Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur

iit-kharagpur

About IIT Kharagpur

History

The history of the IIT system dates back to 1946 when a committee was set up by Hon’ble Sir Jogendra Singh, Member of the Viceroy’s Executive Council, Department of Education, Health and Agriculture to consider the setting up of Higher Technical Institutions for post war industrial development in India. The 22 member committee headed by Sri N.R.Sarkar, in its report, recommended the establishment of four Higher Technical Institutions in the Eastern, Western, Northern and Southern regions, possibly on the lines of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA, with a number of secondary institutions affiliated to it. The report also urged the speedy establishment of all the four institutions with the ones in the East and the West to be started immediately. The committee also felt that such institutes would not only produce undergraduates but they should be engaged in research, producing research workers and technical teachers as well. The standard of the graduates should be at par with those from first class institutions abroad. They felt that the proportion of undergraduates and postgraduate students should be 2:1.

With the above recommendations of the Sarkar committee in view, the first Indian Institute of Technology was born in May 1950 in Hijli, Kharagpur, in the eastern part of India. Initially the IIT started functioning from 5, Esplanade East, Calcutta and very soon shifted to Hijli in Sept. 1950. The present name ‘Indian Institute of Technology’ was adopted before the formal inauguration of the Institute on August 18, 1951, by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad. IIT Kharagpur started its journey in the old Hijli Detention Camp where some of our great freedom fighters toiled and sacrificed their lives for the independence of our country. The history of IIT Kharagpur is thus intimately linked with the history of the Hijli Detention Camp. This is possibly one of the very few Institutions all over the world which started life in a prison house.

Motto

The motto of IIT Kharagpur is “Yoga Karmashu Kaushalam” . The motto literally translates to “Excellence in action is Yoga” essentially implying that doing your work well is (true) yoga. It is sourced to Sri Krishna’s discourse to Arjuna in Bhagavad Gita. This quote in its larger context of Gita urges man to acquire equanimity because such a soul endowed with the mind of equanimity allows him to shed the effects of his good and evil deeds in this world itself. Equanimity is the source of perfection in Karmic endeavors while leading to Salvation..

Mission

The Institute thrives to life of every citizen of the country and to be acknowledged as the best in the world. The institute makes every effort to focus towards national interest.

  1. To provide broad based education where students are urged to develop their professional skills
  2. To draw the best expertise in science, technology, management and law to impart overall training to students in visualizing, synthesizing and executing projects.
  3. To incubate a spirit of entrepreneurship and innovation in passing out students
  4. To undertake sponsored research and provide consultancy services in industrial educational and society relevant areas.

Vision

1. To be a center of excellence in education and research producing global leaders in science, technology and management
2. To be a place where knowledge is created in frontier areas of national and global importance.

Architecture & Regional Planning Department

In the year 1952, under the leadership of Professor E. Braner, a group of ten students formed the nucleus of this department. Soon it developed into a full-fledged undergraduate programme also offering post-graduate courses in 1956, for the first time, in the country. The Institute of Town Planners had also its beginning in this department. With time, pioneering attempts were made to start advance training in Building Science, Application of Computer Techniques in Architectural design Simulation, Presentation Graphics and Construction Technology. The consultancy activities of the department range from government and large corporate clients in the country ranging from design of large townships, institutions, landscaped environmental planning to conservation of heritage sites and buildings.

Some of the key areas of research include Building Technology and Management, Housing and Community Planning, Heritage Studies and Conservation, Urban Design, Visual and Graphic Design, Computer Applications in Architecture and Planning, GIS and Multimedia Applications, Environmental Design, Transportation Planning and Traffic Engineering, Metropolitan Planning, Infrastructure Planning and Systems Management.

Courses offered

Undergraduate Degree  Postgraduate Degree 
   Master of City Planning (MCP)
 

Contact Info 

Head of the Department
Prof. Subrata Chattopadhyay
Phone (Head’s chamber) : +91-3222-282246
Office : +91-3222-282245
Phone (Chamber) : +91-3222-283210
Phone (Residence) : +91-3222-283211, +91-3222-277823
Email :

 

Disclaimer: The information provided above has been taken from the official website of the institution. You are advised to visit the official website to check for any change or modification.