Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur
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The Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur (IIT Kharagapur) is the oldest of Indian Institutes of Technology.
Institute History
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In 1946, a committee was set up by 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.
In accordance with these recommendations of the Sarkar committee, the first Indian Institute of Technology was established in May 1950 in the eastern Indian state of West Bengal.
Initially, the IIT started functioning at 5, Esplanade East, Calcutta and very soon shifted 120 km south east to Hijli, Kharagpur in September 1950. The present name 'Indian Institute of Technology' was adopted before the formal inauguration of the Institute on August 18, 1951, by Maulana Abdul Kalam Azad.
IIT Kharagpur is possibly the only major technical institution in the world that started life in a prison house. IIT Kharagpur started in the pre-independence Hijli Detention Camp where freedom fighters were imprisoned and executed. The office building at the camp, which during World War II served as the headquarters of the 20th Bomber Command of the United States 20th Air Force, initially housed classrooms and the library. It is has now been converted into the Nehru Museum.
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."
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. It was also given the status of an autonomous university.
From its modest start in 1950, IIT Kharagpur has been engaged in a steady process of development and now has 29 academic departments, centres and schools and 17 hostels (called "Halls of Residence", or just Halls). The 2100 acre (8.5 km²) campus is a self contained township of over 15,000 inhabitants. Currently IIT kharagpur has about 450 faculty, 2200 employees and 2700 students on the campus.
Campus
Institute
The institute building and the departments are laid out on the academic campus. On entering the IIT campus, the main gate is one of the first things that one sees. Beyond the gate is a circle and the institute building stands just behind it.
Halls of residence
The Hostels are laid out along Scholars Avenue which runs from the Institute gates all the way upto the B. C Roy hospital. There are eight hostels in all for Undergraduate male students and two for women. In addition, there are a few Post Graduate Students' hostels.
Meticulous care seemed to have been taken in the placement of these halls, one would notice that the girls' hostels are closest to the institute and the police station.
Cycling is the predominant mode of commuting to campus although some prefer walking and a chosen few sport motorbikes.
Azad Hall
The hall has four blocks named A,B,C and D. There are three levels in all the blocks except A which has two. C block has the maximum number of rooms and hence maximum residents. Nomenclature goes by specifying the block name, level and then east/west/middle as location within the block. A schematic of the plan of Azad Hall gives a reasonable picture of what it looks like. The photograph was taken from the point marked X in the direction of the arrow (approximately).
The hall houses approximately 250 residents. The staff include around 20 mess workers and the staff in the warden's office. The hall has three wardens - Chief, Mess and Accounts. They are usually faculty members. The hall has an elected student committee which consists of a president, four general secretaries (Social/Cultural, Sports, Maintenance and Mess) and a number of secretaries. These members of the hall council are elected every year in the beginning of april. They are responsible for the smooth functioning of all hall activities.
The Mess is the place where hall residents meet everyday for breakfast, lunch, evening tea and dinner. The hall has a common room where a music system, a few board games and magazines are kept for common use. A library is located in B-Top-Middle where a number of textbooks and fiction material are stored - hall residents are allowed to issue these books. A TV room and night canteen are located at B-First-Middle. The hall music room is in C-Ground-East - the hall possesses electric guitars, a synthesizer, tabla, drumset and some other music equipment for use in competitions. The Guest room is in A-First. The space above the Mess is empty and is used as a place of relaxation by many.
The different blocks are connected at ground level by corridors and at the first floor level by catwalks that run above the corridors.
Bidhan Chandra Roy Hall
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Established in the early years of formation of Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, the B. C. Roy Hall of Residence has a fairly long legendary history. Named after the eminent physician Dr. Bidhan Chandra Roy, the first chief minister and the architect of post independent modern West Bengal, this hall has come to be meant exclusively for (male) research scholars of the institute. Vis-a-vis to this exclusivity, the hall has been able to conserve a thorough cosmopolitan and national character, which is an integral part of the IIT system. The scholars from different departments and centers cutting across the regional and cultural boundaries enjoy accommodation here. In fact, the hall can boast of electing a president with non-indian nationality in the recent past. That way, B. C. Roy Hall of Residence may claim a distinct place for presenting a rare blend of perfectly homogeneous mixture of uniformity and diversity.
The hall, located just opposite the main gate of the institute campus, houses 160 boarders in its five separate blocks at a time. Being the breeding ground of tomorrow's scientists, technologists and researchers, the hall participates in a wide range of extra-curricular activities including the inter-hall football and cricket championships, Rangoli and Diwali. The creative brilliance and aesthetic excellence of the hall boarders (and the concerned staff) exhibit itself during the gardening competition each year. The hall can claim to have one of the best garden in the flower session among its competitors. Besides taking part in the inter-hall competitions, the hall boarders participate in a series of intra-hall sports activities. The hall day celebration, annual celebration of Dr. B. C. Roy's birthday, fresher's welcome of the new boarders in each semester are among few of them. Of late, the hall has introduced the tradition of bidding formal farewell to the outgoing scholars of the hall. Each year, the hall organizes a drawing competition among the local children of different age-groups. It is the most flowery event in the calendar of B. C. Roy Hall as hundreds of children participate in this competition.
Link: http://www.bcroyhall.iitkgp.ernet.in
Gokhale Hall
Homi Jahangir Bhabha Hall
This is a hall for first-year students with a capacity of 168. It is a hexagon-shaped building with an extension taken in from J C Bose hall. It was inaugurated on July 24, 1998 by R P Goenka, Chairman, Board of Governors. It is situated near Gymkhana swimming pool and stadium (hubs of student activity). The students enjoy a reputation for being active participants in campus life.
J C Bose Hall
This is also an very old hostel currently being inhabited by first year students. Its a two story hostel unlike other halls which are three story buildings. The tempo of people is specially high in "C" block, in front of "A" block. Whenever there is an all out war between all the gangs of JCB and HJB then first to get mauled is the meekly "A", then "C" moves on to attack "D", where the gangs of JCB unite and attack HJB from the top of cycle stand. Poor HJB cant stand this attack and tries to cool the matter by throwing water from their top floor, but the battle-hardened "C" block residents refuse to get back and only return after winning the WAR. During the Holi time people use to set fires to dry grasses also. Once upon a time in a ground far far near to Cand A block there was a mighty fire, which blackened the whole ground and left a deep scar on that face of earth. When there is no war people prefer to give GPL's to a guy in "A" block, or pluck guavas from trees, play kabaddi, tree-climbing, pitto, cricket etc etc. Bhaating , cursing the mess food and Elec Lab staff is another favourite time pass of the residents of this block.
Lala Lajpat Rai Hall
As the name suggest LLR hall is named after Lala Lajpat Rai,one of the greatest freedom fighters.This hall has a capacity to seat around 300 students.LLR always had recognition for its studious students.Most of the President Gold Medals which are awarded to best student in academic performances are won by LLR hall residents.
Meghnad Saha Hall
Among all the halls of IIT Kharagpur,the M S Hall is the most beautiful and has the highest capacity(400 students).It generally houses the 1st year undergraduate students along with some research scholars
Mother Teresa Hall
Nehru Hall
Nehru Hall, named after Pandit Jawaharlal* Nehru and the second oldest hall on campus is possessed of an electrifying atmosphere that is hard to match. The tempo of a Nehruite is hard to beat and the plus point of the Hall must be its unity. Good in sports as well as social and cultural events, our strong points being volleyball and hockey in the former and dramatics and entertainment in the latter. Nehru Hall is always buzzing with activity. Come into the Hall on any given night and you shall be able to hear the strains of the Hall music team practising in the music room as you watch night cricket being played in C Ground. For all you know, drams rehearsals may be taking place in the common room as well.
Patel Hall
This hall is named after Late Sardar Vallabh Bhai Patel, the Iron Man of India. Built in December 1951, it is the oldest hall of the whole IIT community. It is situated in the PAN loop, off the Scholar's avenue. Patel hall is synonymous with tempo(enthusiasm). The most striking thing about Patel is their ever lasting high tempo among its residents.
This hall is also known among Kgpians as Basti.
New Patel Hall Website: http://www.patelians.org/
Radhakrishnan Hall
Radhakrishnan Hall of Residence, or commonly known as R.K.Hall, is named after the renowned scholar and statesman, Dr. Sarvapalli Radhakrishanan, President of India from 1962-1967. RK Hall has always stood as the foremost in the campus, be it sports, so-cults or the coveted illumination. Its glorious history boasts of 21 Sports GC(General Championship) and 19 So-Cult GC's, more than any other hall. The Hall's strength in sports can be judged from the fact that even the extra players in some teams are Inter-IIT players.
However, more than co-curriculars, RK Hall stands out for its unique culture, which is woven around the principle of unity, espcially its Wing culture, where boarders of all years live together, giving excellent exposure and enrichment to an RKite's life. RKites of yesteryears occupy some of the most important positions in industry and academics. Some of the names which come to our mind are: Vinod Gupta, founder InfoUSA; Prof. PP Chakravarti, Dean SRIC, IIT Kharagpur;Sandipan Deb, Editor Outlook Weekly Magazine.
Rajendra Prasad Hall
Founded in 1954, The hall is named after Dr. Rajendra Prasad, the first president of the Republic of India, in gratitude and admiration for the dedication and sacrifice with which he has served his country.
Ever since it's inception, it has been continually setting new standards of excellence for the students of IIT Kharagpur in every sphere of activity.Seamlessly integrating tradition with technology, it has cultivated an outlook ready to embrace the new without discarding the old. That is why, even after the years have flown by, in whatever corner of the world an RPian might be, waging the many battles of life, he shall remain, true to the RP culture, A Gentleman By Choice.
Among other things this Hall is the indisputable leader in General Championship - Sports and Games and Illumination (This word/event defines the spirit of kgp in many ways).
Sarojini Naidu Hall
The girl's hostel at IIT Kharagpur, commonly known as the SN hall, has two main buildings: Old SN (with C,D&E blocks) and IG (with F,G&H).
Life in SN is really centered around three areas: the mess, the common room and the quadrangle (in that order!). My first impressions of the mess include a large line of hungry girls in the roti line, a team of shouting mess-ammas at the counter, a thoroughly hassled mess-duty girl checking for preferences, two large mess tables with dal, rice and home-made pickle being passed from end to end, a bunch of cats eating off finished plates, and everybody talking in their loudest voice. Things really got interesting on special dinner days when the preference line started well before 7:00pm. The mess was also where the most interesting fundaes were given and learnt during OP and where everything ended with deafening hall tempo shouts. The commmon room was the favourite haunt for TV junkies and soc-cult enthusiasts. The room was too big to ever fill to capacity, so it was ideal for Saraswati pujas, Rangoli, play/ choreo practice and of course, MR!! The garden was best kept (and best loved) in winters, and everyone sat around to get some sun on weekends (...1st and 2nd years typically ended up having heated inter-batch shouting matches and some memorable water fights). It was also the site for all hall day activities.
SN Hall's history (http://www.iitfoundation.org/iit/halls/sn/history.shtml)
Vidyasagar Hall
VS hall is an M.Tech Hall.
Zakir Hussain Hall
Ashutosh Mukherjee Hall
Hall of Management Guys and Gals. With some pretty faces showing up at SAM, the affection of guys towards SN Hall has been shifting to this Hall. More would follow once we have an insight into the details of the functioning of this hall.
MBM Hostel
Chedhi's
Chedhi's is/was an eatery in a thatched hut, located right by the railway tracks, close to institute. Chedhi's is/was known and loved for its late night tasty menu of a variety of specialties and its generous extension of credit to generations of students.
Annual events
Fests
The two fests of IIT Kharagpur are conducted very professionally.There are dedicated teams for both the fests who work from start of the year.
Spring Fest
Held Annually in January, Springfest is the largest college fest in Eastern India and the second largest in the country. Spread over four or five days, springfest hosts a variety of competitions and performances by some of the best professional bands in India.
Kshitij and beyond
Kshitij, the annual techno-management festival of I.I.T. Kharagpur. It has participation from colleges all over India (and even some from abroad) apart from the 4000 strong student community within the campus.
Kshitij hosts a galaxy of events aimed at boosting the technological and managerial skills inherent in today's youth. It provides a chance for the best brains to meet and think over what new can be pursued in the field of technology and management. Kshitij boasts of having played host to a number of celebrities like Shiv Khera,Arindam Choudhary, Richard Stallman, Subir Raha etc. From workshops to interactive guest lectures, brainstorming quizzes to fun events, Kshitij has it all.
Kshitij took off in its present avtar in 2004, when 260 particpants from outside the campus came for the Fest. In 2005, this figure swelled to 1400, including particpants from outside India. All we can say is that it's real nice that I.I.T. Kharagpur finally has a Tech Fest befitting its status as the numero uno engineering college in India.
Kshitij, incidentally is a joint effort by the students and faculty members of all technical departments and the Vinod Gupta School of Management, I.I.T. Kharagpur.
Robotix
The Annual Robotics competition held at IIT Kharagpur aims to bring forth the technical talent in the country. Started in the year 2001, Robotix has come a long way and boasts of being one of the largest competitions of its kind in India.
There are six levels of problems this year [4th to 6th February 2005] that the participants may take part in. The simplest of them all is Power Boats - where the machine built by the participant has to race in water. Other problems are Canon Balls, Lodestones, Mission Mars and Conquerors. While Canon Balls tests the Mechanical and Electrical aspects of a machine, the Lodestones deals with the ability of the machine to sense. Mission Mars and Conquerors are soft events and are meant for those ready to spend timeless hours in front of the computer.
For more information, log onto http://www.robotixiitkgp.com
Hall Day
A hall day or hall social is held once a year in march. On this day, people of the hall invite their friends from other halls for food and drinks and it usually ends with a rock music/eastern music show by some professional group. It is a lot of fun and everyone gets a chance to unwind and party wildly. Lights hang in mid air and a throng of people can be seen dancing in front of the stage.
Each hall names its Hall Day. For example RK Hall's Hall Day is called RespecK, Nehru hall's is called Zephyr. The most crowded of all the Hall Days is InSigNia, the Hall Day of the SN/IG Hall. Don't be misled by the aforesaid fact because the crowd is mainly due to the lack of space in that hall rather than because of the girls('girls' is a misnomer. Non-$%^&* is the proper word for it).
Illumination & Rangoli
Held during Diwali (October/November), Illumination (Illu) & Rangoli are unique in every sense. They are fought for on an inter-hall basis.
Diwali being the festival of lights, Illumination is a breath-taking display of lighted diyas (earthen lamps). Each hall has a theme of its own, which is portrayed by two dimensional figures with outlines marked by diyas. The underlying idea might involve "panelling" or "chatais". Each hall of residence uses around 20,000 diyas to crystallize the theme.
Gigantic Rangolis (around 12' by 12') of exquisite detail and subtle shading are constructed using coloured powders, crushed bangles, pebbles, etc. Interplay of light and shadow and ambient music are part of the display.
Evaluation criteria
- Theme
- Narration
- Ambience
- Aesthetics and skill
Traditional Celebration
The winners get a potful of Rasgullas. Champions - 300, First Runner-up - 200, Second Runner-up - 100. This is followed by a lot of TEMPO SHOUTS!!!!
Gymkhana election
The gymkhana is run by an elected student committee. The president is a professor nominated by the Director of the institute.The student head is the Vice President(VP) followed by the General Secretaries (G Secs). There are 6 G Secs in 3 categories - G Sec(Soc. & Cult.), G Sec(Sports and Games) and G Sec(Technology). Then there are a bunch of secretaries whose functioning is overlooked by the G'Secs. The VP speaks for the students in the institute senate.He is a part of the institute administration where he represents the students. The G Secs are responsible for conducting Gymkhana Events,Spring Fest and Kshitij.
The elections for the gymkhana committee are held in the last week of March i.e. one month before the end of the academic year. The nominations are filed over a week and then displayed on notice boards. The students are allowed around three days to withdraw their nominations after which the campaigning period starts.
The candidates go from hall to hall campaigning and they have to present everyone with a calli chautha (a short manuscript describing their ideas and intentions)."Soap Boxes" are held for the major posts where the candidates are grilled on their fundae (knowledge about facts, figures and how things run in the institute).
Miscellaneous
It has been ranked the no. 1 engineering institute in India by India Today in 2001, 2002 and 2003.
The institute is a member of LAOTSE, an international network of leading universities in Europe and Asia exchanging students and senior scholars.
External Links
- Official Homepage (http://www.iitkgp.ac.in)
- Kshitij 2005 - the techno-management festival (http://www.kshitij.iitkgp.ernet.in)
- Vinod Gupta School of Management (http://www.som.iitkgp.ernet.in)
- Alumni Site of IIT Kharagpur (http://www.iitfoundation.org)
- Robotix 2005 (http://robotixiitkgp.com)