BSc (Data Science and Applications)
For most, a “second innings” suggests a relaxed, slow-paced chapter – perhaps gardening or reading by the ocean. But Group Captain Lalit Kumar (Retired) defies this norm. After a distinguished 25-year career in the Indian Air Force (IAF), a life built on discipline, duty, and valor, he embarked on a new challenge: Data Science. True to form, this IAF veteran didn’t just adapt – he soared.
Hailing from a family with Indian Army roots, Mr. Kumar initially considered an engineering degree. However, he ultimately followed his passion for pure science, earning a BSc in Physics from Delhi University, North Campus. “I fell in love with Physics and Mathematics,” he recalls, a sentiment that would resonate deeply two decades later.
In 1997, he joined the Indian Air Force, passing out as a Flying Officer in 1998. After getting commissioned, he did his initial training at Lucknow and joined his first unit in January 1999. By May that same year, he was already stationed in a border region, leading a team during the Kargil War, for 9 whole months! “That experience carved the man out of the boy I once was. War changes you,” he reflects. “It made me more professional, more focused – it gave me wisdom.”
Mr. Kumar led a team in building Sainik School, Gopalganj, Bihar, from scratch, ultimately becoming its founding registrar. His diverse experience also included two years of service in Sri Lanka and a year in Ooty, where he honed his professional skills. He then became a Senior Instructor at the IAF’s Tactics and Air Combat Development Establishment (TACDE) in Gwalior, often referred to as the ‘Top Gun’ school.
However, his distinguished military career didn’t extinguish his inner student; instead, it nurtured his curiosity.
While posted in Pune in 2017, Mr. Kumar became curious about emerging technologies, particularly Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. As he taught himself Python using online resources, he enrolled in an ML course, where he noticed a significant gap in the material. “They taught us how to use various models, but not how they work. I wanted to understand the math and logic behind it.”
In 2021, while posted at Delhi HQ, as his son pursued a BTech in CSE with a specialisation in AI and ML, Mr. Kumar took a step beyond cheering from the sidelines – he enrolled in the IITM BS Degree himself.
Starting at the Foundation Level, he valued the structured approach, especially as it allowed him to brush up on fundamentals that reorganized knowledge he’d acquired back in 1996. He completed the diploma level while leading an operation in the northern region.
At the degree level, he was able to channel his lifelong love of teaching. “We began weekly group study sessions – solving problems together, and sharing insights. This is the best way to learn anything – to distribute the load and assist each other. Despite the hybrid nature of the BS degree, these sessions made it feel like a traditional college community.”
Eventually, these sessions evolved into a YouTube channel – his way of giving back, not just to society, but to every student navigating this virtual campus. He considers it his sacred duty. (These recorded sessions are highly popular among degree-level students, who consistently praise his teaching and simplification skills.)
While co-curricular activities weren’t feasible for him (“A soldier is never off-duty,” he quips with a smile), he still made it to Paradox’25 with his wife. “Those five days were among the best days of my life,” he beams. Walking through the IITM campus felt like returning to his youth. “The energy was infectious, all about innovation, entrepreneurship, research – no gloom, only vision.”
Mr. Kumar emphasises on the fact that he has no doubts about this degree being industry-aligned and academically robust.
He acknowledges the value of live sessions and discourse forums, noting that the diploma-level projects closely mirror real-world demands. The people behind it don’t go unmentioned – he appreciates how resourcefully the support team enables these sessions. “Being taught Deep Learning and LLMs by Professor Mitesh Khapra, who heads AI4Bharat, is an experience students would get nowhere else,” he adds.
He fondly credits NPTEL for building his trust in the BS Degree, whose quality and impact were reaffirmed as he continued with courses like ‘Data Mining’ after joining the program.
Group Captain Kumar officially retired from the IAF on May 31, 2025. Post-retirement, his goal is to keep mentoring students through IITM’s ecosystem. He also plans to launch an AI startup focused on niche applications, with a commitment to actively hiring BS Degree students to apply their skills.
To those navigating through this degree, he offers heartfelt advice: “Stay positive and make the most out of this opportunity. You’re learning from the best, so don’t just treat it as just another academic requirement. Revisit subjects, make notes, discuss, revise, and build lasting connections. Your network here will be your biggest support system.”
Group Captain Kumar’s life demonstrates that transitions aren’t detours, but evolutions. He is living proof that curiosity never retires, and that passion combined with discipline leads to remarkable achievements. Ultimately, whether on the battlefield or in a neural network, the core mission is always the same: to serve, to lead, and to continuously learn.
