The historic connection

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.

Pandit Nehru in his first convocation address in 1956 said "Here in the place of that Hijli Detention Camp stands the fine monument of India, representing India's urges, India's future in the making. This picture seems to me symbolical of the changes that are coming to India."

There were 224 freshers and 42 teachers in August 1951 when the first session started. The class rooms, laboratories and the Administrative office were housed in the historic building of the Hijli Detention Camp. The Institute started its academic programme with only 10 Departments.

On March, 1952, Pandit Nehru laid the foundation stone of the New Building.

The layout of the present campus and the design of the buildings were carried out by a host of engineers and architects under the guidance of an eminent Swiss architect Dr Werner M Moser.

The Institute had Sir JC Ghosh, an eminent Scientist as its first Director under whose able stewardship the Institute grew in its formative years.

On September 15, 1956, the Parliament of India passed an act known as the Indian Institute of Technology (Kharagpur) Act declaring this Institute as an Institute of national importance.

The Institute was also given the status of an autonomous University. From this modest start in 1950, IIT-Kharagpur has been engaged in a steady process of development with about 18 academic departments, five centres of excellence.

The vast tree-laden campus, spreading over 2,100 acres has a self contained township of over 15,000 inhabitants.

Currently IIT-Kharagpur has about 450 faculty, 2200 employees and 2700 students on the campus.