Abhijnana ::: IIT Kharagpur

Prof. Virendra Kumar Tewari
Director, IIT KGP

This year we are introducing the inaugural edition of our Institute Newsletter, the IIT Kharagpur Newsletter under the guidance of Prof. Karabi Das, Dean Outreach. The IIT KGP newsletter is an amalgamation of meticulously designed inclusive report that offers essential information about the varsity. It is an amalgamation of our dedicated efforts for creating a comprehensive compendium, highlighting the institute's activities including Research Innovations, Faculty Insights, Events and Workshops, Community Engagement and Achievements of the KGP Community.

Recently, IIT Kharagpur ranked 222nd in the world, 3rd among IITs and 4th in India in the latest QS World University Rankings 2025 jumping ahead 49 places. The Institute ranked 5th in Engineering and overall 6th in India being 5th in Research; 9th in Innovation; 2nd in Architecture & 7th in Law in the NIRF Ranking 2024. The institute has also ranked 45th in the latest PitchBook University Rankings 2024 leaving behind many renowned universities in the world.

With almost 80,000+ Almuni including 400 entrepreneurs and 200 unicorns, the illustrious alumni network of the institute are leaders of transformations, emphasizing stronger industry-academic collaboration and leveraging technology. Under NEP 2020, IIT Kharagpur has scrapped the branch change option and introduced double major, minor specialization, and a Semester Away Programme (SAP) in the UG programmes. IIT Kharagpur has established several Centres of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence; Precision Agriculture & Food Nutrition; Advance Transportation and Manufacturing; Safety & Reliability; Affordable Healthcare; Urban Planning and Design etc. A DRDO Industry Academia - Centre of Excellence (DIA-CoE) has also been established along with a Centre of Teaching Learning & Educational Technology (CTLET). The institute is also diligently working towards the G-20 declarations in 12 major areas of Advanced Materials, Rareearth & Critical Minerals; Energy Sustainability and Climate Change; Agri & Food Technologies; Semiconductors; Advanced Computing in Healthcare & Medtech; Space and Defence; Next-Gen Communications; Disaster Management & Resilient Infrastructure; Blue Economy; Smart Cities & Mobility; Manufacturing & Industry 4.0

Having the finest tech minds of the country, IIT Kharagpur have the expertise to lead change in the growing sectors of AI; robotics; energy and climate change; high-tech infrastructure; start-up ecosystem; entrepreneurship; make in India; make for the world and many other sectors which can make a lot of constructive difference in the lives of the people of our country. This newsletter is a platform for all of faculty, students and alumni to share their stories, ideas, and accomplishments. Let's continue to foster a culture of excellence and innovation at IIT Kharagpur with growth, discovery, and accomplishments!

Prof. Rintu Banerjee
Deputy Director, IIT KGP

It is my pleasure to inform you that IIT Kharagpur is coming back to its own rhythm. The traditional practices of bringing out the newsletter which was discontinued for quite a long time, has been reinitiated. Newsletter is a platform that can keep their audience informed and up-to-date and help to reduce miscommunication by providing a centralized source of information related to departmental as well as many other activities of the Institute.

We are working diligently to build state-of-the-art infrastructure that supports ground-breaking research that can help both the faculty and students of our Institute and the Industry as well. By nurturing innovative solutions that address global challenges, we strive to enhance our Institute’s reputation as a global leader in research and education. The Institute at present focuses on 5G and 6G technologies, AI and machine learning, railway research, Industry 4.0, safety engineering, biotechnology, biomedical engineering, precision agriculture and food security.

The overarching goal is to achieve food and water security, contributing to a sustainable and prosperous future. Our vision is ambitious yet grounded in our core values of excellence, inclusivity, and societal impact by strengthening our global alumni network, creating a merit-based academic culture and involving the alumni intensely with our transformative activities for which we are committed. I am confident that we will receive your unwavering support and encouragement. We hope you will find this newsletter both informative and inspiring.

Greetings to all our readers. I am delighted to welcome you to the inaugural issue of the Quarterly Newsletter of the IIT Kharagpur. I believe that this Newsletter will serve as a platform to showcase the Institute’s achievements. I hope that our valuable stakeholders will find the issue informative and useful.

This newsletter aims to celebrate our rich history, current successes, and the promising future ahead. Let’s continue to embody the spirit of excellence and innovation that defines the IIT Kharagpur. As we share our successes and ongoing initiatives, I encourage everyone to engage with the content and share your thoughts and ideas with us. Together, we can continue to strengthen our outreach efforts and foster collaboration within and beyond our campus. Thank you for being an essential part of our journey.

Celebrating Excellence: 69th Convocation of IIT Kharagpur

The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur celebrated its 69th Convocation Day on December 18, 2023, in the beautifully adorned Netaji Auditorium with the presence of the Hon'ble President of India, Smt. Droupadi Murmu, as the Chief Guest

Visits

Visit of Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary Department of Science and Technology, Government of India at Sophisticated Analytical Technical Help Institute (SATHI) facility at IIT Kharagpur.

Shri Dharmendra Pradhan, Honorable Union Minister for Education, and Dr. Sukanta Majumdar, Honorable Union Minister of State for Education visited IIT Kharagpur Research Park in Kolkata, pledging to foster cutting-edge research, technology commercialization, and strategic partnerships.

74th Foundation Day

Department of Artificial Intelligence

Inaugurated on August 29, 2024 focusing on fundamental and applied AI.
Includes interdisciplinary areas like Climate Studies, Earth Science and Robotics.
Offers B.Tech and M.Tech programs in AI.
Hosts workshops, symposia (R-FARMS & COeAI-SPARC) & collaborates with AI4ICPS for online upskilling programs.

Inauguration Day of AI

Idea behind new academic programs

HAAI Programs COM ceremony & Outreach Activities (2023-24)

Department of Education

Inaugurated on October 14, 2024 as the first of its kind in the IIT system.
Aims to offer the Integrated Teacher Education Programme (ITEP), aligning with the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and National Council for Teacher Education (NCTE).
Offers a 4-year program with a Dual Major undergraduate degree in specific disciplines and a B.Ed.
Currently offers a B.Sc-B.Ed (Secondary Stage) with majors in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics, and Economics.
Welcomed first batch of undergraduate students in 2023-24 academic year
Having eight faculty members in relevant fields along with requisite technical and support staff.
Features dedicated laboratories for Chemistry, Physics and Software Laboratories along with Seminar Room.

Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy

Important Initiatives (2023-2024)

Centre of Excellence (CoEs): Established Center of Excellences such as CoE on DRDO Industry Academia CoE, CoE on Safety Engineering & Analytics and DHI Centre of Advanced Manufacturing Technology etc.
Industry Partnerships: Collaborated with leading companies including Intel, Cisco Research, Qualcomm, Google, Samsung, Synopsys, Flipkart, CEAT, TCS, Chatterjee Group, Ericsson, Eastern Coalfields Ltd., Tata Steel, Jindal Group, Larson & Toubro, GRSE, NHAI, Reliance Industries Ltd., EIF, SAIL, HAL, Uranium Corporation of India Ltd. etc.
National Missions: Actively involved in National Coordinating Institution for mission-driven research initiatives like SPARC and NDLI.
Technology Development: Currently, 124 technologies are poised for commercialization at a high Technology Readiness Level.
Faculty Start-Up Research Grant (FSRG): Approximately 117 projects ongoing, with 40 more approved for FY 2023-2024.
Ethical Oversight: Conducted 4 Ethical & Stem Cell Committee meetings in FY 2023-2024, successfully processing over 70 proposals from researchers and faculty.

IPR & IR Cell's Activities

Introducing "Lab to Market" platform to promote business development from R&D activities and intellectual property generation.
In 2023-2024, 111 patents filed and 172 granted.
Faculty members showcased products at the National R&D Fair, IInvenTiv-2024, held in IIT Hyderabad on 19-20 Jan, 2024.

Celebrating Intellectual Property Day on 26th April 2024 to align inventions with Sustainable Development Goals.

The signing of the MoU between Ericson and IIT Kharagpur

Moments after the interaction session between the delegation from CII and IIT Kharagpur

'PATENT DRIVE: AUTUMN 2024', '100 patents in 100 hours' and '365 patents in 365 days'.

Technologies developed and presented recently-

Noninvasive Blood Perfusion based screening for Oral cancer and other oral ailments; Prof. Suman Chakraborty & team
KlearVisen(TM): Real-time Fog and Rain Removal from Video; Dr Sudipta Mukhopadhyay & team
Developing appropriate software and Hardware for fully automated self service public bicycle share (PBS) system; Prof. Debapratim Pandit
AI-enabled NDT system for weld defect detection from radiography images; Prof. Surjya Kanta Pal & team.
Air quality monitoring prototype; Subhasish B Majumder and team
Rural Technology Development and Ethanol Production from Sugarcane: Prof. Rintu Banerjee
Arsenic removal technology from ground water: Prof. Sirshendu De

Recently Completed Projects

Savitribai Phule Hall (Two Girls' Hostel)

Atal Bihari Vajpayee Hall (Boys' Hostel)

Institute Main Building & Nehru Museum

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur, the oldest and biggest of all IITs started its journey in 1951 in the old Hijli Detention Camp where some of our great freedom fighters toiled and sacrificed their lives for the independence of our country in the revolutionary struggle against the British Raj. In 1990, a part of the building of Hijli Detention Camp which stands as a harmonious testament to education, history, and culture, honoring the enduring legacy of brave souls, was converted to house the Nehru Museum of Science and Technology.

IIT Kharagpur actively implemented sustainable strategies to align with national targets and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through a dedicated committee overseeing sustainability efforts.

WATER MANAGEMENT

Rainwater harvesting: Recharge Wells & Water Body Rejuvenation

SOLID WASTE MANAGEMENT

REUSE & RECYCLE

Road Safety Initiative at Battala S Curve Reuse of old GI water pipes

Reuse of reclaimed paver blocks & construction debris

Use of Old pipes for making Security Post

INCLUSIVITY

Parking with Solar Panel w/o sheets underneath

Divyang corner

Communication Empowerment Lab (CEL)

Student Innovation Encouraged student projects in areas like TeamKart, TeamTRAK, Areal Vehicle, Robo-soccer, Autonomus Ground Vehicle (AGV), Robotics.