Office of International Relations, IIT Bombay, had the privilege of welcoming Ms. Hitomi Sato, Consul General of Japan in Mumbai, on her first visit to IIT Bombay after assuming office. 

During her visit, she met with the institute's senior leadership, including Prof. Shireesh Kedare, Director; Prof. Milind Atrey, Deputy Director (Academic, Research & Translation); and Prof. Sudarshan Kumar, Dean (International Relations), to discuss opportunities for further strengthening academic and research collaborations between India and Japan. She was briefed about the IIT Bombay–Japan Collaboration Cell, established in August 2025, which serves as a dedicated cell to strengthen engagement between IIT Bombay and Japanese universities, industries, government agencies, and research organizations through academic exchanges, joint research, and institutional collaborations. 

The Consul General also visited the Society for Innovation and Entrepreneurship (SINE) and ASPIRE – IIT Bombay Research Park, where she was introduced to the institute's thriving start up, innovation, and research ecosystem. The visit concluded with an interaction with 20 students from seven Japanese universities who participated in the IIT Bombay International Summer School 2026. The students shared their experiences of studying at IIT Bombay and engaging with peers from across the world. 

We look forward to continuing to strengthen the long-standing partnership between IIT Bombay and Japan through student mobility, research collaborations, faculty exchanges, and joint academic program. .