India (Commonwealth Union)_ Preeti Aghalayam has made history by becoming the first woman to be appointed as the director of an Indian Institute of Technology (IIT). Aghalayam, an alumna of IIT Madras, has been appointed as the director-in-charge of the IIT Madras’ Zanzibar campus in Tanzania. Accordingly, V Kamakoti, the director of IIT Madras, highlighted the significance of Aghalayam’s appointment, stating that it aligns with the goal of achieving gender balance and reflects the commitment to sustainable development. Further, the inaugural academic session of the Zanzibar campus is scheduled to commence in October.
Expressing her gratitude on her appointment, Preeti Aghalayam described the responsibility as a significant honor. Being an alumna of IIT Madras herself, she expressed her pride in contributing to the institute and the country in such a remarkable capacity. Aghalayam also emphasized the importance of mindful actions, particularly in observing the significant representation of women on the Zanzibar side during previous visits by the IIT Madras contingent.
In terms of education, Preeti Aghalayam graduated with a BTech degree in Chemical Engineering from IIT Madras in 1995. She later obtained her PhD from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in 2000. With experience as a postdoctoral researcher at MIT in Cambridge and a faculty member at IIT Bombay, Aghalayam entered IIT Madras in 2010. Currently, she serves as a Professor in the Chemical Engineering department. Her contributions to the field have been recognized, as she was recently honored as one of the 75 Women in STEM by the Principal Scientific Advisor’s office.
The Zanzibar campus of IIT Madras holds the distinction of being the first international campus established by an IIT in India. Located in Zanzibar, Tanzania, the establishment of this campus was formalized through a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed between India and Tanzania. This step sets the foundation for the campus to operate. Further, applications for the first academic session are already open, with the institute offering two full-time academic programs. This initiative marks an important milestone in the international expansion and global presence of IIT Madras.
