Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT-Kharagpur)

The origins of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) trace back to 1946, when Sir Jogendra Singh, then Member of the Viceroy's Executive Council for Education, Health, and Agriculture, initiated a committee to explore the creation of advanced technical institutions to support India’s post-war industrial development. Chaired by Sir Nalini Ranjan Sarkar, the 22-member committee recommended establishing four premier technical institutes across the Eastern, Western, Northern, and Southern regions of India, modeled after the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), USA. These institutions were envisioned not only to produce high-caliber undergraduate engineers but also to foster research, train technical educators, and maintain academic standards comparable to leading global universities. The committee emphasized a 2:1 ratio of undergraduate to postgraduate students to ensure a robust research ecosystem.

Acting on these recommendations, the first IIT was established in May 1950 at Hijli, Kharagpur, in eastern India. Initially operating from 5, Esplanade East in Calcutta, the institute relocated to the historic Hijli Detention Camp in September 1950. Before its formal inauguration on August 18, 1951, by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the institute adopted the name "Indian Institute of Technology." The choice of location was deeply symbolic-Hijli Detention Camp had once housed freedom fighters during British rule, making IIT Kharagpur one of the few institutions globally to begin its journey in a former prison. This unique origin underscores the institute’s foundational link to India’s struggle for independence and its commitment to nation-building through education and innovation.