Vijayawada, August 25, 2026: PanIIT Alumni India, the umbrella organisation representing more than five lakh alumni of all 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), on Tuesday announced the PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026, a major leadership, innovation and technology forum to be held on October 3, 2026, at Novotel Vijayawada Varun.

The Summit, themed “Catalysing Innovation for Swarnandhra Vision 2047,” will be inaugurated by Mr. Nara Chandrababu Naidu, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh.

The one-day Summit is expected to bring together more than 500 delegates, including around 100 founders and startup leaders, 50 CEOs, 50 investors and venture capitalists, policymakers, technology experts, academicians and industry leaders from across India and abroad.

 

The Summit will provide a platform for government, industry, academia, entrepreneurs, investors and the global IIT alumni community to explore opportunities for accelerating innovation, attracting investment and promoting technology-led growth in Andhra Pradesh.

The Summit will focus on key technology and growth sectors, including: DeepTech, Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, MedTech, Pharma & Healthcare, Oil & Gas and Green Energy, Semiconductors & Data Centres, Quantum Computing and Defence & Aerospace.

Addressing a press conference, Shri Prabhat Kumar, IRS, Chairman, PanIIT Alumni India and Principal ADG, NACIN, CBIC, said the Summit would seek to leverage the collective strength of the IIT alumni community to contribute to Andhra Pradesh’s development.

“The PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026 is an opportunity to bring together the collective strength of government, industry, academia, entrepreneurs and the global IIT alumni community. Andhra Pradesh has a vast and influential diaspora spread across the world, particularly in the United States. IIT alumni would like to play a catalytic role in the development of Andhra Pradesh.”

He said PanIIT would like to position Amaravati as a leading DeepTech capital of India and explore long-term initiatives that can create a strong innovation ecosystem in the State.

“At the behest of Chief Minister Mr. Nara Chandrababu Naidu, we would like to make the PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit an annual affair. As part of our long-term vision, we are exploring the establishment of a PanIIT Centre of Excellence in Amaravati, for which we are seeking land from the Government of Andhra Pradesh. This would be the first Centre of Excellence of its kind to be established by PanIIT Alumni India in India. If the discussions progress as planned, we may even sign an MoU with the Government of Andhra Pradesh during the Summit on October 3,” he said.

He added that Andhra Pradesh was a progressive State with immense potential in emerging areas such as Artificial Intelligence, DeepTech, quantum technology, advanced manufacturing and innovation.

“Through collaboration and shared expertise, we hope to support technology-led solutions and contribute to Andhra Pradesh’s vision of Swarnandhra and its journey towards becoming a leading technology and innovation hub,” he said.

Shri Amitabh Ranjan, Vice Chairman, PanIIT Alumni India and Registrar, Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), said innovation and research would be critical to India’s future economic growth.

“India currently invests around 0.65% of its GDP in research and development, compared with substantially higher levels in countries such as China, the United States and Israel. This highlights the need for greater investment in innovation, research and technology,” he said.

“The theme ‘Catalysing Innovation for Swarnandhra Vision 2047’ is therefore particularly relevant. Innovation will be one of the fundamental drivers of our future growth,” he added.

He said Andhra Pradesh had several strategic advantages that could support its emergence as a major economic and technology hub.

The recently approved 1,107-km Kharagpur–Amaravati Greenfield Corridor, including a 457-km stretch through Andhra Pradesh, is expected to strengthen connectivity and support economic development in the State.

He also highlighted Andhra Pradesh’s long coastline and mineral resources, including monazite, ilmenite, rutile and zircon, which have potential significance for advanced materials, clean-energy and strategic industries.

Shri Sudhakar Gande, Chair, PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026, said Andhra Pradesh had a strong foundation of talent, entrepreneurship and ambition.

“By embracing emerging technologies such as AI, DeepTech and semiconductors, while fostering innovation and investment, Andhra Pradesh has a significant opportunity to create new engines of growth and position itself as a leading technology hub.”

Prof. Dr. Ramanaidu Randhi, Convenor, PanIIT Andhra Pradesh Summit 2026, said stronger collaboration between academia, industry, government and entrepreneurs was essential for building a sustainable innovation ecosystem.

“Academic excellence and research are fundamental to building a strong innovation ecosystem. Their true impact lies in translating knowledge into technologies, products and practical solutions that address real-world challenges. Greater emphasis on applied research can transform academic discoveries into market-ready products and services, creating social and economic value,” he said.

“Stronger collaboration among academia, industry, government and entrepreneurs can bring together research, talent, technology and innovation to solve practical problems, drive sustainable growth, create employment and contribute to national development,” he added.

PanIIT Alumni India

PanIIT Alumni India (PIAI) is the umbrella organisation representing alumni of all 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs). Established in 2006 as a not-for-profit society, PanIIT brings together IIT alumni, academia, industry, entrepreneurs, investors, innovators and policymakers to foster collaboration, innovation and nation-building.

Through national and global summits, policy dialogues, technology and innovation initiatives, and social-impact programmes, PanIIT seeks to leverage the collective expertise and global networks of the IIT alumni community to contribute to India’s development and global leadership.

The IIT alumni community includes prominent global leaders such as Sundar Pichai, CEO of Alphabet and Google; Arvind Krishna, Chairman and CEO of IBM; N. R. Narayana Murthy, Founder of Infosys; Vinod Khosla, Co-founder of Sun Microsystems; and Raghuram Rajan, former Governor of the Reserve Bank of India, reflecting the global impact of the IIT ecosystem.