28th Foundation Day (E-City Campus)

Some days on campus just feel different. September 18th was one of those days. As IIIT-Bangalore celebrated 28 years since its founding, the auditorium was filled with students, faculty, and staff, all coming together to celebrate how far the institute has come and what lies ahead.

The evening began with everyone standing together for a spirited rendition of Vande Mataram. It was a fitting way to start a celebration that was as much about the institute’s roots as it was about its community.

The focus then shifted to responsibility and gratitude. The newly appointed members of the Student Affairs Council, selected from the second-year batch, took their oath and officially began their year of service to the campus community. The outgoing SAC members were also recognized as they completed their terms. Faculty members were presented with awards and certificates for their contributions, highlighting the work that happens across classrooms, labs, and the wider institute community.

Then came the performances, and the atmosphere changed completely.

Symphony, IIIT-B’s music club, opened with several performances covering everything from classical to Western music. With vocals, drums, keyboard, violin, and guitar coming together, they quickly had the entire auditorium listening. It was a great way to start the cultural part of the evening.

If Symphony brought a calmer energy, Impulse brought the opposite. IIIT-B’s dance club began with a semi-classical performance before moving into a series of energetic routines. While the team was getting ready backstage for their biggest performance, the audience got an unexpected surprise. The professors and the Director themselves came on stage for an impromptu karaoke session featuring songs from the 1980s. It was easily one of the more unexpected and fun moments of the evening.

Impulse then returned for their grand finale. The dancers were divided into two groups, with each taking turns on stage before coming together for the final performance. The closing numbers were set to tracks dedicated to Mahadev and Lord Ganesha. With the dancers moving together and the lighting and sound teams matching every beat, the performance brought the entire auditorium to life.

The final act of the evening belonged to Parvaaz, IIIT-B’s theatre club. Their play was written and composed by a fifth-year student and told the emotional story of a young girl troubled by recurring dreams about a mother she has never known. Her questions are met with silence from her father and uncle, leaving the story deliberately open-ended.

True to Parvaaz’s style, the play balanced its heavier moments with quirky, everyday characters and music. The audience moved between laughter and complete silence, sometimes within the same scene.

With the curtains closing on the final act, the formal celebrations came to an end. But the evening did not quite end there. A special feast replaced the usual dinner, giving everyone another reason to stay back, talk, and enjoy the evening together.

Twenty-eight years into its journey, IIIT-Bangalore’s Foundation Day was a reminder that the institute’s story is not only about rankings and milestones. It is also about the people who make up the community, from the music of Symphony and the performances of Impulse to the stories told by Parvaaz. Most importantly, it is about everyone coming together to celebrate another year of IIIT-B.