The Society of Tata Fellows, a new alumni association, inaugurated in ceremony at MIT
On June 4th, 2015 at the MIT Media Lab, the Tata Center held its first annual ceremony inducting new members into the Society of Tata Fellows, a global community of scholar, engineers, and entrepreneurs who have completed Tata Fellowships at MIT.
Dr. Robert Stoner, director of the Tata Center, presided as more than 70 alums of the Tata program, including Fellows from previous cohorts, this year’s graduating Master’s students, and several postdoctoral associates, were presented with glass statues in recognition of their outstanding work in India and other developing countries. More importantly, they will form the bedrock of a Society dedicated to furthering the Tata Center’s mission.
Also on hand was Dr. Nevan Hanumara, Tata Center Program Manager. “With this first MIT Tata Center Society of Fellows induction, we launch a community of alums who couple technical prowess with big hearts,” he says. “Those who complete a Tata Fellowship have shown the ability to identify and capitalize upon opportunities where resources are slim and populations under-served.”
Since its founding in 2012, the Tata Center has grown to “feel like a family,” according to Hanumara. “We’ve seen our Fellows grow and graduate, so it’s bittersweet to say goodbye. But they have an exciting journey ahead, and they’ll always be a part of the Tata Center community.”
“Wherever they go and whatever they do, we know they will have a positive impact on the world and we hope the Society will help keep them connected.”
The event coincided with Commencement Week at MIT, during which more than 30 Tata Fellows graduated with their Master’s degrees or Ph.D.s across a variety of disciplines.