Tech diaspora in U.S. marks 75 years of IIT amid concerns over AI, immigration curbs

As the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) celebrate 75 years, the milestone is met with pride and pragmatism. For decades, the IIT brand has been indisputably considered the gold standard of global engineering. However, the reality has changed now. At home, a new tier of Indian universities is churning out talent that rivals the old guard. Also, in the U.S., the IIT-ian aura is facing unprecedented pressure due to unfavourable visa rules.

At this juncture, the IIT alumni are holding their annual event – IIT2026 Global Conference – in Long Beach, California, from April 22 to 25, in what they are referring to as “a call to elevate the value of the Indian diaspora”. Also known as ‘Indiaspora’, most of them graduated from the IITs a decade or two ago, before shifting to the U.S. for careers in technology and business.