IIT Kharagpur to award top alumni at convocation

Kolkata: Google Scholar co-founder Anurag Acharya and potential successor to Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, Ajit Jain will be felicitated with the Distinguished Alumnus Award by IIT Kharagpur this month.

"At the 62nd convocation of the institute on July 30 and 31, seven eminent alumni have been selected for the award for their exceptional professional achievements in industry, academia or as entrepreneur", officials said.

Among the most prominent names in the list is Ajit Jain, who holds a BTech degree in mechanical engineering in 1972 from the IIT.

He is now the president of reinsurance division at Berkshire Hathaway Insurance Group in the US.

He is widely regarded as the potential successor to Berkshire Hathaway CEO Warren Buffett, one of the world's most wealthiest persons.

Along with him is the co-founder of Google Scholar, Anurag Acharya who studied computer science and engineering in the 1987 batch.

"Acharya will also be felicitated with the honour", IIT officials said.

The distinguished alumnus award is one of the highest recognitions given for the accomplishment and contribution of an alumnus from the institute.

The awardees will be given a gold medal and a certificate during the convocation ceremony.

Besides them, five other alumni including IIT Guwahati Director Gautam Biswas and IIT Kanpur Director Indranil Manna will be awarded on the occasion.