A Conversation with Mr. Jeet Bindra

Jagjeet (Jeet) Singh Bindra graduated from IITK in 1969 with a B.Tech. in Chemical Engineering. He earned his Master's in Chemical Engineering from the University of Washington, Seattle in 1970. Jeet also has an MBA (Honors) from Saint Mary's College of California.

Jeet started his career at Chevron Corporation as a research engineer. His career spanned over three decades during which he assumed roles of increasing responsibility. Before retiring in 2009, he served as President, Chevron Global Manufacturing with responsibility for leading the operations of 19 refineries across the world. His roles took him to Sudan, Russia, Kazakhstan, Australia and many other countries.

Upon his retirement, Jeet served on the Board of Directors of Lyondell Basell Industries, Larsen & Toubro, Reliance Petroleum, Transfield Services Australia, Transocean, Worley Parsons Australia, GS Caltex Korea and Edison International (and Southern California Edison). Jeet is currently a member of the Board of Directors of HPCL-Mittal Energy Ltd.

Jeet is a Diamond Award (Distinguished Alumnus) recipient of the University of Washington College of Engineering as well as a Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Kanpur. He served as the Chair of the University of Washington College of Engineering Visiting Committee for many years. He was also the Chair of the IITK Foundation in the USA. He has given back extensively to IITK, transforming the ChE department over the past 20 years. IIT Kanpur recognized him as an Institute Fellow in 2020.

Spark: Thank you, Jeet for taking the time to be with us today. IITK is proud of your accomplishments, and your support for the Institute and the Chemical Engineering Department means a lot to us. Tell us a bit about your family background. Why did you choose an Engineering career? Why IITK?

My father worked for Military Engineering Services (MES) as a Supervisor, on a salary that was barely sufficient to support a family of 7. Our family moved from Banaras (Varanasi), where I was born, to Allahabad when I was 3 or 4 years old. I first studied at the Cantonment Junior High School in Allahabad, walking over a mile to school, where we had to sit on the floor on a chataai (mat). Grades 6-9 were at City A.V. College, to which I travelled on a bicycle shared with my older brother. Then my father was

transferred to Ranikhet (District Almora), where I studied 10th grade at National Higher Secondary School, and grades 11-12 at Mission Inter-college.

I was a very good student, especially in science and math. One of my science teachers had heard about the IITs and encouraged me to sit for the entrance exam. I was selected for an interview and chose IIT Kanpur since I had spent all my early life in U.P. I was advised that the only discipline available at Kanpur at my JEE rank was Civil Engineering (CE). I wanted to stay in U.P. so I accepted CE with the understanding that, if I had good grades in the first 3 years, I may be allowed to switch my major. I felt very fortunate to have the opportunity to study at such a prestigious institution.

Spark: Tell us about hostel life. Presumably you were the first batch to move into Hall-2. Did you spend 3 years there before moving to H-1? Was ragging an issue?

I arrived on the campus in 1964 and was assigned to Hall-2, a newly constructed facility. On the bus to Kanpur, I had met another student, Girish Chandra Dwivedi, and we shared a ground floor room in the first wing of Hall-2. Our Seniors were experts in ragging and put us through a wringer for four or five days. Fortunately, we got to know a couple of senior students within our wing, and they shielded us from others.

I found the food in the Mess to be acceptable, especially the aloo parathas served over the weekend for breakfast. Rajma-chawal and kadhi-chawal were always the highlights. We had to pay extra to be served non-veg once a week. Invariably, I was amongst the first few in the queue for lunch and dinner.

I was awarded a National Scholarship which was Rs. 110 per month, but my monthly expenses including tuition, mess fee and incidentals exceeded that amount. My father and older brother sent some money, but still it was not sufficient. When my faculty advisor Professor C.N.R. Rao inquired, I told him about my financial worries. He said, "If you work hard and get a semester performance index (SPI) of 7.5 or higher, I will find an ad hoc grant to support you." He fulfilled this promise when my grades in the first 2 semesters far exceeded that requirement. I am forever grateful to him for his guidance and support.

Prof. CNR Rao in his office at IIT Kanpur. He was at IITK from 1963 through 1978, before moving to IISc Bangalore. For his contributions to Science, the Govt. of India recognized him with its highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, in 2013. Picture: Climbing the Limitless Ladder, 2010

Spark: You must have put in a lot of effort into academics. Can you recall any classes, teachers or labs that you remember vividly? There were the KIAP professors, and also some very well-known Indian ChE faculty – CV Sheshadri, Vasudev Arakare… What do you remember about your professors?

The academic environment was extremely competitive. All of us had come to IITK thinking that we were amongst the best, but since exams were graded on a curve, some of my friends received C, D or F grades, which was depressing. I dedicated myself to never missing a lecture and taking outstanding lecture notes. This habit served me well, and I maintained very good grades. After the third year I was able to opt for Chemical Engineering, my preferred choice because I had very good grades in Chemistry and Math and thought that Chemical Engineering would offer me the best opportunity to succeed.

IIT Kanpur was amongst the first institutions in the country to have an IBM 1620 computer. A year or two later we received the IBM 7044 - a much faster computer. We had to program in Fortran which I hated. I realized that Electrical Engineering/Computer Science was not my cup of tea.

We had outstanding ChE faculty which included Professors Karunesh, C.V. Sheshadri, Vasudev, D.N. Saraf, and S.K. Saraf. Some of these were young, energetic freshly minted PhDs from the U.S. They knew how to interact with young students, and provided superb personal and professional guidance, but when it came to assessing performance, they were all consistently tough. It took me a while to get used to surprise quizzes, midterms and final exams. One of the highlights of IITK education was the hands-on experience in various labs. I distinctly remember our project to design and fabricate a walnut cracker using a block of wood. It tested our creativity and gave us much-needed hands-on experience.

Spark: You were very active in the Students' Gymkhana and served as Vice President (the student head of the body when the President was a faculty member). Tell us a bit about these activities.

In my third year I was selected as the Chief Under Officer for NCC. That role helped build my confidence and my ability to lead others. One of our NCC assignments was to start digging a large hole for the construction of a swimming pool.

The swimming pool was excavated entirely through the efforts of NCC students. It took 10 years of back-breaking work before it was finally completed in 1975. Picture shows PhD students Suresh G Mishra and Vijaya Kumar Agrawal in a pool under excavation, early 1970s. Picture: Suresh G Mishra (PhD Physics 1977)

I then started taking courses in my Chemical Engineering major which provided me a tremendous opportunity to interact with ChE faculty. Very soon Dr. Vasudev became my mentor and friend and guided me for the rest of my stay at IITK. With encouragement from Dr. Vasudev, our faculty advisor for sports, I decided to venture into student activities.

During my fourth year, I ran for Secretary for Cultural Activities and was elected for this office. I took this role very seriously and organized many new activities, of which the most important was the first "All India Cultural Festival" at IITK. This festival included competitions in Hindi/English debate, Drama, Singing, etc. We had participation from other IITs, the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, Loreto College, Miranda House and HBTI. This was a huge success and has evolved into what is known today as "Antaragni". I also organized lectures by Swami Chinmayananda and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and a Qawwali ki Raat where we invited a well-known qawwali singer, Nizam Ragi Chhangaa. (He had 6 fingers on his left hand, and that is why he was known as Chhangaa). This evening event was the highlight for the student body.

India's internationally acclaimed painter, MF Hussain, was a guest of honor at the first All India Cultural Festival of Jan 1968. He inaugurated and judged the fine arts, stamps and photography exhibitions and gave a display of his prowess with the brush and paint at the Visitors Hostel. Image: Under the Cover, Anil K. Agarwal, 1968, digitally restored by Aman Kumar Singh. More information about the 1968 Festival is available in The Spark, Issue 11, Jan 2025, pg. 475-477.

Encouraged by my success, I ran for the position of Vice President of Students' Gymkhana in my final year. At that time the Gymkhana President was a faculty member (Prof. RSL Srivastava) appointed by the Director and the Vice-President was the Student Head. I was again elected with an overwhelming majority. This gave me an opportunity to grow professionally and build my confidence in public speaking and interpersonal skills.

Spark: Tell us about your memories from your final year. Any specific incidents that you would like to tell us about? How did you reach the Univ. of Washington in Seattle?

Amongst the highlights of my tenure as Vice President of Students' Gymkhana was a visit by the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to the campus. To this day I vividly remember her visit as I was asked to propose the vote of thanks. I had prepared my remarks both in English and Hindi but opted to deliver my comments in Hindi at the end. Another highlight was when IITK hosted, for the first time, an Inter-IIT sports meet at Kanpur. We invited General Kumaramangalam, Chief of Armed Services, to be our chief guest at the opening ceremony. This was the first IIT meet where female students participated in competitions.

The Inter-IIT Sports Meet, Dec 1968. This picture shows Director Kelkar introducing General Kumaramangalam to the faculty members. Also visible in the background are Prof RSL Srivastava (Faculty head of the Students Gymkhana), Sir Padampat Singhania (Chairman, IITK Board of Governors) and Jeet Bindra (Student head of the Gymkhana). Source: The Spark, December 1968, IIT Kanpur archives

During my final year at IITK I decided to enjoy life at the expense of my studies. I remember seeing at least a dozen movies between Dussehra and Diwali. This required us to take the campus bus to Rawatpur and go from there on a rickshaw to Birhana Road to reach the various movie theaters.

That year, we also started focusing our attention on what lay beyond IITK. With encouragement and guidance from Dr. Vasudev, I applied for graduate studies at various universities in the U.S. Dr. Vasudev had completed his Master's in Chemical Engineering from Washington State University and his PhD from the University of Washington. I received a Research Assistantship at Washington State University very early in the process, but Dr. Vasudev told me to wait for responses from other institutions. I received more offers, but as soon as I was offered a Research Assistantship at the University of Washington, Dr. Vasudev told me that my search was over, and I accepted their offer.

Spark: Tell us about your experiences as a Graduate Student in Seattle. How did they define your future career?

I arrived in Seattle on an overcast day on September 7, 1969. I had carried a flag of IITK with me which I proudly displayed in my room at a student housing complex at the nearby church. My classmate, Brij Maini, also came to the University of Washington. Within the first week, we took an assessment exam to determine if we needed to take any prerequisite courses. I remember being called by the head of the department after the exam who informed me that there were no required prerequisites and I could start my graduate program right away. I was fortunate to complete my Master's in 15 months, including a thesis. The educational foundation that we received at IITK enabled us to succeed academically in the graduate program. During this period, I also led the Indian student body as the President of the Association.

While finishing my thesis I met a beautiful girl from Seattle and fell in love with her. Janice and I were married on May 23, 1971. We had a traditional Sikh wedding (Anand Karaj) in the morning and a church wedding in the afternoon. We are still enjoying our married life. We have been blessed with two wonderful sons, their spouses, and six grandchildren.

Spark:IITK stayed with you after you left the campus. Tell us about your learnings and how it impacted your professional career.

I worked for Chevron Corporation for over 32 years starting as a Research Engineer and working my way up the corporate ladder to retire as the President of Chevron Global Manufacturing. In the interim I completed an Executive MBA program which enhanced my business skills. I attribute my success largely to the great education, mentoring and guidance received at IIT Kanpur.

I have always believed in giving back to society and helping those who come after us. This philosophy has guided me in contributing to both the University of Washington, as well as IIT Kanpur. Over the last three decades my wife and I have worked diligently with the faculty at IITK to identify worthy causes that we can support. I am especially proud that we have established a Chair in the Chemical Engineering Department in the name of my parents, Mr. & Mrs. Gian Singh Bindra.

With the Diamond Award (Distinguished Alumnus) of the Univ. of Washington College of Engineering

Spark: Based on your experience in industry, what advice would you like to share with students who are preparing to build careers in the evolving landscape of energy, chemicals, and sustainability?

The Chemical Engineering profession is at crossroads. There is a dire need to focus on energy transition, sustainability and environmental protection. Recent advances in AI will add a new dimension to the venues available for improvement in all these areas. We must find new pathways to economically produce renewable energy from natural resources. We must move away from a fossil fuel-based economy and develop new renewable alternatives. Areas that need immediate attention would be development of biodegradable plastics and chemical conversion of cellulosic material. There are several new frontiers to be explored by the next generation of Chemical Engineering students.

Jan and Jeet inaugurate the ChE Innovation Lab at U Washington, Seattle

And from our archives…

FAREWELL SENIORS

Love for the alma mater is perhaps one of the strongest emotions in J. S. Bindra, our ex-V.P. For him, the Institute is not merely a wave of concrete – she is responding, ALIVE. He loves IIT-K so much that he has made a huge silk flag with the institute's crest on it – to be put up in his room at the University of Washington, Seattle.

A chemical engineer, J.S. has won tons of laurels. But he is unassuming to a degree of being humble – except, of course, on the rare outbursts of temper. And when he is fuming, KEEP OFF. Apart from a brilliant academic record and productive socio-cultural life, J.S. has a rare devotion to his family. He hopes to send home a part of his scholarship, denying himself some of personal necessities. This sense of responsibility makes him a true leader. Viva J.S.!

The Spark, April 1969
Source: MIT Libraries, Cambridge, MA

A Note of Thanks

Shri Jeet Singh Bindra is one of the most illustrious alumni of the Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Kanpur. During his distinguished career at Chevron, he initiated numerous collaborative projects with the department and played a pivotal role in establishing the Chevron Corporation Chair. While the full extent of his contributions cannot be adequately enumerated, as they have positively impacted generations of undergraduate and graduate students as well as faculty members, several of his transformative initiatives deserve special mention.

These include the establishment of scholarships for female Chemical Engineering students; the Jeet Bindra Unit Operations & Innovation Laboratory; the Jeet Bindra Student Travel Grant; the Mr. and Mrs. Gian Singh Bindra Chair; the Dr. Arakare Vasudev Faculty Fellowship; the Jeet Bindra Postgraduate Research Laboratory; the Jeet Bindra Graduate Lounge; the Jeet Bindra Distinguished Lecture Series; the Jeet Bindra Centre of Excellence in Specialty Chemicals; the Jeet Bindra Interdisciplinary Laboratory for AI in Engineering Science; and, most recently, the Memorandum of Understanding for the establishment of the Chemical Engineering Annex Building.

The impact of Jeet Bindra's vision, leadership, and generosity will be felt for generations to come. His contributions have strengthened the department's infrastructure, enriched its academic environment, fostered innovation, and expanded opportunities for students, researchers, and faculty alike. More importantly, his deep commitment to giving back to his alma mater and to society serves as an enduring source of inspiration for future generations.

The Department of Chemical Engineering at IIT Kanpur remains profoundly grateful to Jeet Singh Bindra for his extraordinary generosity, visionary leadership, and unwavering support of education, research, innovation, and institutional excellence. His legacy will continue to shape and inspire the department for many decades to come.

-- Department of Chemical Engineering and the DORA Office, IIT Kanpur

Inauguration of the Unit Operations Lab, April 2022. ChE Alumni will recognize the building in Northern Labs which has been the Unit Ops Lab since the earliest days of the campus.

The Evolution of the IITK Seal

In our past issues (August 2023 and December 2025), we reported on the origins of the IITK Seal and its redesign by Prof. Vijay Stokes (ME, 1964-78) in 1966. Professor Stokes has since informed us that our reports were not fully correct – there have actually been three iterations of the seal, not two, and the one currently in use is not the version that he had designed.

The Spark strives to be as accurate as possible in its documentation and appreciates the feedback. We have corrected the two previous stories with these updates. The revised documents are available at the DORA website (here) or the Spark's publicly accessible drive (here).

The original design of the IITK seal was based on a suggestion by Dr. Sampurnanand (then Chief Minister, UP) and rendered by Mr. Sudhir Ranjan Khastgir, Principal of Lucknow College of Arts and Crafts (Wikipedia).

Image: Abhay Bhushan (BT, EE, 1960-65)

At its core is a 'trinetra' with three eyes symbolizing knowledge—an embodiment of the three fundamental aspects of learning: Perception, Analysis, and Synthesis. It is a powerful metaphor for inner perception, clarity of thought, and intellectual depth. Surrounding this is a gear, representing technology and the spirit of working around the clock—signifying the unending pursuit of engineering excellence and innovation, with the circles representing the wheels of progress.

Image: Professor Vijay Stokes

In 1966, ahead of the Second Convocation in 1967, the design of the seal was updated by Professor Vijay Stokes, with a more realistic trishul, the number of gear teeth reduced from 30 to 24, and the profile for the gear teeth corrected to that of actual gears. The classic font used was taken from the ancient Trajan Roman columns. These changes resulted in a cleaner and simpler seal. Together with the names of awardees, the new seal was printed on all degree certificates.

Based on a Government of India recommendation, in the late 1980s the name of the Institute was rendered in both Hindi and English. While most elements of Professor Stokes' design are still present in the current seal, the classic Roman letters in the outer circle have been replaced with smaller, sans serif Devanagari and English fonts. This seal was first used for the degrees awarded in 1989 and remains in use today.

Design of the IIT Seal and Diplomas

Vijay Kumar Stokes (Professor, ME, 1964-78)

I have always been interested in graphics. One of the first things I noticed on joining IITK was the seal or emblem used on all the letterheads, which I felt was very poorly rendered.

Besides the very poorly rendered "Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur" outside an equally poorly rendered 'gear' wheel representing technology, the center had an object that I could not place. My colleagues also did not have a clue regarding the origin or significance of this object. On pressing further, one colleague averred that it could be "the boy scout symbol, or the lily Fleur de Lis." Another suggested that it must be a lotus flower, a commonly used Indian motif. I wanted to have a better seal rendered, and I decided to consult Professor Kelkar.

I remember my meeting with him very vividly. With his hands folded together, elbows resting on the table, and with a twinkle in his eyes, he first asked how I was doing, and then enquired about the purpose of my visit. His response to my query was very interesting, and something no one else in the Institute seemed to be aware of. Evidently, the idea for the seal was given by Dr. Sampurnanand, the eminent educationist, author, and journalist, who twice was the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh. He suggested the concept of 'trinetra,' or the third eye of Shiva. This frontal eye of fire is the eye of inner perception; it looks mainly inward but, when directed outward, it burns all before it.

Sudhir Khastgir, who had studied under Nandlal Bose in Shantiniketan, and was at the time the Principal of the Government College of Arts and Crafts in Lucknow, suggested rendering this concept with a trishul, or trident with three eyes to represent this third eye of Shiva. I was then able to understand why the graphic on the existing seal could easily have been mistaken for a Fleur de Lis or a lotus flower!

While the conversation with Professor Kelkar clarified the idea behind the seal, I felt that this Hindu mythology-based concept went against the secular nature of the Indian Republic. While he agreed with my sentiment, Professor Kelkar felt that perhaps we should continue with it because it had already been adopted. However, most likely reading my body language, he suggested that I explore alternatives.

I then set about soliciting new ideas for the seal. Several colleagues suggested a pipal, or banyan tree—in ancient times sages would sit under them and 'lecture' their shishyas, or students—again, an oft used motif. But I rejected it when a young colleague said that "nothing grows under a banyan tree," which was not a good metaphor for the Indian academic environment. I then considered using a diya, —a traditional Indian earthenware, oil lamp with a cotton wick—resting on a book to represent enlightenment based on knowledge. I had decided to keep the gear wheel with twenty-four teeth to represent technology; I was determined to have the gear teeth have the proper engineering shape.

While I was working on the concept for the seal, one day I happened to bump into Professor M.V. George from the Chemistry Department. He mentioned that a committee was looking into the format of the diplomas that would be required for the 1967 Convocation for the graduation ceremony of the second batch. I told him about my aversion to the quality of Indian diplomas. He said that they were looking at many diplomas, including those from the US, to come up with something appropriate to IITK.

After a little sparring I realized we were arguing about two altogether different issues: His committee was drafting the language to be used in the diploma, with little thought about how it would look; I was interested in its graphics issues.

On understanding where I was coming from, he encouraged me to work on the graphic design of the diploma. I got together a draftsman, a supervisor of our new printing facility—which had a letter press and a small offset printing machine—and the Assistant Registrar of Academic Affairs. I sold everyone on the idea that each diploma would be made by printing the name of the person, I identified the font, and specified the paper and the size of the diploma. Then I asked them to have someone prepare a new high-quality seal as per the design elements I specified. They balked at the idea; what was wrong with the existing seal?

A Degree from the Second Convocation signed by (from left) Sir Padampat Singhania, Chairman, Board of Governors; Ratan Swarup, Registrar, and P.K. Kelkar, Director. Shared by Dhani Sahai Mathur (1961-66)

A chance encounter with the committee that was working on drafting the text to be used in the degree certificates for the second batch led to the new seal. Without this redesign, the certificates would have probably looked like those from 1965. Besides redoing the seal, Prof Stokes chose the layout, the fonts, and the 'imported' Kent' paper. And, at his insistence, the name of each awardee was printed on the certificate. This was a very big deal -- at that time digital technology did not exist. The certificates were printed on a small, in-house letterpress at IITK.

I ended up drawing the seal myself. The India-ink drawing, which is about fifteen inches in diameter, took me 55 hours. This excludes experiments in which I tested different thicknesses for the lines and fonts and different renderings for the trishul and trinetra. As alternatives to the trinetra concept for the seal center, I also prepared two other symbols, a lamp and a lamp on a book. For the fonts, I used the elegant script carved on the ancient Trajan's Column that I copied from a calligraphy book. Unfortunately, the "U" in Kanpur was a little offset; this was later corrected through a photographic process.

Photographic reduction of the three seal concepts—at decreasing sizes—were prepared to see how the seals looked at different magnifications. I then took the results to Professor Kelkar. After complimenting me on my effort, he still felt that we should stick with the 'trinetra' concept, which we did. As I look back, I still worry about the Hindu mythology basis of this logo. However, I must admit and thank Dr. Sampurnanand for this powerful metaphor for 'inner perception.' It felt good when the seal rendered by me began to appear on all the stationery.

I oversaw the printing of all the diplomas for the second batch. Fresh lead type was ordered for our letterpress. I rejected any diploma that even had a minor printing flaw. At my insistence, each candidate's name was printed.

Much later, long after I had left IIT Kanpur, a decision was made to include the title "Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur" both in Hindi and English. I had talked about this possibility with Professor Kelkar who felt that that was not necessary. While I applaud the use of our National Language, the graphic representation could be better. The legends in both languages have been crammed in the same ring, because of which the clarity of a small seal has been lost. Perhaps, the legends could have been placed in two different rings. Of course, the ring widths would have to be rebalanced to produce an aesthetically pleasing effect.

Design of the Honorary Diplomas

Ahead of the Third Convocation, Professor Kelkar was keen to award an honorary degree to Professor Norman Dahl, the first Program Leader of the Kanpur Indo-American Program. A decision was made to also award one to Mr. Morarji Desai, then Deputy Prime Minister of India. I was asked to work on the graphic design of the honorary degrees; if I remember right, a D.Sc. for Norman Christian Dahl and a D.Litt. for Morarji Ranchhodji Desai, I still remember their full names!

I chose a heavier handmade paper stock. To simulate sealing-wax seal I inverted the image so that the seal would appear white on a red background. By applying Virkotype resin powder on the freshly printed ink image, and then heating it, we were able to create the feel of raised lettering. I made several different versions, which I still have; I do not remember which one was finally chosen. I do remember giving proofs to the academic office to ensure that they had samples for future use.

About the author:

Professor Vijay Kumar Stokes, obtained his undergraduate degree in Mechanical Engineering from BHU (1961) and his PhD from Princeton (1963). He taught at IIT Kanpur (1964-1978), where he headed the Mechanical Engineering Department (1974-1977) and was the Convener of the Nuclear Engineering and Technology Program (1977-1978). Very involved in student affairs, he served as the President of the Students Gymkhana, on completion of which he made two consequential recommendations that were later implemented: (1) That the President of the Students Gymkhana should be a student. And (2) that a Dean of Students Affairs position should be created.

Professor Stokes also started the Association of Mechanical Engineers. He designed the first logo of the IITK Television Centre. But his lasting legacy to IIT Kanpur is the redesign of the IITK seal in 1966, elements of which are embedded in the current seal that we use today.

Before retiring, Professor Stokes worked at GE Corporate R&D in Upstate New York from 1978-2002. He is the grandson of Satyanand Stokes, the American missionary who settled in India, was jailed during the Indian freedom struggle, and revolutionized the Indian apple industry by introducing the Delicious variety of apples in Himachal Pradesh. Today, besides setting up a world-class, science-based apple orchard at his ancestral home in Ilaqa Kotgarh, for over 35 years, Professor Stokes has been documenting the local language, culture, and music and dance of the region.

The Third Convocation

IIT Kanpur awards the Honoris Causa degree to individuals who have made outstanding contributions to science, technology, engineering, social work, or academia. The first two honorary degrees at IIT Kanpur were awarded at its Third Convocation on 3 March 1968: Doctor of Letters (D.Litt. Honoris Causa) to Morarji Ranchhodji Desai, Deputy Prime Minister and Finance Minister of India; and Doctor of Science (D.Sc. Honoris Causa) to Norman Christian Dahl, First Program Leader of the Kanpur Indo-American Program.

Honoring a Teacher, Mentor, and Institution Builder:

Dr. Vijay Kumar Stokes

On May 2, 2026, the IIT Kanpur East Coast Chapter felicitated Dr. Vijay K. Stokes, former Head of Mechanical Engineering and one of IITK's foundational institution builders. Joining IIT Kanpur in 1964 after completing his PhD at Princeton, Dr. Stokes helped shape the institute's academic philosophy, student culture, and early identity.

The event emerged from a conversation between Ram Misra (Class of 1963–68) and Dr. Stokes, who now divides his time between India and the U.S. Sensing a rare opportunity to gather alumni around a beloved teacher, the East Coast Chapter organized a celebration that became an afternoon of gratitude, stories, and fellowship.

Held at Mantra Indian Restaurant in Paramus, New Jersey, and generously sponsored by Anil Bansal (Class of 1977), the gathering drew nearly fifty alumni and spouses—from the pioneering Class of 1965 to graduates of 2000. The wide span of attendees reflected the enduring influence of a teacher whose impact crosses generations.

Prof. Vijay Stokes with Ram Misra

A highlight for Dr. Stokes was meeting members of the 1964–69 batch, the first cohort he taught at IITK. The formal felicitation included a brief introduction by Rakesh Pandey (Class of 1978), followed by Ram Misra presenting Dr. Stokes with a traditional IITK dupatta and a copy of the 1963–68 batch book documenting IITK's early history—one in which Dr. Stokes played a central role.

Spouses added warmth and curiosity to the afternoon, eager to hear about IITK's formative years. Dr. Stokes answered their questions with characteristic patience.

A touching moment came when Amar Srivastava introduced his wife Astha Shukla, daughter of Prof. A.P. Shukla. Dr. Stokes' face lit up as he recalled that Astha's grandfather had been his father's classmate at BHU.

Amar Srivastava, Ram Misra, Astha Shukla (Dr A P Shukla's daughter), Dr Stokes

Dr Stokes, Ram Misra, Kumud Bansal, Purnima Misra

Led by Kumud Bansal and Purnima Misra, the spouses honored Dr. Stokes with a shawl—an affectionate gesture that underscored the personal bonds he has nurtured over decades.

Academically, Dr. Stokes was an early champion of an engineering curriculum that blended rigorous engineering science with practical application—an approach that set IIT Kanpur apart from traditional, compartmentalized models of engineering education in India. His vision helped generations of students learn to think analytically, solve complex problems, and bridge theory with practice.

Beyond academics, Dr. Stokes played a pivotal role in shaping IITK's student culture. Many alumni fondly call him the "Ambedkar of the IITK Students' Gymkhana." His belief that students should govern their own union—without faculty involvement—established the tradition of complete Gymkhana autonomy, a defining feature of IITK's leadership culture. As President of the Students' Gymkhana, his recommendations resulted in the Gymkhana President being an elected student, and in the creation of the Dean of Students Affairs position.

During the event, Dr. Stokes spoke on a wide range of topics: his arrival at IITK, the institute's early challenges, and the collaborative culture that took root and endured. He shared personal stories as well: Rejuvenating his family orchard in Himachal Pradesh to a world-class, science-based apple orchard. His study and documentation of the local language, culture, and music and dance of the region. His current project: building a museum honoring his grandfather Satyanand (Samuel Evans) Stokes, the only American imprisoned during India's freedom struggle.

Throughout the afternoon, alumni shared memories that painted a portrait of a teacher who was rigorous yet approachable, principled yet progressive, and deeply committed to building institutions that would outlast individuals. The presence of alumni spanning thirty-five graduating classes affirmed a simple truth: buildings and curricula evolve, but the influence of exceptional teachers endures.

Ramesh Gupta '69, Satya Agarwal '67, Dr, Stokes, Ram Misra '68, Anil Bansal '77, Ashok Saxena '70

As a tribute to his lasting impact, the East Coast Chapter announced the creation of the Dr. Vijay K. Stokes Scholarship, conceived by Rakesh Pandey. More than financial support, the scholarship represents generations of gratitude towards a teacher whose vision helped shape IIT Kanpur and whose influence continues to inspire. Alumni wishing to contribute to this scholarship can use this link to make a donation: https://iitk.ac.in/dora/vijay-k-stokes/

Dr. Stokes' story is inseparable from IIT Kanpur's own. His legacy lives on in the institute's academic philosophy, its culture of student leadership, and in the thousands of alumni who carry forward the values he helped instill. The afternoon in Paramus was, above all, a celebration of a life devoted to education, institution building, and the empowerment of young minds.