This October, I travelled to San Francisco for the IIT Bay Area Leadership Conference 2026, my second time attending after last year. I expected a repeat. It turned out to be one of the most meaningful trips I’ve taken in a long time.
Meeting inspiring leaders at the IIT Bay Area Leadership Conference 2026.
Scaling Intelligence: Engineering Abundance
This year’s theme was Scaling Intelligence: Engineering Abundance, and every session felt timely. AI is changing every industry, and the conference brought together founders, executives, investors and researchers who are building that future right now.
Several keynotes gave me real insight into where AI is heading: how organisations are scaling it responsibly, where the next wave of opportunity lies, and what it will take to turn intelligence into abundance. I left with pages of notes and many new questions to explore.
A moment I didn’t expect
One highlight was meeting Dr. Vishal Sikka, former CEO of Infosys. I never imagined I would get to speak with someone whose work I had followed for years. It showed me how many opportunities the IIT community opens up, and how generously its members share their time.
A community that teaches
What stood out most was how supportive the community is. Whatever you want to learn, someone is ready to help. If you want to understand startups, there’s a founder who has done it. If you want to build one, there’s someone who will walk you through it. Whatever the topic, there’s a mentor nearby.
I met many new people at the conference and left with new friends. The IIT network doesn’t just connect people, it keeps teaching them.
Back in the Bay, and back with old friends
This was also my first trip to the Bay Area in a long time, and I enjoyed the city all over again. The best part, though, was the people.
I caught up with friends I hadn’t seen in years, especially people from Kashi Utkarsh and the Social Service Council. It felt like a small reunion. We finished with dinner at a local Rajasthani restaurant with my seniors and my wonderful juniors. There were turbans, embroidered umbrellas, a lot of laughter, and the warmth of being among people who knew you when you were still figuring yourself out.
Turbans, umbrellas and old friends: a Rajasthani dinner with my IIT (BHU) juniors and seniors.
What this trip taught me
Somewhere along the way, I had stopped making time for these small moments: meeting people, making friends, and keeping those connections alive. This trip reminded me how much they matter.
My undergraduate years were some of the best of my life, and the people from that time are a big reason why. So I’m making a promise to myself: to reconnect with the people I know, one by one, and keep those bonds strong.
To my alma mater, IIT (BHU) Varanasi: thank you for a community that will stay with me forever.