Kashmir, September 7, 2026 — Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha addressed the IIT (BHU) Global Alumni Meet in Chicago on Sunday, using the platform to reflect on the legacy of engineering education pioneer Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya while laying out a vision for India’s role in an AI-driven global economy.
Sinha opened his remarks by paying tribute to Malaviya, crediting him with laying the foundations of modern engineering education in India and playing a central role in the country’s early industrialization. He said Malaviya’s ideals continue to shape efforts to advance technology, strengthen the economy, and serve society at large.
A Call for “Responsible AI”
The bulk of the Lieutenant Governor’s address focused on artificial intelligence and its role in economic growth. He argued that AI has the potential to drive prosperity by combining human potential with machine intelligence, but cautioned that this progress cannot come at the expense of oversight. Sinha stressed that AI development must remain grounded in ethics and core human values, with strict human oversight built into its deployment. Technology, he said, should be proactively steered by humanity so that it serves the collective well-being of people rather than operating unchecked.
India’s Global Rise
Beyond the AI discussion, Sinha framed his address around what he described as a resurgent India — one that is more secure domestically, increasingly assertive on the world stage, and positioning itself to help shape humanity’s future. He credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership with helping India carve out a distinct global standing, describing the present period as a defining chapter in the nation’s history. Sinha characterized India’s trajectory as the emergence of a civilizational power that is confident, compassionate, innovative and unstoppable, while also pointing to the country’s parallel push on technological advancement and social welfare programs as part of a broader national resurgence.
Jammu and Kashmir’s Transformation
Sinha devoted a portion of his speech to Jammu and Kashmir, describing the region’s trajectory since the abrogation of Article 370 as a turning point engineered under the Prime Minister’s leadership. He characterized the past six years as a period of substantial development, describing the change as more than incremental progress — calling it a broader renaissance for the region. In his telling, Jammu and Kashmir has shifted from an atmosphere of fear to one of opportunity, from isolation toward greater integration, and from uncertainty toward a clearer sense of purpose, developments he said have unlocked new investment and growth prospects for the region.
Invoking Vivekananda, Urging Alumni Engagement
Drawing a historical parallel, Sinha referenced Swami Vivekananda’s famous September 11, 1893, address in Chicago, using the moment to praise the contributions of IIT (BHU) alumni and the broader Indian diaspora to global society. He called on the gathered alumni to play an active role in India’s ongoing economic and civilizational rise.
To that end, Sinha outlined a four-point roadmap for engagement: investing in India’s next generation of institutions through mentorship and capital, forging stronger partnerships between American and Indian academic and research institutions, helping share what he called an accurate account of India’s transformation internationally, and reconnecting with their roots by bringing their accumulated expertise back home.
The event was attended by members of the IIT (BHU) Global Alumni Association along with other prominent members of the community.
