'There is no IIT in Ranchi': Centre counters Sam Pitroda’s hacking claim

In a post on X, the ministry pointed out that there is no IIT in Ranchi.

The ministry said Sam Pitroda claimed on February 22 that he was speaking at IIT Ranchi to several hundred students, and someone hacked in and started playing some objectionable content, and thus, the event got disrupted.

HT.com could not independently verify the authenticity of Sam Pitroda’s statement.

"It has come to the notice that Sam Pitroda shared a video on his X handle on Feb 22, 2025. He made a statement in that video that he was speaking at the IIT Ranchi to several hundred students, and someone hacked in and started playing some objectionable content, and thus, the event got disrupted," the ministry said in a statement.

"It is hereby clarified that there is no IIT in Ranchi. Therefore, the statement made in that video is not only baseless but also reeks of ignorance. It is pertinent to state that there is an Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) in Ranchi. But IIIT, Ranchi has also confirmed that Sam Pitroda has not been invited by Institute to any conference/seminar to deliver a lecture, physically or virtually," the ministry said.