Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Alumni and friends will be meeting at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square in New York City from July 18-20, 2008, for the “2008 Golden Jubilee Conference” (http://gj2008.iitbombay.org). This will be the largest ever North American IIT alumni event to be held in New York City, and over 1200 attendees are expected to join in this celebration of the 50th anniversary of the founding of IIT Bombay. The theme of the conference is “Looking Ahead: The Next 50 Years”, and the event is open to everyone who is interested in the IITs and in India, one of the emerging economic powers of the world.

The conference will feature a line-up of eminent speakers including Jamie Dimon, CEO, JP Morgan Chase, Frank G. Wisner Jr., Vice Chairman, AIG and former US Ambassador to India, and many other leaders from business and academia. The program features many informative panel discussions, networking and mentoring sessions, and high quality entertainment. It will bring together current and future leaders from around the world for three days of networking, knowledge-sharing and thought leadership.

"Nandan Nilekani and I are delighted to co-host the Golden Jubilee celebrations of IIT Bombay," said Victor Menezes, Retired Senior Vice Chairman, Citigroup. "Corporate leaders and eminent academics will be coming together to help shape a vision for the next 50 years for the IIT system."

“Syntel is delighted to be a sponsor for the 2008 Golden Jubilee Conference,” said Bharat Desai, Chairman and CEO of Syntel and a distinguished alumnus of IIT Bombay. “The conference is a key step in reaching out to leaders in industry and academia to fuel innovation in the next 50 years.”

IIT alumni were described in a CBS 60 Minutes program as the "… smartest, most successful, most influential …" immigrants from India. IIT alumni are executives and CxOs, holding senior positions in corporations and universities across the US. Companies founded by IITians have created thousands of jobs in the US, and spawned new industries and markets, including well-known firms such as WebEx, Providian, Sun Microsystems, Cirrus Logic and Sycamore Networks.

“It is gratifying to see the enthusiastic response from industry and academia to participate in the celebration. This conference will indeed be a memorable one for all attendees,” said Suresh Shenoy, EVP of IMC and Event Chairperson.

The event is co-chaired by Victor Menezes, Retired Senior Vice Chairman, Citigroup, and Nandan Nilekani, Co-Chairman, Infosys. For more information and event registration, visit the event website at http://gj2008.iitbombay.org.

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The IIT Bombay Heritage Fund, Inc. was established as a non-profit public benefit corporation and received its status as a tax-exempt organization from the IRS on July 5, 1996. The Fund has authorization under the Federal Classification level of 170(b)(1)(A)(vi). The Fund is not organized for the private gain of any person. It is organized under the Nonprofit Public Benefit Corporation Law for charitable purposes. The specific purposes for which the Fund is organized are to fund and promote education and research among students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. The organization will achieve its goals by providing financial and other resources towards the Indian Institute of Technology.

"The specific purposes ... are to fund and promote education and research among students of the Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay. The organization will achieve its goals by providing financial and other resources towards the Indian Institute of Technology. Bombay" ... Articles of Incorporation of the IITBHF.