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India Today
7 days ago
- Business
- India Today
IIIT Bangalore student bags record package of Rs 1.45 crore in silver jubilee year
At its silver jubilee convocation, the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) announced that one of its iMTech students secured a record annual package of Rs 1.45 crore -- the highest in the institute's history. The placement, finalised ahead of the convocation, made waves as the institute celebrated its 25th on July 8, the convocation saw 372 students graduate across programmes including Integrated MTech, MTech, MSc in Digital Society, MSc by Research, and PhD. The event was attended by notable guests like Prof. Govindan Rangarajan (IISc Director), Dr. Venkat Padmanabhan (Microsoft Research India MD), and IIIT-B Chairman Kris the top offer, 14 students received packages over Rs 60 lakh, 67 students landed jobs offering more than Rs 40 lakh, and 180+ students bagged packages above Rs 20 lakh per year—an impressive placement run for the Class of RESEARCH, AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP HONOURED Top academic achievers were recognised with gold medals: Valipireddy Pranathi, Monjoy Narayan Choudhury, and Sookthi Bhat Entrepreneur of the Year medal was awarded to Ananda Prakash Professor Debabrata Das highlighted the students' achievements in areas like AI/ML, NLP, wireless tech, and advanced software systems. 'Several students have secured patents,' he said, adding that the cohort stood out for its diversity, innovation, and in 1998, IIIT-Bangalore has grown into one of India's top tech institutes, known for its industry-ready talent and consistent placement performance. The record-breaking placement and silver jubilee milestone underline its impact.- Ends
Hans India
10-07-2025
- Business
- Hans India
IIIT-Bangalore marks 25th convocation with graduation of 372 students
Bangalore: The International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-Bangalore) marked a major milestone with its 25th Annual Convocation, celebrating the graduation of 372 students across diverse academic programs. The ceremony also highlighted the institute's expanding global impact through its pioneering work in Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), now influencing the lives of nearly 1 billion people worldwide. The convocation was graced by eminent guests, including Prof. Govindan Rangarajan, Director of IISc Bangalore, as Chief Guest, and Dr. Venkat Padmanabhan, Managing Director of Microsoft Research India, as Guest of Honour. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Padma Bhushan awardee and Chairman of IIIT-B's Governing Body, presided over the event alongside Prof. Debabrata Das, Director of IIIT-Bangalore. This year's graduates included 142 students from the Integrated program, 192 from the program, 12 from the in Digital Society, 10 from the M.S. by Research, and 16 Ph.D. scholars. Top performers were recognized with gold medals, including Institute Gold Medals awarded to Valipireddy Pranathi ( Monjoy Narayan Choudhury (iMTech), and Sookthi Bhat Kav ( Digital Society). The Late Sri N. Rama Rao Medal for Entrepreneur of the Year was awarded to Ananda Prakash Verma. In a landmark achievement, an iMTech student secured a record-breaking placement package of ₹1.45 crore. Additionally, 14 students received annual offers exceeding ₹60 lakh, 67 students surpassed ₹40 lakh, and over 180 students received packages above ₹20 lakh per annum.
New Indian Express
07-07-2025
- New Indian Express
IIIT Bangalore celebrates graduation of 372 students
BENGALURU: The International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) marked its 25th annual convocation on Sunday, celebrating the graduation of 372 students from across five academic programmes. The graduates included 142 students from the Integrated Master of Technology (iMTech) programme, 192 from the Master of Technology (MTech) programme, 12 from the Master of Science in Digital Society, 10 from the Master of Science by Research, and 16 PhD scholars. Three institute gold medals, along with several other academic and merit-based awards, were presented to outstanding students. Valipireddy Pranathi walked away with two prestigious honours: the institute gold medal in MTech and the Visvesvaraya Scholarship Award. 'I had software job offers after my BTech, but my heart was always in core electronics,' she said. 'With constant push from my professors, unwavering support from family and friends, and a desire to keep growing, I'm proud to graduate with a 4.0 CGPA.' Bengaluru girl Sookthi Bhatt Kav won a gold medal in MSc Digital Society. 'Coming from a History background, I never imagined this. But IIIT-B showed me that tech is also about people and power. My thesis explored how UPI impacts inclusion and surveillance. This win is for all social science voices in tech.' 'I was probably one of the last to make it into IIIT-B,' recalled Monjoy Narayan Choudhury, the iMTech CSE topper and Google-bound graduate from Guwahati, who also got the Visvesvaraya Scholarship Award. 'From struggling in science as a kid to switching streams and publishing AI research, I wanted to prove that people like me, from the Northeast, belong here too.' For Chaitanya Manas, who was named Student of the Year, the key was consistency and involvement. 'You can't plan for an award like this. I just showed up at debate club, TEDx, council work, and still kept my grades up. It still feels surreal.' Quietly working behind the scenes, Anshul Akhilesh Madurwar earned the Late Shri N Ramarao Medal for All-Rounder of the Year. 'I'm not the loudest person. But I kept pushing quietly, eight papers, assistive tech, global collaborations. This medal means everything.'
The Hindu
06-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
IIIT-B student gets record ₹1.45 crore package as institute celebrates silver jubilee convocation
The International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-B) marked a milestone on Sunday as an Integrated (iMTech) student secured a record-breaking annual package of ₹1.45 crore during campus placements, the highest ever in the institute's 25-year history, according to IIIT-B. This was announced during the Silver Jubilee Convocation Ceremony held on the IIIT-B campus, where 372 students graduated across various programmes. The convocation saw 142 students graduate from the iMTech programme, 192 from the MTech programme, 12 from MSc in Digital Society, 10 from MSc by Research, and 16 PhD scholars. Top academic performers were recognised with medals. According to a release, this year's placement season has been especially noteworthy. 14 students received annual packages exceeding ₹60 lakh, 67 students received offers above ₹40 lakh, and more than 180 students secured packages above ₹20 lakh per annum. Parallel to the convocation celebrations, the institute highlighted its growing global role in shaping Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI). At a press conference, the institute's Director, Prof. Debabrata Das unveiled key initiatives led by the Centre for Digital Public Infrastructure (CDPI), a non-profit team working across 60 countries. Among IIIT-B's flagship contributions is MOSIP (Modular Open Source Identity Platform), which has issued over 136 million digital IDs in 27 countries and is expected to reach nearly one billion people within three years. 'MOSIP is a homegrown product from India to the world. It reflects IIIT-B's mission to foster ethical, scalable, and inclusive digital tools,' Prof. Das said. The platform has earned international accolades, including the Future of Government award and a 'Champion' recognition at the 2024 World Summit on the Information Society in Geneva. He further stated that building on MOSIP's success, the institute has launched INJI, a next-generation, privacy-centric data exchange platform, now adopted by four countries. Backed by partners like the Gates Foundation and NORAD, IIIT-B's DPI ecosystem also includes projects like OpenG2P and COSS, aimed at driving policy innovation and societal transformation. Beyond DPI, IIIT-B's other initiatives include the E-Health Research Centre's collaboration with NIMHANS on the Tele-MANAS mental health programme, the AI for Inclusion (A4I) initiative with Microsoft Philanthropies, and advanced telecom R&D through the COMET Foundation. In recognition of its sustainability efforts, IIIT-B was awarded the International Green University Award for the third consecutive year. The governing body has also approved ₹817 crore for the construction of a new East Campus over the next seven years, the release said.
Mint
26-06-2025
- Mint
Mint Explainer: Would you make Sam Altman's eye scanner your online ID?
As governments digitize services, banks go virtual, and AI-powered impersonation surges, establishing 'who you are' through a reliable, globally accepted digital ID is becoming critical. Yet, according to the World Bank, more than 10% of the world's population—mostly in Sub-Saharan Africa and South Asia—still lacks any official or digital ID. Without identification, access to jobs, healthcare, financial support, mobile services, or even the right to vote can be severely limited. In this context, digital ID systems like India's Aadhaar, the open-source Modular Open Source Identity Platform (MOSIP) from the International Institute of Information Technology Bangalore (IIIT-Bangalore), and OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman-backed World ID are gaining traction. Also Read: Altman's Worldcoin idea is out to reinvent the Aadhaar wheel However, not all approaches are being embraced equally. Altman's World ID, which aims to verify humans through biometric scans to counter AI-driven bots, is raising privacy alarms. On 20 June, when Semafor reported that Reddit is considering adopting World ID to comply with potential age-verification rules and curb fake accounts, the idea sparked a backlash, with some users even threatening to leave the platform if the system is implemented. What's World ID? It is a relatively new entrant in the digital identity space. Aadhaar was launched in 2009, and nine years later, it inspired the creation of MOSIP. In 2019, Sam Altman and Alex Blania founded Tools for Humanity, which introduced a crypto project called World Coin and a World ID in July 2023 to verify users by scanning their eyes (iris) with a metallic device called the 'Orb'. World, a real human network, says it currently has 12 million people who have signed up globally, and 26 million app downloads. In comparison, the 12-digit Aadhaar has about 1.39 billion registered users to date, while MOSIP has 133 million registered users to date in 26 countries across Asia Pacific, Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean. In early May, Altman rebranded the biometric system as World and unveiled the Orb Mini, a portable iris scanner that generates a blockchain-based World ID. The Orb now also has a mobile-phone-size counterpart. The World ecosystem currently comprises the World ID, World App, World Chain, and the Worldcoin (WLD) crypto token. One may download the World App to locate a nearby World Space. According to the company, more than 7,000 of World's Orbs will be available for iris scans at physical 'World Space" locations in the US and in Razer (a lifestyle brand for gamers) stores. How does the technology work? World ID uses an Nvidia-powered device called the Orb to create a unique cryptographic code that confirms a user is a real, unique person. Built on an open-source, decentralized protocol, World ID allows broad developer access. The Orb encrypts and signs user photos for security, sends them to the user's phone via its server, and then deletes them. WLD, on the other hand, is capped at 10 billion tokens. It launched with 143 million—100 million loaned to market makers and the rest given to early verified users. WLD is now integrated with platforms like Tinder and supported by Visa and Stripe. Also Read: New Aadhaar law in the works to align with data privacy law World ID may sound similar to CAPTCHAs that prove to machines that you're a human through behavioural tests like image selection. But unlike CATPCHA, which is only a one-time requirement when accessing a website or online service, World ID aims to assign a persistent, global identity tied to one's biometric signature. The comparison to India's Aadhaar—the world's largest biometric ID programme—is also understandable. But Aadhaar is state-run and central to accessing everything from rations to banking in the country. It captures fingerprints, iris scans, and demographic data under a legal framework—albeit with its own controversies over privacy and exclusion. World ID, in contrast, is a private initiative. Its creators say World ID uses the open-source Semaphore protocol to prevent identity tracking across apps and publishes its code under an MIT-style licence that bans use for surveillance or rights-infringing purposes. They add that cryptographic protections like zero-knowledge proofs will ensure user anonymity, but these safeguards remain largely untested at scale. So, why are there concerns? While World has been launched in the US and the UK, regulatory pushback has been strong in other countries, with some banning Orb or Worldcoin, or both, outright. These include Brazil, Colombia, Germany, India, Kenya, Portugal, South Korea, Indonesia, and Spain, as well as the special administrative region of Hong Kong. The European Union (EU) has flagged potential violations of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), citing issues with meaningful consent and data irreversibility. Concerns about coercion are especially acute in low-income regions, where crypto incentives may push people to trade biometric data without fully understanding the risks. For instance, offline 'Orb' verifications and biometric identity-based user onboarding in India were stopped in late 2023. Besides, the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) has been consistent in expressing its displeasure with cryptocurrencies even as gains from cryptocurrencies in India are treated as income, and a 1% tax is deducted at the source. WLD is currently priced at ₹77.55 on the Coinbase exchange, a massive drop from its all-time high of ₹1,015.96 on 10 March 2024. With 1.66 billion WLD in circulation—17% of its 10 billion max supply—there were 322 trades involving 218 buyers and 117 sellers as on 25 June. There are other concerns, too. In a 21 May note, Andras Cser, VP and principal analyst at Forrester, pointed out that Orb faces several key challenges that could limit its broader adoption. For one, unlike most identity systems that rely on built-in mobile sensors like cameras or fingerprint readers, Orb requires a specialized iris scanner, adding hardware costs and integration hurdles. Second, without mobile-compatible sensors, it struggles to support common use cases like travel check-ins or online registration, and could face serious scalability issues. Accuracy is also a concern. Factors like alcohol consumption or eye disorders can reduce the reliability of iris scans, Cser noted. Also Read: Private companies can use Aadhaar infrastructure for identity checks again Privacy worries persist, as iris data, even if encrypted or deleted, raises questions about consent and data usage, Cser underscored. Security is another issue. Past hacks of iris scanners show they can be fooled by simple methods like doctored photos. Finally, Orb's system isn't linked to government-issued IDs like Aadhaar, limiting its utility for services that require formal verification, and its centralized design further restricts broader interoperability. As an example, MOSIP's fully open-source codebase is available on GitHub. It also collaborates with the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE), governments, and industry partners to develop open standards and protocols, ensuring easy integration, interoperability, and cost efficiency. Further, its mobile digital wallet, Inji, enables residents to access their digital identities even in remote areas with limited connectivity. Altman's World believes that the project '...could considerably increase economic opportunity, scale a reliable solution for distinguishing humans from AI online while preserving privacy, enable global democratic processes, and show a potential path to AI-funded UBI (Universal Basic Income)". However, the above-cited concerns underscore that the debate is not so much about whether digital identity is necessary in an AI-first world but more about who defines it, who profits from it, and whether consent can truly exist.
