Clinton to address IIT alumni meet

Former US President Bill Clinton will address over 3,000 alumni of the Indian Institute of Technology at a global conference here in October.

Clinton, 42nd President of the United States and founder of the William J Clinton Foundation, would speak about innovative ways to address challenges and opportunities in areas of education, energy, climate change and public health at the Seventh Annual ‘PanIIT Global Conference 2009’ on technology and innovation.

The theme of the conference, being held from October 9-11, is ‘Entrepreneurship and Innovation in a Global Economy’. The conference would bring together a diverse group of thought leaders from industry, academia and government, including IIT alumni, to address challenges and opportunities in key industries such as alternative energy, healthcare, digital infrastructure and climate change, it said.

“The conference theme is aligned with the goals of the William J Clinton Foundation and the Clinton Global Initiative in bringing together a community of global leaders and private citizens in identifying and implementing innovative solutions for the world’s most pressing challenges,” a PanIIT statement said.

Other key speakers at the conference include US President Barack Obama’s Chief Technology Officer Aneesh Chopra, Indian Ambassador to the US Meera Shankar, Caterpillar Inc Chairman and CEO James Owens, India’s National Knowledge Commission Chairman Sam Pitroda and Suzlon Energy Chairman Tulsi Tanti.

Chopra, US’ first Chief Technology Officer and Associate Director for Technology in the Office of Science and Technology Policy, would throw light on his plans to help build a next-generation digital infrastructure and drive innovation through policy.

The presence of such speakers would ensure that projects and ideas initiated at the conference will get support and sponsorship at the senior-most levels in government and industry, the statement added.

Started in 2002, PanIIT is an umbrella alumni organisation of all seven IIT institutes.