IIT-KGP alumni end their 'PPC for director' movement

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-KGP) alumni ended their "PPC for director" movement Saturday, as Partha Pratim Chakrabarti was issued an appointment letter by the ministry of human resource development.

The Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) gave a clean chit to Chakrabarti Friday. Following the CVC clearance, the President of India and the IIT-KGP chairman Board of Governors (BoG) also approved his appointment.

"We are delighted that the CVC has given clearance to Prof. Chakrabarti and HRD Minister, President of India and the Chairman BoG have all approved his appointment as the Director of IIT Kharagpur. We can finally put the protests behind and focus on Vision 20-20 - a bold initiative to be a top-20 institute in the world in the next 20 years," said Arjun Malhotra, an alumnus of the institute who led the "PPC for director" campaign.

Shiv Nadar, chairman, Board of Governors, at the annual convocation ceremony announced P.P. Chakrabarti's appointment to graduates their parents, alumni and faculty members.

"This is a red letter day for IIT Kharagpur and its faculty, staff, alumni, students and partners. I want to acknowledge and thank all the faculty members, students and alumni who stepped up to make their voices heard and the protests a reality," said Ramnath Mani, president, IIT-KGP alumni association.

The alumni association of IIT-Kharagpur had started the "PPC for director" campaign July 19, to press for the appointment of Partha Pratim Chakrabarti as the institute's head.

Protests were held in Kolkata, Delhi and Bangalore as members of the IIT alumni foundation, teachers and students pressed for Chakrabarti's appointment as director of the 63-year-old institution.

The appointment was stalled as there was a delay in clearing Chakrabarti of charges of wrongdoing in connection with the Coal Net case, in which a Rs.28 crore project to enable data sharing between the coal ministry, Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries, awarded to IIT-KGP was, in violation of norms, awarded to a private firm owned by an alumnus of the institute.

--Indo-Asian News Service

shr/ros/vm