vice President – Data Science, Flipkart; Dr. Jayakumar, founding CEO & former Managing Director & CEO of Vizhinjam International Seaport Ltd.; Prof. G. Madhavi Latha of the Department of Civil Engineering, IISc; Mr. Suyash Singh, Founder & CEO, GalaxEye; and leading faculty members from IIT Madras.
Mr. Sridhar Boovaraghavan, President, IIT Madras Alumni Association (IITMAA) & Chair, IITMAA Sangam 2026, said, “Sangam 2026 is a platform to bring together the diverse strengths of the IIT Madras community and connect them with the larger national priorities shaping India’s future. Through high-impact dialogues across technology, defence, space, digital infrastructure, entrepreneurship and education, we aim to facilitate meaningful collaboration around building a more self-reliant India. Equally important is expanding our alumni mentorship program, with the long-term goal of ensuring every student on campus is paired with an alumni mentor for academic, professional, and personal guidance.”
Beyond the conference sessions, Sangam 2026 places a heavy focus on nurturing the next generation of innovators. Building on the success of the Career and Life Coaching (CLIC) initiative, IITMAA is officially scaling its mentorship reach across campus. The long-term objective of this expanded effort is to ensure that every current student at IIT Madras is paired with an experienced alumni mentor, establishing a permanent and personal bridge between the active campus community and its global alumni network for sustained professional and personal development.
The day’s proceedings will feature keynote addresses, sector-focused panels, and fireside conversations with experts from leading organizations like Reliance Intelligence, Flipkart, Sarvam AI, Skyroot Aerospace, NVIDIA, Texas Instruments, and Tata Electronics. The agenda opens with a critical session on “Sovereign AI – Now or Never?”, alongside deep dives into maritime trade, digital payments, semiconductors, and future warfare capabilities. The program also hosts a fireside session featuring Infosys Co-Founder Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, concluding with a final defence keynote from General N. S. Raja Subramani.
Sangam 2026 is anchored by key industry trailblazers, featuring major sponsorship from U-SOLAR and IndiaAssetz. Founded by IIT Madras alumni, U-SOLAR brings a strong commitment to clean energy innovation and sustainable technology, aligning seamlessly with the conference’s core focus on green infrastructure and national self-reliance. Similarly, IndiaAssetz, a pioneer in real estate and wealth asset management, plays a pivotal role in supporting the ecosystem by driving conversations around smart asset growth, infrastructure investment, and financial capability.
The event is further strengthened by a distinguished group of official sponsors, including SNJ Group, ARCA Alternatives, Prestige, Zooper, Pratithi Investments, and Alumni and Corporate Relations IIT Madras. Primary backing and operational support for the summit are also driven by Unicorn India Ventures, Shivom Enterprises, and Mutual PR Consultants Pvt Ltd.
The conference will conclude with felicitations, followed by a Guitar Prasanna concert and dinner, bringing together the IIT Madras alumni and wider community for a day of dialogue, collaboration and engagement. IITMAA Sangam 2026 is more than a conference, it is a convergence of leadership, innovation and purpose, focused on shaping the future of a stronger, more resilient and self-reliant India.
