A total of 115 start-ups are currently being incubated, accelerated and graduated from across the country by the Agri Business Incubation Foundation (ABIF) at IIT Kharagpur. Out of 115, 37 Start-ups successfully participated in the ABIF Start-up EXPO 2024 organized from 24th – 25th October, 2024. Shri Partho Saha, CGM OFDD, NABARD, Mumbai attended the EXPO as the Chief Guest in the presence of Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur; Shri P.K Bhardwaj CGM NABARD WBRO; Prof. Madan Kumar Jha, HOD, Agriculture and Food Engineering Department and Shri K.V Iyer, Director ABIF along with other senior professors.
Shri Partho Saha, CGM OFDD, NABARD & Chief Guest of the event in his keynote address, emphasized the critical role that start-ups and entrepreneurs play in creating employment opportunities and driving the economy forward. He emphasized on strengthening the rural SME sector, increasing efficiency of rural value chains and how agri-tech start-ups play a vital role in fulfilling these mandates.
“Just like a successful movie or a symphony is a culmination of various efforts, the Start-up EXPO 2024 is a convergence initiative of IIT Kharagpur and NABARD with participation of investors, FPOs and students envisaged to make it a successful event for the ABIF supported start-ups,” remarked the Guest of Honour Shri P.K Bhardwaj, CGM West Bengal Regional Office, NABARD.
Over two days, ABIF start-ups displayed their products and services to a wide audience comprising of investors, fund managers, professors, farmers, students etc. Product based start-ups displayed their products whereas machinery and service based start-ups were displayed through audio visual. Start-ups participated in Pitch Presentation Competitions in front of an expert panel comprising of investors, professors and fund managers to acquire seed money assistance from ABIF along with expert sessions.
The host and Chief Convener of the EXPO, Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Acting Director, IIT Kharagpur highlighted the activities by IIT Kharagpur to foster entrepreneurship and the start-up ecosystem through convergence among its various incubators like ABIF, AI4ICPS, SATHI, STEP and Research Park.
“What you are doing or what you are going to do will have a great impact in making India the 3rd largest economy in the world, therefore have patience and simply remember that farmers’ prosperity is the utmost priority,” said Mr. K V Iyer, Director ABIF to the participating start-up community.
Notable winners in the graduation stage were Syangbos Living Food and Beverages Pvt Ltd, Rural Rise Agrinery LLP and Tender Buds Tea & Crafts Pvt Ltd who won the seed grant of Rs 5 lakhs. Rudranjali Innovative Agritech Pvt Ltd, Aati Pual Mushroom Pvt Ltd and Rhodotion International Pvt Ltd, were awarded with a seed grant of Rs. 1 lakh each. In the acceleration stage, Bisuddha Enterprises, Savrog Udyog Pvt Ltd, Farm Genesis Technology Pvt Ltd, Shri Charbhuja Jaivik Farm, Aqua Doctor Solutions and PR Linseed Based Products were awarded Rs. 2 lakhs each as seed money. The 1st prize of Rs 2 lakhs for the best stall went to Kaffa Kuwwa Innovations Pvt Ltd with Ramanjali Organics winning the second runner up prize of Rs 1 lakh and Anwesha Jena from Makkai with the third runner up prize of Rs. 50000.
About ABIF:
Agri Business Incubation Foundation (ABIF) is a section-8 company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 at IIT Kharagpur. Funded by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD) and hosted by Agricultural and Food Engineering (AgFE) Department, IIT Kharagpur, ABIF is mandated to incubate, accelerate and graduate innovative ideas in agriculture, rural development, and allied domain for creating entrepreneurs and start-ups. ABIF is dedicated to execute the graduation of 125 Incubatees over the span of 5 years in Agriculture and allied activities; transfer low cost technologies at AgFE to small and marginal farmers; transfer action oriented climate smart and low cost technologies to rural community; Direct/Indirect employment generation to 1250 rural people and disseminate technologies developed through ABICs to benefit 25,000 farmers. The initiatives by ABIF at IIT Kharagpur manifests its commitment to the service of the nation and is expected to have a lasting positive impact on the start-up ecosystem across the country.
Inputs by: Mr. Manu Prem, CEO, ABIF, IIT Kharagpur Email : ceoabif@iitkgp.ac.in
By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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As the country enters its 78th year of Independence, IIT Kharagpur also enters its 74th year of foundation on 18th August 2024 which was adorned by the eminent personalities. Shri Amitabh Kant, India’s G-20 Sherpa and Former CEO of NITI Aayog graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. Dr. S P Somanath, Chairman ISRO; Dr. Samir V Kamat, Chairman, DRDO and Dr. Sonal Mansingh, Padma Vibhshan Awardee and Former MP, Rajya Sabha also graced the occasion as the Guests of Honour. The invocation started by hoisting the national flag and institute flag at the main building. Gitindra Saran Sanyal Faculty Excellence Awards; Young Alumni Achievers Awards, Nina Saxena Excellence in Technology Award; Staff Excellence Awards were conferred along with the institute employees who were felicitated upon completing 25 years of service.
Prof. Karabi Das, Dean Outreach welcomed all the dignitaries with her opening speech saying, “Today marks a significant milestone in our journey as we reflect on our rich history, celebrate our current achievements and envisioned our future filled with hope and innovation. It is my honour to see a diverse and distinguished group of people who have played a crucial role in shaping the trajectory of our institute. Our foundation day is not just a celebration of our history but a tribute of the collaborative spirit that propels IIT Kharagpur forward. When IIT Kharagpur was established in 18th August, 1951, it was found on the principles of excellence in education, ground breaking research, innovation and a strong commitment to societal impact. Today we have come a long way becoming global leaders in education and research which could not have been possible without the dedication of our faculty, brilliance of our students, ingenuity of our staffs and the continued encouragement and support of our Alumni. Today as we celebrate our Foundation, we also acknowledge the challenges that have defined our journey. Our institute’s strength lies in our abilities to adapt, innovate and lead with purpose, we are proud of the numerous contributions our communities have made in advancing technology and addressing the critical issues facing our world. The strong presence of all the dignitaries is the testament of all the strong network and collaboration that has helped us to grow. I would also like to extend my heartfelt gratitude to our Alumni for their continued engagement and contributions which have been essential for our growth and development along with my deepest gratitude to each and every member of the IIT Kharagpur family, your unwavering support, dedication and spirit have made a profound difference. Once again, I welcome you all to our 74th Foundation Day and look forward to a memorable day and inspiring day of reflection, celebration and forward looking dialogue.”
Prof. Rabibrata Mukherjee, Dean of International Relations congratulated all the awardees and welcomed everybody to the 74th Foundation Day of the Institute. He remarked that people might be wondering why is there a Dean of International Relations in an Indian Institute of Technology to which I would like to say that Shri Amitabh Kant ji is the testimony that we are no longer satisfied with what we are doing in the country. India is now poised to become global leaders and definitely technology and science is one such domain. While we are thriving to become the very best in the country, we are also competing and collaborating with the best in the world where incidentally are alumni are spread all over, if you talk about any institution, any organization, our alumni are present there. Today the world has changed a lot, previously when people needed to find some information, some data, people used to look in the newspapers, Encyclopedia Britannica, today when you want to check something where do you go, you go to Google which is headed by an IIT Kharagpur Alumnus. So, that is the level of internationalization that the IIT system has produced and I take lot of pride in telling everyone that this is the place that has given India its best known international brand that is the IIT System. So I welcome all of you here and to the Alumni and Young Alumni Achievers who are visiting us, you were students for 4 years but you are Alumni and KGPians for life. Just the way your teachers and professors have helped shaping you and your career either by attending the lectures and staying away from them, please understand that now the institute needs your help. We need active support, feedback, orientation, suggestions from the Alumni so kindly help us. You grow, you shine and along with you your Alma Mater will also shine.”
Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur in her welcoming address said, “We are celebrating our 74th Foundation Day and we are entering the platinum jubilee celebration this year. As the institute of Eminence, IIT Kharagpur has successful glorious stories, which have revolutionized the scientific motivations. And if we look back, the first day the institute had started with 42 faculty members and 224 students and on today’s date we have around 17,000 student community and 800+ faculty members in this institute. If we see the different departments, centers and schools then we can find that around 58 such departments, schools and centers and the most recently added department is the AI department. Everybody nowadays is talking about AI and IIT Kharagpur has thought to start the Undergraduate B.Tech programme in AI and this year 51 students have joined this programme. If we see the magnitude and diversity of this particular institute, we can find that in this institute, we have several unique departments that start with ocean and naval architecture. It has new different centres of excellence like the Advance Manufacturing Technology, Advance Transportation, Safety and Reliability Engineering, Advance Manufacturing Engineering, Artificial Engineering, Precision Agriculture and Food Nutrition are few to name. Now the institute expands its horizons in the field of medical education. Many of you are aware that we have started the New Hospital which is called the Syama Prasad Mukherjee Institute of Medical Science and Research. None of this would have been possible without the hard work and dedication of our faculty, staff, students and our Alumni. We owe our deepest gratitude to our current Member and future generations including our founding fathers who laid out the ground work of this institution, let us honour their legacy by upholding the values what IIT Kharagpur is today. In the recent address of our Education Minister Shri Dharmendra Pradhan ji, he emphasized a compelling vision of Indian Institute of Technologies. He highlighted that the need of IITs is not to just excel within the country but we have to go completely globally. IIT Kharagpur has already started and implemented the New Education Policy NEP 2020 and from this year we have given the flexibility of multiple entry and exists and double degree for the newly entered students of this institute. The major strength that lies with IIT Kharagpur is the globally recognized faculty members, students and the researchers as a result, in the Global QS Ranking, we are 222nd. In NIRF ranking also, we have improved a little bit which is not satisfactory, but we are working in that direction. I would like to extend my heartfelt thanks to everyone who have been a part of this remarkable journey, your passion, commitment and the vision have shaped IIT Kharagpur into what it is today. And together we will continue to drive its success into the future. Let us celebrate this day with pride, joy and renewed sense of purpose. Here is to many more years of excellence and innovations.”
Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur,remarked, “I welcome our Guests of Honours who are the two most important persons of India Dr. S P Somanath, Chairman, ISRO and Dr. Samir V Kamar, Chariman, DRDO along with Chief Guest Shri Amitabh Kant, India’s G-20 Sherpa & Former CEO of NITI Aayog. In addition to our long term association, Chairman DRDO has given us a 25 year DRDO project which is called the DRDO Industry Centre of Excellence. We are inculcating certain strategic and futuristic research in very important areas and I am sure that this project’s outcome will be utilized by DRDO, for the Deference requirement of the country. I would also like to thank our Guest of Honour Dr. Sonal Mansigh, Padma Vibhushan Awardee and Former MP, Rajya Sabha for taking out time and enchanting us with her mesmerizing performances. Our goal has been to be the top 10 universities in the world and we are rigorously working towards it. On the similar lines IIT started out with 224 students and now stands at 17000 students. Our own education research and consultancy with new infrastructure development have been aligned with the country’s growth and requirement. Being the first IIT and the indigenous IIT of the country, the IIT Kharagpur mothered the IIT system structure which was later followed by IIT Bombay and IIT Madras. IIT Kharagpur has the best AQI among all the other IITs, which is between 20-40 and the best atmosphere with beautiful and clean campus and I hope we also perform well in our sustainable initiatives. This is the first IIT to have implemented NEP 2020 in its letter and spirit and changed our course curriculum in 2020. We initiated that anybody who enters IIT Kharagpur should have atleast one course in AI. IIT Kharagpur has the largest number of faculty members working in AI as compared to other IITs and centrally funded universities, having a department in AI with 51 students. We already have an M.Tech in AI and now we are gearing up for having PhD in AI. We are the first IIT to have a Department of Education which was granted to us by the Ministry of Education to produce top quality students and teachers for schools. We are currently providing B.Sc & B.Ed in Physics, Chemistry, Mathematics and Economics. There is a lot of flexibility in the current curriculum as well with students being allowed to pursue any other course they want apart from their parent domain. Having 59 departments, schools, centres and academies, we have branched out to Academy of Classical & Folk Arts where Dr. Sonal Mansingh, Padma Vibhushan accepted our invitation to guide us since last one year.”
Shri Amitabh Kant, India’s G-20 Sherpa and Chief Guest of the 72nd Foundation Day of IIT Kharagpur remarked, “For the growing India, we need innovation of the highest order which would require India to become an Innovation hub. This in turn will require us to invest in applied research and market oriented innovation for which we need a huge build-up of Academia-Research-Industry Partnership. We also need to build innovation, infrastructure talent with prototyping and testing to transition from labs to markets. The mistakes we did in our initial years was to establish research Institutes outside which were independent bodies, but all future researches should be part of the academic institutions like the IIT Kharagpur. All CSIR/DSIR institutions should be linked to the academic institutions as all the innovations in the world happens from the academic institutions where professors and students work together, that is how Silicon Valley was created. Industry oriented skills has to come from institutions like IIT Kharagpur and further innovation and research must come IIT research base. High quality patents can lead to huge competitive advantage for India and make India a market leader because patents must lead to commercially viable innovation and all patents must lead to commercial innovation. We also have to enhance the scientific and public innovation. India is paying much more in Intellectual Property Royalties (IPR) than in returns. We have 24000 PhD graduates in India, the US produces 68000 doctoral graduated. According to the economic survey only 51.25% of the Indian graduates are deemed employable. So, we are responsible for whoever we produce from the academic institutions, must not only be employable but should be highly innovative and should be an innovator, disrupting society in a manner that has ever seen before. We need to create many more institutions like ISRO and DRDO which will ensure that our defence imports are brought to zero and we become the world’s leading exporter with space entrepreneurs. The government has taken several initiatives, it has pushed for innovation, a new mission on artificial intelligence, quantum computing, pushed for 76000 crore scheme for semi-conductors and 25000 crore scheme for green hydrogen; 1.93 lakh crores on production linked incentive manufacturing in India so that Make in India & Start-up India receives huge impetus. In a very short time we have become the 3rd best start-up ecosystem in the world. To become the 5 trillion dollar economy in the next 4-5 years, the challenge for India is to raise its per capita income which can come from intuitions like IIT Kharagpur. IIT Kharagpur was the founder of all IITs, it has been the father figure to all IITs. It has not only inspired million of engineers in India but also encouraged all other IITs to become the Centres of Excellence so the future of India is truly in the hands of Institutions like IIT Kharagpur. Its energy, its vitality, its dynamism will shape India in the years to come.”
A total of 09 Faculty Excellence Awards, along with 30 Staff Excellence Awards. Until last year, the staff members who have who have completed 25 years of service were recognized and presented with a wrist watch as a token of appreciation for their unwavering dedication towards the service of the institute. This year for the first time opinions were shared and discussed with the faculty and staff members to suggest something that will have a greater impact of belonginess than just being a souvenir. Therefore, it is decided that a silver medal along with a designer box carrying the IIT Kharagpur logo will be presented to the employees who have completed their distinguished services in the institute. In regard to this, a design competition was organized in the institute to select the design of the medal and the box. The first placed was given to Mr. Sanjeev Halder from the Department of Agricultural & Food Engineering; the second place was give to Dr. Prakash Sharma from Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law and the third place was given to Mr. Sunil Patra from Computer and Informatics Centre. A total of 74 employees were recognized for their uninterrupted 25 years of service to the Institution.
When the Guest of Honours became the Awardees
In an exciting and surprising change of events the 74th Foundation Day of IIT Kharagpur was changed in to a quick set-up of Convocation Day for the Conferment of our Life Fellow Awards of 2023 to Dr. S P Somanath, Chairman ISRO and Dr. Smair V Kamat, Chairman, DRDO.
The Man, the Legend, the Achiever, Dr. Sreedhara Panicker Somanath is the Distinguished Scientist and Chairman of Indian Space Research Organization. Under his chairmanship, ISRO carried out the third Indian lunar exploration mission named Chandrayaan-3, making India the first country to successfully land a spacecraft near the lunar south pole and the fourth country to demonstrate soft landing on the Moon. Dr. Somanath also served as the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space Centre, Thiruvananthapuram and Director of Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, Thiruvananthapuram. He is globally renowned for his contributions to launch vehicle design, particularly in the areas of launch vehicle systems engineering, structural design, structural dynamics, and pyrotechnics. Also served as a Secretary of the Department of Space and Chairman of Space Commission, he piloted the National Space Policy, draft Space Bill, facilitated IN-SPACe activation, engagement of ISRO with new space actors and leading the Indian Space Enterprise. He also played a crucial role in human rating of the LVM3 launch vehicle for the ambitious Gaganyaan mission for sending Indians to Space. Under his leadership, a new launch vehicle, TV-D1, was developed and successfully demonstrated the crew escape systems capability. An expert in the area of system engineering of Launch Vehicles, under his leadership seven PSLV missions, two GSLV missions and two GSLV-MkIII missions were accomplished successfully along with the successful demonstration of the Pad Abort Test (PAT). Awarded the Doctorate of Science (Honoris Causa) by SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tamil Nadu, Dr. Somanath has been providing leadership in motivating young minds through innovative programs of outreach and spreading the awareness of the power of space technology on the lives of common people of this country.
After receiving the award Dr. S P Somanath, Chairman ISRO, said “Thank you so much for this opportunity and selecting me for the Life Fellow Award. I would like to tell you that I am totally 100% made in India product. Whatever I did was from the knowledge and skill I acquired from the Indian Space Research Organization. I would like to thank my alma mater and TKM College of Engineering, IISc Bangalore and others. I thank all my teachers and gurus in ISRO and these institutions. Our work has been in building certain capabilities in this organization in the last 38 years along with the years I was working. I am fortunate to work with great people, motivators, leaders, who made ISRO what it is today and had the opportunity to follow their footsteps today and do certain works that made all of us proud like the Chandrayaan 3. This gives us more courage and determination to work towards achieving greater goals in the future. Whatever you are doing, it is great as an institution and the ability to connect with you is very important for all of us in ISRO and other scientific organizations in the world and in this country. There is a great vision ahead for all of us in ISRO and I will like you to be a part of it as well, contributing in your capability in different domains. I would be more than happy to connect the faculty of IIT Kharagpur with the scientist in ISRO for greater goals that we have set for ourselves. Thank you so much for the opportunity.
A Distinguished Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, Dr. Kamat stands on the pedestal of transformational leadership providing direction to several critical materials programmes in DRDO as the Secretary DDR&D and Chairman Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) such as development of high strength steels for naval ship hulls, development of high temperature titanium alloys and nickel base superalloy based components for aero engines, development of tungsten heavy alloys for kinetic energy penetrators, development of fused silica radomes for missile seekers, development of armor solutions for personnel as well as combat vehicles and stealth materials for airborne and naval applications. He has been conducting cutting-edge research and development on materials for various defense applications for the past three decades and has also spearheaded the development of naval systems such as advanced lightweight torpedo, anti-torpedo decoy systems, autonomous underwater vehicles, advanced hull mounted and towed array sonars for ships and fuel cells based air independent propulsion systems for submarines. Recipient of the Metallurgist of the Year Award from Ministry of Steel and Scientist of the Year Award from DRDO, Dr. Kamat is also responsible for setting-up state-of-the-art experimental facilities at DMRL such as Thin Film Lab, Small Length Scale Mechanical Testing Lab and Stress Corrosion Cracking test facility.
Dr. Samir V Kamat, Chairman, DRDO, “At the outset my greetings to you on your 74th Foundation Day. I am indeed humbled and honoured by this conferment of the Life Fellow Award. As you are aware, I am the Alumni of this institute and it is indeed special when you alma mater recognizes you. Whatever little I have achieved in my career is because of the strong foundation that I got in IIT Kharagpur. And let me say it is not only the knowledge I gained here but it is the life skills that I learnt here which has helped me in my career. So as Dr. Somanath said that when you work in organizations like ISRO and DRDO, it is not individuals who make the difference. It is a collective effort which goes in when you have to realize large systems and where I am standing today is because of all the collaborations and all the team work that several people contributed in achievements that we made. As Dr. Somanath said we are on the threshold of a transformation in the nation. The Prime Minister has given us a clarion call to become a developed country by 2047 and that we should become a technology leader. And this can only happen if academia, industry, R&D organizations work together, work in synergy and develop innovative technologies which are cutting edge, which are first in the world and I am sure, the way things are going forward in this country, this dream will be achieved even before 25 years are complete. So, thank the Director of IIT Kharagpur for granting me this Life Fellow Award, I will cherish this for the rest of my life.”
The Nina Saxena Excellence in Technology Award 2024 was awarded to Mr. Pankaj Kumar & Mr. Siddhant Aagrwal at IIT Guwahati for developing the technology of Floating Solar PV Technology. The Young Alumni Achiever Award was given to 32 young alumni of IIT Kharagpur honouring excellence in innovations, technological developments, research, community welfare, leadership, entrepreneurship, social impact, nation building, national interest and professional accomplishments.
The Alumni Endowed Chair Professorship Award – Prem Prakash Verma Faculty Award, was instituted by Mr. Sharad Verma distinguished alumni of IIT Kharagpur (1997/B Tech/CH/PH) in the year 2023. The award is given to support the State-of-the-art research in the domain of ‘Mechatronics’ from the Departments of Mechanical Engineering (ME), Electronics & Electrical Communication (E&ECE), Computer Science & Engineering (CSE), G.S Sanyal School of Telecommunication (GSSST) and Rajendra Mishra School of Engineering Entrepreneurship (RMSoEE). This year the award is given to Prof. Anandaroop Bhattacharya, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kharagpur for his outstanding contribution towards Teaching, Research and Institutional Development.
The G S Sanyal Faculty Excellence Award, instituted by the IIT Kharagpur Alumni Foundation (USA) since the year 2020, is awarded each year to a faculty member of the institute, based on his/her contributions to the students through student-related activities, such as social and cultural activities, technology, innovation and/or entrepreneurship. The purpose of the Award is to recognize a faculty member for going out of the way to help students in academics, social or other matters representing the best of legendary Prof. Gitindra Saran Sanyal. This year the award was bestowed upon Prof. Vikrant Racherla, Department of Mechanical Engineering.
Prof. Debashish Chakravarty, Dean Alumni Affairs, IIT Kharagpur talked about Gurudakshina, an aesthetic giveaway by the Alumni of IIT Kharagpur. Guru Dakshina for my Alma Mater will be received from the Alumni of the institute which will help in making IIT Kharagpur self-reliant over a period of time. The funds received through Guru Dakshina shall alleviate the challenge of collecting funds by the students for Spring Festival, Kshitij, Sports Fest and even for increasing and improving hall amenities. Total 34 Pledges of Gurudakshina has been received with the current batch of students. Dr. V Narayanan, Liquid Propulsion Systems Centre, ISRO; Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur; Prof. Debashish Chakravarty, Dean Alumni Affairs and Commander V K Jaitly, Chairman, C_cube Consultants are the donors who have already contributed their part of Gurudakshina to IIT Kharagpur.
Dr. Sonal Mansigh, Padma Vibhushan Awardee & Former MP, Rajya Sabha in her address said,” I am very happy to know about the Gurudakshina scheme as India really believes in this Guru-Shisya Parampara in which I have also learnt. Science and Arts are like Ganga and Yamuna, they always have met with each other. All Rishis and Munis were scientists and the ashrams were then the laboratories where experiments went on for decades and sometime centuries and then we got the results. IIT Kharagpur is one such ashram in modern day India and I am sure it will continue to produce great minds and great names who will contribute to India and to the world proving “Vasudeva Kutumbakam.” With this, I would like to share a quicks thought that, this is not the season for flowers anyway but my most favorite sweet is honey. You cannot describe the taste of honey except to say or use as an Upama or analogy saying as sweet as honey and all the beloveds are called honey. We have to have bees to collect Amitra from varied flowers and convert them to honey but it is not of their own use, it is for the common good and this is exactly the message of Vidya and Knowledge which is not only for self-glorification but it is to be shared, spread around so that the common good is achieved and the global benefits are achieved. I am sure, that IIT Kharagpur is the “Bee-Hive” producing honey, so I wish you all great brilliant years ahead and wish IIT Kharagpur great future, delighted to be a part of it.
“The institute is also working towards all the 12 areas in G-20 declarations and have conducted several programmes aligned with its vision in various disciplines like AI, semiconductors, energy and environment, working on sustainability, quantum mission, rare earth metals etc. By 2030, we will be 30 trillion dollar economy where the role of IITs will play a major aspect for growth and development along with the role of MSMEs which employs around 10 crore people with 27% GDP in employability, education and services. We also have various Centres of Excellence in Advance Manufacturing Technologies and Industry 4.0 , the SAATHI (Sophisticated Analytical & Technical Help Institutes) centre with students and experts participating in capacity building to create good products for a global market. We are also working on 6G and beyond with a centre of excellence funded by one of our Alumni. From the last 30 years we are also working on communications and radar. We have instituted the first school of management in an IIT system, the Vinod Gupta School of Management conceived by our Alumnus Vinod Gupta along with the Academy of Leadership started by one of our Alumnus Partha Ghosh, which was never heard of before in an IIT. These unique inclusions will take us to the top 10 in the world in the coming years. With these strong foundations and strong alumni network with the likes of Mr. Sundar Pichai who has said that very soon he would develop a strategic partnership with IIT Kharagpur as well. So, we are growing towards a performance based direction not only as an academic institute, we are also becoming the knowledge economy for India and for the world. I would like to congratulate all the winners of the Young Alumni Achievers Awards, the people who have completed 25 years of services in the institute, the faculty and the staff excellence awards,” added Prof. Tewari
By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer) Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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On the occasion of the World Intellectual Property Day, the Intellectual Property (IP) Cell of the Office of Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy (SRIC), IIT Kharagpur organized a programme on Intellectual Property in Ben Gupta Auditorium of the Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law (RGSOIPL) on 26th April, 2024. The programme accentuates the importance of IP in modern science and transformational technological pursuits and was inaugurated by Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur, in attendance by a large number of students, research scholars faculty and staff members.
The theme of The World IP Day 2024 was to align the inventions towards attaining the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). IIT Kharagpur has already taken a leap towards aligning with SDGs and has published the Sustainability Policy of the Institute in the Website. The Institute has also taken initiatives towards directing the innovations towards attainment of the SDGs for shaping our future together with the Intellectual Property.
In the opening address, Prof. Santanu Dhara, Associate Dean R&D and Professor In-Charge of Intellectual Property Rights (PIC-IPR), talked about the genesis and history of the IPR and introduced its basic aspects. He also touched upon the various IPR and patent filing activities of IIT Kharagpur and urged the faculty, students and scholars to secure their IPR by filing patents.
Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Dean R&D, IIT Kharagpur
Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Dean R&D, presented the record of annual patent filing at IIT Kharagpur which showed a positive trend over the last few years. Prof. Banerjee also compared the details of patents filed and granted from IIT Kharagpur with those from the other top academic institutions in India and the world. Overall, Prof. Banerjee emphasized on the importance of filing patents for institutional and national development and called the IIT Kharagpur community to come forward and make the endeavour of ‘100 patents in 100 hours’ successful. Prof. Banerjee also shared some of the administrative and academic measures the institute is going to implement for promoting the IP drive.
Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur
In the Chairman’s speech, Prof. V K Tewari delivered a fascinating and encouraging lecture covering the journey of patent filing at IIT Kharagpur. It is wonderful to hear that back in 1982 Prof. Tewari visited the patent office in Kolkata every day for around two weeks to learn the rules and regulations of patent filing following the advice of his M.Tech supervisor, which resulted in the filing of the first patent from this institute. Prof. Tewari continued his drive and owned as many as twenty patents throughout his academic journey. Prof. Tewari particularly focused on the importance of securing IP and translating that to successful start-ups to foster the country’s economy and generate employment.
There were two successive lectures first by Prof. Padmavati Machikanti from RGSOIPL on the overview of different forms of IP and subsequently by Prof. Tapas Kumar Bandyopadhyay, Professor of the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, on the patenting aspects in Indian context. Prof. Banerjee also touched upon how technological research can benefit the rural economy through IPR.
Mr. Sumit Chatterjee, Legal Associate, SRIC, briefly mentioned the IP-related activities of SRIC
In the end, Prof. Banerjee and Prof. Dhara thanked the tremendous support extended by the IIT Kharagpur faculty members in performing a timely review of the proposals submitted for patent filing. The programme ended with a long Q&A session where Prof. Goutam Saha, former PIC of IPR, and Prof. Soumitra Paul, Head of the Mechanical Engineering Department, shared some of their opinion and suggestions to make the patent drive at IIT Kharagpur a more effective one. [Read : IIT Kharagpur calls for 100 Patents in 100 days]
Finally, in the vote of thanks Prof. Niharika Sahoo Bhattacharya acknowledged the Director, Dean R&D, Associate Dean R&D, the speakers and attendees for making the event successful. Special thanks was imparted to the Deans and all the faculty and staff members of the Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law for extending all support in organizing the event at their venue.
About WIPO
The World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) is one of the 15 specialized agencies of the United Nations (UN). Pursuant to the 1967 Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization, WIPO was created to promote and protect Intellectual Property (IP) across the world by cooperating with countries as well as international organizations. It began operations on 26 April 1970 when the convention entered into force. The current Director General is Singaporean Daren Tang, former head of the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore, who began his term on 1st October 2020.
WIPO’s activities include hosting forums to discuss and shape international IP rules and policies, providing global services that register and protect IP in different countries, resolving transboundary IP disputes, helping connect IP systems through uniform standards and infrastructure, and serving as a general reference database on all IP matters; this includes providing reports and statistics on the state of IP protection or innovation both globally and in specific countries. WIPO also works with governments, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and individuals to utilize IP for socio-economic development.
WIPO administers 26 international treaties that concern a wide variety of intellectual property issues, ranging from the protection of audiovisual works to establishing international patent classification. It is governed by the General Assembly and the Coordination Committee, which together set policy and serve as the main decision making bodies. The General Assembly also elects WIPO’s chief administrator, the Director General, currently Daren Tang of Singapore, who took office on 1st October 2020. WIPO is administered by a Secretariat that helps carry out its day-to-day activities.
Headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, WIPO has external offices around the world, including in Algiers (Algeria); Rio de Janeiro (Brazil); Beijing (China), Tokyo (Japan); Abuja (Nigeria); Moscow (Russia); and Singapore (Singapore). Unlike most UN organizations, WIPO does not rely heavily on assessed or voluntary contributions from member states; 95 percent of its budget comes from fees related to its global services.
WIPO currently has 193 member states, including 190 UN member states and the Cook Islands, Holy See and Niue; Palestine has permanent observer status. The only non-members, among the countries recognized by the UN are the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau and South Sudan.
WIPO was formally created by the Convention Establishing the World Intellectual Property Organization, which entered into force on 26 April 1970. That date is commemorated annually as World Intellectual Property Day, which raises awareness of the importance of IP. Under Article 3 of this convention, WIPO seeks to promote the protection of intellectual property throughout the world. WIPO became a specialized agency of the UN in 1974. The Agreement between the United Nations and the World Intellectual Property Organization notes in Article 1 that WIPO is responsible:
“For promoting creative intellectual activity and for facilitating the transfer of technology related to industrial property to the developing countries in order to accelerate economic, social and cultural development, subject to the competence and responsibilities of the United Nations and its organs, particularly the United Nations Conference on Trade and Development, the United Nations Development Programme and the United Nations Industrial Development Organization, as well as of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization and of other agencies within the United Nations system.”
WIPO Development Agenda
In October 2004, WIPO agreed to adopt a proposal offered by Argentina and Brazil, the Proposal for the Establishment of a Development Agenda for WIPO —from the Geneva Declaration on the Future of the World Intellectual Property Organization. This proposal was well supported by developing countries. The agreed “WIPO Development Agenda” was the culmination of a long process of transformation for the organization from one that had historically been primarily aimed at protecting the interests of rightholders, to one that has increasingly incorporated the interests of other stakeholders in the international intellectual property system as well as integrating into the broader corpus of international law on human rights, environment and economic cooperation. In 2009, WIPO started drafting future treaties on intellectual property and genetic resources, traditional knowledge and folklore in relation with indigenous peoples and local communities.
In December 2011, WIPO published its first World Intellectual Property Report on the Changing Face of Innovation, the first such report of the new Office of the Chief Economist. WIPO is also a co-publisher of the Global Innovation Index.
Recent Events
WIPO, the World Health Organization (WHO) and the WTO launched on 11 April 2022 their new Trilateral COVID-19 Technical Assistance Platform. This new tool aims to help members and WTO accession candidates address their capacity building needs to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Platform provides members and accession candidates with a single contact form which they can use to reach out to the trilateral organizations.
World Intellectual Property Day
World Intellectual Property Day is observed annually on 26 April. The event was established by the World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) in 2000 to raise awareness of how patents, copyright, trademarks and designs impact on daily life and to celebrate creativity, and the contribution made by creators and innovators to the development of economies and societies across the globe.World Intellectual Property Day is WIPO’s largest Intellectual Property (IP) public outreach campaign, instituted with the aim of establishing a set up framework for broader mobilization and awareness, to open up access to the promotional aspect of innovation and to recognize the achievements of promoters of intellectual property throughout the world.
Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law (RGSoPIL) of IIT Kharagpur conducted the 5th National Moot Court Competition from 29th to 31st March, 2024. The inaugural ceremony witnessed the presence of eminent law practitioners including Hon’ble Justice Mr. I P Mukherjee, Judge, Calcutta High Court who was the Chief Guest of the programme along with Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Ukey, VC, MNLU, Mumbai, the Guest of Honour. Prof. Dipa Dube and Dr. Shreya Matilal RGSoPIL were the convenors of the programme.
IIT Kharagpur has been organizing the National Moot Court Competition (NMCC) with great enthusiasm. Through its rigorous and engaging format, NMCC continues to serve as a beacon of legal excellence, fostering the growth of future legal professionals in India. NMCC is an event that focuses on numerous areas of law. This brings for law students an excellent opportunity to hone their advocacy skills, test their knowledge of law, and engage in constructive legal interaction and discourse. NMCC follows a format typical of moot court competitions, where participants are required to prepare written memorials and present oral arguments. The competition includes various rounds, including preliminary rounds, quarter-finals, semi-finals, and the final. A distinguished panel of judges, comprising legal experts and practitioners evaluates the performance of the participating teams.
The valedictory session of the Moot Court saw a footfall of Hon’ble Justice Sanjay Karol, Judge, Supreme Court of India who was the Chief Guest of the program and Guests of Honour Justice Sampa Sarkar, Judge, High Court at Calcutta; Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, Judge, High Court, Calcutta and Justice Mriganga Shekhar Sahu, Judge, High Court at Orissa in the presence of Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur. The dignitaries lit up the lamp to celebrate the indomitable spirit of legal scholarship and advocacy that has been on display throughout its duration that is echoing the halls of the school after over half a decade. Over the past two decades, the institute has witnessed the extraordinary talent, dedication and passion of the participants as they grapple with complex legal issues, presented complex legal arguments and are engaged in spirited debates.
“Today marks the culmination of the days filled with intense competitions, spirited debates and invaluable learning experiences throughout the last two days. We have witnessed the remarkable talents, dedication and passion exhibited by the participating teams from various corners of the country. Your commitment to the excellence and pursuit of legal knowledge have truly being commendable and it is a testament to your unwavering determination and hardwork. Once again I extend my warmest welcome to each and every one of you to this valedictory session, may it be a memorable and inspiring conclusion to what has been a truly remarkable journey of learning, growth and camaraderie,” said Prof. Dipa Dube, Dean, Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law (RGSoIPL).
While welcoming the Chief Guest and Guests of Honour, Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur, remarked, “I am delighted to be here in the presence of the members of the highest justice imparting bodies of this nation especially Supreme Court Judge, Hon’ble Sanjay Karol ji. We are humbled that he accepted our invitation. Today IITians are every where around the world and we would like the participating judges to give lectures in their domain area of expertise. Even the case studies which you will discuss will be very good for our students and faculty members because that is an invariable experience you have while judging the cases of different types and I think the amount of psychology and human face that you keep in taking those decisions is marvelous. We need such personalities like you to come and encourage the students and the faculties at IIT Kharagpur. Lectures from these stalwarts will be an asset to the students that will impart professional insights which the students won’t get from just the books. After meeting some of the advocates, I can tell you students, that they actually read large number of books, more than we can imagine. As far as IIT Kharagpur is concerned, we are the first IIT of the world, started at 1951. It has the maximum number of departments, schools and centres as an higher education institution with Department of Agriculture, Mining, Architecture etc. Vinod Gupta School of Management was the first school in the which has the name upon an Alumni Donar of an institute. We also have a holistic approach to study curriculum with Academy of Classical and Folk Arts, School of Happiness, School for Leadership etc. All the works that IIT Kharagpur has done till now are in lines with the G-20 declaration. Whether you talk about disaster management, rare earth metals, innovation, AI, technology management etc., we have these kind of expertise here at IIT Kharagpur which we are proud of. MOOT Court is a great opportunity for the students to express their point of view in an open platform infront of others and should be indulged more often in terms of growing and networking among the teams that participated. We would definitely want our Alumni to be the judges of the Supreme Court in the near future. The spirit of participation should always be encouraged in these competition.”
While addressing the Moot Court Competition, Hon’ble Judge Sampa Sarkar, High Court at Calcutta, said “Thank you for this honour, because I knew that I would never clear IIT JEE entrance exam to set my foot here at IIT. Atleast you have made an opportunity for me to come here, which is a great privilege. I would like to ask Sir that do we have to pass the JEE exam to get into the faculty of school of happiness because learning how to be happy is a crucial question. Often we try to introspect that and try to develop it within ourselves to a point where we can learn to be happy. But if you are taught to be happy, it gets easier. Coming back to the Moot Court, it was one of the toughest MOOT proposition I have ever came across. I would like to congratulate all the students who could comprehend to start a research on this MOOT topic. It was a great effort, great MOOTING, interjections are only their to make you more ready and help you to think on your legs which we are at times supposed to do. Mooting is like making a product rightable. Its an idea, an expression, your skill that you develop and place as the finished product. It is the same way a lawyer places a case, its labour, skill, expression and delivering. Mooting has its own advantages, it helps you to express yourself better and helps you to research better on legal topics because you have to as a lawyer research and you have to be ready with what kind of questions the bench proposes which you will have to answer at that stage. You cannot fumble, you cannot avoid the question because that can go against you. First and most importantly it helps the spirit of team building. Every profession as a lawyer or even judges, team building and team spirit is very important because that it how you improve and learn and you can be a better version of yourself when you learn from others. We have been to very basic institutions but you have been very lucky to have this opportunity to come to an institution which has great infrastructure, use of AI, all these things are really a progress.”
On the same lines Justice Tirthankar Ghosh, High Court Judge of Calcutta remarked, “Things have changed so far as the curriculum of law is concerned. Of late, this Moot court mediation, arbitration going on in the law schools were never there when we were in college. In our days Moot court was something, where you were given a particular case law which you have to mug up and the best you could produce in front of the professor was how you were given a number. This competition and fighting or debating amongst two teams or two individuals were never there with our curriculum. It was just a basic way of introducing how you can open your mouth before a set of people. This total concept has changed now. Visiting institutes I find now, the biggest challenge is that how many of these students passing out will come to the litigating sector, this is also a challenge. Persons passing out of these institutions mostly joins the multinationals, so dearth in the BAR Council continues. The topic was definitely good today, it was a challenging topic, may not be a subject that we as professionals are associated with, but the question is the subject which India as a whole honours. Those who have presented, have presented to the best of their abilities. Don’t be hurt with whatever the outcome is, this is the starting of a life. All of you have long way to go. These topics are for the multi-nationals, come to the basic topics of life. You should also have topics where you all must argue on all the subjects, the easy maintenance cases which you start with. If you start a professional career, you will find a destitute lady coming to you with a brief who has been deserted by her husband and often don’t get assistance from the legal aid. Legal aid is again a sector where we invite the newcomers to join and start because litigation is a sector which you will continue to be in these kind of ligitaions through out your career but those would give you exposure in only the litigation sectors. All subjects are taught in here but as it has been said the curriculum includes something where you have an expressed intensity of these IPR laws which are over here. These are laws of the multinationals but you should also think on topics which the commoners have and touch the grassroot level of this country. One day when you are successful, you have got to think about the commoners, the citizens of this country. I wish all of you a bright career and better life ahead.”
Guest of Honour Justice Mruganka Sekhar Sahoo, Judge High Court of Orissa,commented, “My learning from this MOOT court is that no one is a loser. It is indeed a privilege to enter into the hallowed pristine of this august institution. Though I have not cleared JEE but I came here for the first time in 1999 when my younger brother got through JEE. I would like to state what my other seniors have stated that this is the height of multi-tasking. While arguing, you have to hear the other side, you have to hear the judge and be on your legs. You have to develop a point, that is a charm of being a student of law. I still have my notes from the teaching of my professors even after 25 years of career span and being a Judge. It is a process, it can be a thousand steps, a ten thousand steps as the Director said. I wish all the best to all the students and congratulate the entire team for the warm hospitality and the students for the interesting MOOT court problem and as suggested by my earlier speaker that never forget about the problem faced by a common man as the people look up to the courts to give solutions to all their problems. Problems like divorces which might not have a strict legal solution but still people have a hope, hope to get justice so I once again thank you all for this privilege.”
Chief Guest Supreme Court Judge Sanjay Karol gave his valedictory address and said, “I must pay homage to martyrs and the freedom fighters who were imprisoned here in this hijli prison. A visit to this place only reminded me of my childhood days in Shimla. I must also thank you to be a part of the process of great learning because education is something that is continuous till the last breathe. Coming here, I learnt that this great institution is not only of National Importance but also of Eminence. I am sure that the students who pass out of this institution or get exposed to this institution would excel in their lives in every aspect of the matter. At the outset, I thank this great institution for inviting me for the 5th year of this Moot Court. This is a testament as to how law has acquiesced as an exponential growth in India. Today, you are very fortunate through the process of these Moot court competition, you learn at least one thing that life is not only about talking, thinking and speaking on your legs, it is also understanding when not to speak. Life is also about making out a difference between respect for law and fear of law. I would like to highlight the interplay between the rule of law, the economic development and the role of the judiciary especially the judges and the lawyers. Some of you inspired with the experiences as the part of this MOOT may seek out careers in and around many intersections of intellectual property laws. The opportunities are many fold right from in-house council in these multinational conglomerates, government agencies, independent council and private institutions including teaching. Intellectual property rights and IPR as we commonly say serve as a common stone, creativity and economic growth in this 21st century. From patents to copyrights, trademarks and trade secrets, IPR encompasses a diverse way of legal mechanism designed to protect intangible assets and foster conducive environment for innovation and creativity. Strong intellectual property rights, laws served as a catalyst for economic growth by incentivising innovation fostering creativity and promoting investment in research and development. When individuals and businessmen have confidence that their intellectual property will be protected and rewarded, they are more likely to invest time, resources and expertise in developing new technology product and service. By encouraging a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship strong IPR laws stimulate competitive drive productivity gains and fuel economic growth in both develop and developing machines and economies, moreover effective enforcement of IPR laws ensures level playing field for businesses, prevents unfair competition and enhances consumer confidence in the market place.
“It is not imperative for me to delve into the statutory regime of the IPR laws in India and its dynamic nature also has the institutionalized international regime, as we know what WTO trips and that is the change in the economic and world scenario shifting liberalization in India and opening up a world economy. We saw we were rushed to protect and preserve what was our culture and heritage and ultimately we succeeded in protecting the trademark, the patents and the copyright be it a Basmati, Tulsi or Haldi among others. In the last three days you have delve into the intricacies of intellectual property law during this MOOT. The effective protection enforcement of these rights hinge upon a robust legal framework rooted in the principals of rule of law. It is something which is enshrined in the very core of our constitution, protection and promotion of core human rights and has been the focus of both the preamble Part III, Part IV, Part IV A of the constitution. Our constitutional forefathers have foreseen the role of judiciary in securing the rights of all kinds including the economic growth of the people of India. This has brought in the preamble of the constitution which says that the people of India having resolve to secure justice, social, economic and political for all its citizens. Judicial independence is of absolute importance. The 40 crore people in the country must have this confidence and resolve in their mind that they can come forward and seek justice which is not only a satisfaction but justice which is secured by the means of just, fair and proper. A robust and independent court with integrity is one of the reasons for it to be known as the third pillar of the Indian democracy. Every judge be it at whatever level and also every member of the BAR along with the law students have lot to contribute in this field and aspect of independence of judiciary. You cannot be a mute spectator, you have to voice your feelings, your thought and speech within the frame of Part III of the constitution. Rule of Law is intrinsically linked with economic development and in every thriving economy, the rule of law serves as a bedrock upon which all other structures are built. It ensures predictability, stability and fairness creating an environment conducive to economic growth and investment. Economic development which is directly correlated with the achievement of the principals initiated in the constitution, indicates not only the development of an individual, but development of a nation. Every 140 crore Indian must be benefited of this economic growth which is to happen in India,” he added.
Listen to the full speech by clicking the link below:
Ms. Konkona Banerjee from Amity University Kolkata has been adjudged as the Best Researcher of the 5th Moot Court Competition at IIT Kharagpur. The Best Memorial was adjudged to Ms. Muskan Verma, Ms. Raashi and Mr. Aditya from the University Institute of Legal Studies Punjab University Chandigarh and the Best Speaker Prelims was given Mr. Nikhil Kumar Mishra from Lyod Law College, Greater Noida for the preliminary rounds. For the Best Speaker Final, it was adjudged to Mr. K Swaminathan from School of Law, Shastri University. The runners up of the 5th Moot Court Competition at IIT Kharagpur was the University Institute of Legal Studies from Punjab University comprising of Ms. Muskan Verma, Ms. Raashi and Mr. Aditya. The winners trophy was awarded to the School of Law, Sastra University of Tamil Nadu comprising of Mr. Hariharan, Jerin Mathew and K. Swaminathan. The prize money have been sponsored by Agarwal Atol headed by our Alumnus Mr. Pranav Agarwal and Technology Council Foundation. Prof. Uday Shankar gave the the vote of thanks to conclude the programme.
Established in 2006, the Rajiv Gandhi School of Intellectual Property Law (RGSOIPL) is unique within the IIT system for its focus on technology and law. It offers LL.B. program with an emphasis on Intellectual Property Law, and also LLM and PhD programs in Law. The faculty is multidisciplinary and engaged in various research projects, while the curriculum is global. Practical training is offered through workshops and clinical courses, and students have excelled in competitions and conferences. RGSOIPL alumni work in diverse sectors, from industry to academia.
A Glimpse from the Table Tennis Tournament in Full Swing
One of the biggest sports tournament of the country ‘Shaurya ’23, themed ‘Shadow Warrior,’ recently concluded at IIT Kharagpur, leaving behind a trail of excitement, innovation, and intense competition. The festival which was entirely managed by students; held within the iconic IIT Kharagpur campus, has undoubtedly set a new standard for excellence. This edition of Shaurya went above and beyond, featuring a diverse range of competitions catering to both male and female participants.
The events showcased a wide array of sports, including cricket, volleyball, basketball, hockey, athletics, badminton, football, lawn tennis, table tennis, chess, and powerlifting. Prior to the main festivities, Shaurya also hosted engaging pre-event activities like the Shaurya Cube Open, National Sports Quiz, Knuckle Pushups Challenge, Skipathon, Dutch Grand Prix Live Stream, Asia Cup India Vs Pak Live Stream, and the Shaurya Yoga Quest Challenge.
A Glimpse from the Hockey Tournament
IIT Kharagpur’s exceptional infrastructure and sports facilities, including their state-of-the-art Student Activity Centre with its multiple courts and fields, provided an ideal setting for the diverse competitions. The festival, boasting over 15 titular sports events, transcended beyond the realm of sports, incorporating guest lectures, recreational activities, and non-sporting events such as marathons and F1 simulations. The event aspired to be the pinnacle of sports for both our present and future generations.
In a dazzling display of sportsmanship and talent, the Shaurya Sports Fest 2023 at IIT Kharagpur concluded with thrilling victories and unforgettable moments. The campus was alive with the spirit of competition as participants from various institutes showcased their prowess in a variety of sports. Let’s delve into the highlights of some of the most riveting events that left a lasting impression on spectators.
A Glimpse from the Basketball Tournament
Shaurya Table Tennis Tournament Finals: A Battle to Remember
The finals of the Shaurya Table Tennis Tournament set the stage for a captivating showdown between IIT Kharagpur’s A team and that of St. Xavier’s. The match was a rollercoaster of high-stakes rallies and intense action, keeping spectators on the edge of their seats. The game remained neck-and-neck until the last set. But in the end, it was St. Xavier’s that emerged victorious, claiming the title in a dramatic fashion that will be etched in the memories of all who witnessed it.
The 2023 Shaurya Powerlifting Championship concluded with a display of unparalleled strength and determination. Participants showcased exceptional performances, but it was Vivek Singh Nainwal from IIT Kharagpur who stole the spotlight. His remarkable feats in the competition earned him the title of the ‘Best Lifter’, leaving a powerful mark on the championship and inspiring all present.
In the realm of Lawn Tennis, Mayank Joshi from the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur emerged as the shining star. His exceptional skill, consistency, and unwavering determination throughout the tournament culminated in a well-deserved victory, earning him the prestigious title of the ‘Best Player’. Mayank’s performance showcased the true essence of sportsmanship and dedication.
Chess Tournament: A Battle of Minds in the Yoga Room
The Chess Tournament, hosted in the Yoga Room within the Technology Students’ Gymkhana, proved to be a cerebral spectacle. It was a platform that highlighted the competitive spirit and strategic prowess of the participating teams. The event underscored the importance of fostering intellectual pursuits and healthy competition within the academic community.
Shaurya Volleyball Tournament: A Celebration of Sportsmanship and Skill
The 2023 Shaurya Volleyball Tournament was a testament to the spirit of sportsmanship, featuring remarkable performances and unforgettable moments that will be cherished for years to come. The tournament recognised and honoured the ‘Best Players’ in the form of Shadik from Sarala Birla University and Mythri T G from IIT Kharagpur, acknowledging their outstanding contributions to the competition. Congratulations to all participants, winners, and teams for their dedication and commitment.
Shaurya Cricket Tournament: Soumya Basak Shines as the Player of the Tournament
The 2023 Shaurya Cricket Tournament echoed with the sounds of cricketing brilliance and camaraderie, honouring Soumya Basak from St. Xavier’s as the ‘Player of the Tournament’. Soumya’s exceptional performances left an indelible mark on the tournament, showcasing not only individual skill but also a true passion for the game. Congratulations to all participants, winners, and teams for their dedication and spirited play.
A Glimpse of the Marathon Event
Shaurya Football Tournament: Nitin Rohit Emerges as the Player of the Tournament
The 2023 Shaurya Football Tournament unfolded as a saga of skill, teamwork, and pure passion for the beautiful game. The tournament honoured Nitin Rohit from IIT Kharagpur A as the ‘Player of the Tournament’, recognizing his exceptional contributions to the team’s success. Congratulations to all participants, winners, and teams for their dedication and outstanding performances on the football field.
In conclusion, the Shaurya Sports Fest 2023 at IIT Kharagpur was a resounding success, celebrating not just physical prowess but also the intellectual and strategic acumen of its participants. As the campus echoed with the cheers and memories of this spectacular event, it’s clear that Shaurya has once again proven to be a stage for champions to shine – a sporting extravaganza to remember!
Inputs by : Prajay and Ushasri Gunpuru, Students, IIT Kharagpur
Edited By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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A ‘Workshop on the Recent Progress in Microalloyed Steels with High-Strength and Toughness’ was organized by the Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering, IIT Kharagpur, and the Indian Institute of Metals, Kharagpur Chapter. The workshop was based on the project being investigated at IIT Kharagpur on the development of vanadium microalloyed high-strength steel in collaboration with the Research & Development Centre for Iron & Steel (RDCIS), Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL), Ranchi, and with support from the Vanitec Limited, UK. The workshop was inaugurated by Prof. Chandan Chakraborty, Head, Electrical Engineering, along with Prof. Karabi Das, Head, Department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering. Mr. Nirvik Banerjee, Executive Director, RDCIS, SAIL, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest.
A special session was conducted by Chairman Dr. Vinod Kumar, CGM, RDCIS, SAIL with a keynote lecture by David N Crowther, Technical Consultant, Vanitec Ltd. About 75 delegates attended the workshop including several executives from the steel industries along with the faculty members and research scholars from IIT Kharagpur and the other academic institutions. Technical Sessions were conducted by Chairman Prof. Siddhartha Das, Managing Director, STEP, IIT Kharagpur and Chairman Mr. Arunava Dasgupta, CGM, ISP with senior officials of SAIL
Prof. Karabi Das extended cordial welcome to the delegates at the Department of Metallurgical & Materials Engineering, IIT Kharagpur, and emphasized the long tradition, contribution, and strength of this institute in metallurgical research.
In his lecture, Prof. Chandan Chakraborty mentioned the importance of steel technology for nation-building and conveyed the potential and desire of IIT Kharagpur to become the prime hub for steel technology and related research in the country, in collaboration with the steel industries.
Mr. Nirvik Banerjee, Executive Director, RDCIS, SAIL, graced the occasion as the Chief Guest. He emphasised the urgent need of the Indian Steel Sector to achieve carbon net neutrality for ensuring sustainability and requested the researchers to focus on this area.
Mr. Banerjee covered all the important areas where the Indian steel industries require immediate technological support. Dr. David Crowther, Technical Consultant, Vanitec Limited, UK, delivered the keynote lecture highlighting the importance of vanadium microalloying for application-specific steel development.
Dr. Vinod Kumar, Mr. Arunava Dasgupta, and Mr. Abhijit Dutta, the General Managers from SAIL elaborated on the development of high-strength microalloyed steels by different production units of SAIL.
Dr. Sudipta Patra from IIT BHU and Prof. Debalay Chakrabarti from IIT Kharagpur delivered lectures on the fundamental aspects of microalloyed steels. Thus, the workshop covered the industrial processing and development of advanced grades of steel for important applications such as structural, automotive, energy, engineering, naval and defence to support the “Make In India” initiative of the Govt. of India, as well as the fundamental aspects of microalloying related research in steel.
Finally, the attendees had an extensive discussion during the valedictory session and decided on the pathways for academia-industry collaborative research on the development of advanced steel for a sustainable future. The distinguished delegates who attended the event concluded that such a workshop is hardly organized with almost equal participation from the academia and the industry and it can pave a milestone to set up the collaborative research ecosystem on steel technology in India.
By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer) Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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IIT KGP celebrates Yoga Mahotsav to commemorate the 9th International Yoga Day (IDY 2023)
You cannot always control what goes on outside but you can always control what goes on inside. Yoga is the journey of the self, through the self, to the self. Yoga teaches you how to listen to your body and makes us find the peace that lies within us. Through Practice comes Yoga, through Yoga comes Knowledge, through Knowledge comes Enlightenment and through Enlightenment comes Peace.
Technology Students’ Gymkhana, IIT Kharagpur in commemoration of the ‘Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav’, ‘FIT India Movement’ and ‘Jan Bhagidari’ in India’s G20 Presidency, scheduled a series of Yoga activities- A ‘Yoga Mahotsav’ for the students and the campus community from 3rd June to 21st June 2023. Experts from Technology Students’ Gymkhana (TSG) has conducted Yoga sessions on a regular basis during weekdays with a focus on specific topic each day. The session on weekend has been conducted by renowned experts from other organizations. A total of 790 members registered for the events.
The event was inaugurated by Prof. V. K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur in the presence of Prof. A. K Singh, President, TSG, Prof. Jayanta Chakraborty, Coordinator, Yoga Mahotsav & ISY, Prof. K. Bhattacharyya, Treasurer, Gymkhana and Other Invited Guests, Faculty Members, Staff Members and Students. Prof. Virendra Kumar Tewari, Director IIT Kharagpur, who has given inaugural speech on Benefits of Routine Yoga Practice and motivated the campus community to perform yogic activities on a regular basis. Prof. Ajay Singh, President, Technology Students’ Gymkhana has enlightened campus community in line with Jan Bhagidari during India’s G20 Presidency. Prof. Jayanta Chakraborty, coordinator of Yoga Mahotsav and 9th International Day of Yoga (IDY) explained about the Objectives of 9th International Day of Yoga, that includes: branding India, awareness, good health and well-being, scale up the level, pool the resources and joint efforts.
The event was live telecast for the campus community and students, so that they can participate from their place of residence. Caps were distributed to motivate and encourage routine practice of the learned methods. In the afternoon, quiz on Yoga and Yoga competitions were conducted for campus school children and campus community.
Programs like Introduction to Yoga, Yoga Protocol Practices and Workout, Stay Fit with Gentle Hatha Yoga, Power Vinyasa (Immunity Booster), Iyengar Yoga were conducted. Lecture on Stress Management and Meditation Practices, Yogic Life of SAMANVIT Yoga that comprises breathing and asanas, S Vyasa – The Inner Engineering and Yoga practices for body and mind were also conducted along with Yoga to cure postural deformity and physical development through Yoga. Yoga Quiz for campus school children and Yoga IDY theme poster presentation were also organized on 21st June, 2023.
On this profound day of yogic rejuvenation, Prof. V K Tewari, Director,IIT Kharagpur remarked, “The foundations of IIT Kharagpur rests on the eternal motto of ‘Yoga Karmashu Kaushalam’ from the Gita. It means that the individual interests behind any action which is either driven by material success or failure must be transformed to a higher and universal process of Yoga i.e., a communion between the self of an individual with the web of self in all, the Cosmos itself. As the Mother of all IIT system, spread over the lush-green ‘Gurukul’ ambiance of a campus, neither close to nor away from a big city, IIT Kharagpur brings under one fold the ancient and the modern in unison. As the pioneering pace setter of science and technology, IIT Kharagpur preaches the journey of the self, through the self, to the self that can be achieved by the sound balance of inquisitive mind and an active body.”
More than 250 members practiced different forms of yoga regularly along with trainers from Gymkhana and invited Experts. On 21st June 2023, the 9th International Day of Yoga around 400 members have participated and practiced Common Yoga Protocol (CYP) demonstrated by Mr. Sudhir Kumar & Miss Sangita Mondal.
Prof. A K Singh, President, Technology Students’ Gymkhana, IIT Kharagpur, “Being an Institute of National Importance and the mother of all IIT system in India, IIT Kharagpur works in a very distinguished manner to promote health and fitness among the faculty members and the students of the Institute. Technology Students’ Gymkhana is in the process of setting up structured processes to identify, facilitate and develop talent (Sports, Health & Fitness) with involvement of all stakeholders.”
Inputs from : Prof. A K Singh, President TSG, IIT Kharagpur & Prof. Jayanta Chakraborty, Coordinator of Yoga Mahotsav, IIT Kharagpur Email : singh@phy.iitkgp.ac.in and jayanta@che.iitkgp.ac.in
Edited By :Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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We are the first generation to feel the impact of climate change and we are the last generation that can do something about it. We only get one home, one planet, there is no plan B. The climate has changed, we have changed, our tolerance and habits have changed. Biodiversity is our most valuable asset but least appreciated resource. Despite our many advances, our environment is still threatened by a range of problems including global climate change, energy dependency on unsustainable fossil fuels and loss of biodiversity. Therefore, there is a need to create an awareness about maintaining ecology among the masses and address the graving concerns that pose a threat to the natural habit of human beings.
On the lines of creating awareness about biodiversity and climate change, the 3rd International Workshop on Biodiversity and Climate Change (BDCC-2023) was organized by the Centre for Ocean, River, Atmosphere, and Land Sciences (CORAL) at Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur on the rising diminishment over ecological disruptions. The four-day programme including field trips to Sundarbans and Similipal Biosphere Reserve was attended by over 230 participants who arrived at the IIT Kharagpur campus on 15th February. The Inaugural session was organized at Kalidas Auditorium on 17th February 2023 in the august presence by eminent Professors and Scientists comprising of Dr. M Mohapatra, Director General of Meteorology, IMD; Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur; Prof. V P Singh, Texas A&M University, USA; Dr. S Behera, Director of Application Laboratory, JAMSTEC, Japan; Prof. B Pani, Dean of Colleges, University of Delhi; Dr. T Meloth, Director, NCPOR, MoES; Prof. S K Dube, Former Director, IIT Kharagpur; Prof. K Kumar, Chairman CORAL and Prof. M D Behera, Organizing Secretary BDCC – 2023.
Prof. K Kumar, Chairman of BDCC-2023 welcomed the delegates on the dias, followed by lighting of the auspicious lamp by Dr. M Mohapatra and Prof V K Tewari in the presence of other dignitaries followed by a recitation of national anthem by a few students from Kendriya Vidyalaya, IIT Kharagpur. Dr. M D Behera, the Organizing Secretary provided an overview of the event with connection to the past two BDCC workshops and highlighted on the GOI Net Zero targets and nature-based climate solutions.
Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur remarked, “If we look at the nature closely, every species is a masterpiece, exquisitely adapted to the particular environment in which it has has survived. I feel honored and proud to witness the 3rd International Workshop on Biodiversity and Climate Change (BDCC-2023) organized by CORAL at IIT Kharagpur. Biodiversity forms the backbone of any Nation’s prosperity and development. India is bestowed with immense biological wealth in its different habitats and they provide various ecosystem services like carbon sequestration, food provision etc. However, with climate change crisis exacerbating biodiversity losses and shifts in ecosystems dynamics, it is the need of the hour to adopt multifaceted mitigation and adaptation measures for ecosystem restoration and sustainable development.”
Prof. S K Dube deliberated on the genesis of CORAL and its journey in the frontier era of climate change education and research. Prof. B Pani explained the compliance of the National Education Policy with climate studies, while Dr. T Meloth appraised on climate change footprints on the 3rd pole. Dr. S Behera emphasized on the prediction of monsoon and its impact on the economy in terms of crop yield and diseases like malaria. Prof. V P Singh highlighted the importance of water resources and its conservation in the era of changing climate. A pheno-meteorological observation tower installed in Similipal Biosphere Reserve was e-inaugurated by Dr. M Mohapatra in presence of Prof. V K Tewari; Dr. B K Bhattacharya and Dr. C P Singh, Scientists from Space Application Centre (SAC-ISRO), Ahmedabad.
The workshop started with four tutorials including (i) Species Distribution Modelling (SDM) using Machine Learning (ML), (ii) Soft Techniques in Environmental Geochemistry and Sediment Analysis, (iii) Geomatics and Data Analytics using Open Source – Google Earth Engine (GEE), and (iv) A Hierarchy of Glacier Models on 16th February with hands-on training by the Research Scholars of CORAL. Participants including students and young scientists from various international, national, and state institutes also attended the tutorials.
India is a very committed towards tackling the effects of climate change and has promoted and enacted various initiatives. India has tapped the potential of nature-based solutions to achieve net zero targets and uphold its commitment to the Paris Agreement. India’s commitment towards achieving Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) of creating an additional carbon sink of 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents through additional forest and tree cover, Mission LiFE, Honourable Prime Minister’s ‘Panchamrit’ or five-fold declarations project our stance for circular and sustainable economic development,” remarked Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur.
The workshop accommodated seven technical sessions such as Biodiversity and Land Cover Dynamics; Geomatics and Data Analytics; Forest and Agricultural Resource & Biotechnology; Extreme Weather Events and Natural Hazards; Global Cryosphere and The Himalayas; Biogeochemistry- Terrestrial and Marine; Nature-based Solution and Net-Zero Targets. The technical sessions were conducted in parallel in three halls with three keynote talks in each technical session by eminent scientists, who also co-chaired the sessions.
The first plenary session was chaired by Prof V P Singh, wherein Dr. M Mohapatra, Mr. D Ray, PCCF and CWLW, WB state and Dr. S Behera talked on ‘Climate Change and Extreme Weather Events’, ‘Climate threats to Sunderbans Mangroves’ and ‘Monsoon Climate and Food Security’ respectively. The plenary session-II was chaired by Prof B Pani, wherein Dr. E Sharma, Ex-DDG, ICIMOD and Dr. T Meloth and Dr. C Biradar, Country Director, CIFOR-ICRAF, Delhi talked on ‘Himalayan responses to changing climate’, ‘Climatic responses of polar regions’, and ‘Agroforestry interventions towards food security in the warming world’. The plenary session-III was chaired by Prof. S K Dube, wherein Dr. S Nayak, Former Secretary MOES, GOI); Dr. A Orr, British Antarctic Survey, UK; Dr. D H Bromwich, Ohio State University, USA and Dr. Kyle Clem, Victoria University of Wellington, NZ, deliberated on a wide range of topics with respect to climate actions in different spheres.
“All these key policy decisions and initiatives clearly demonstrate that our efforts for climate change mitigation should begin at the grassroot level starting from an individual and become unified as a massive wave for the common goal of preserving our planet. Being blessed with lush green campus, our staff and students of IIT Kharagpur have a plethora of opportunities to create a better world. We are proud to have undertaken different projects to enhance and maintain IIT-KGP campus a green campus. With our vision being – Dedicated to the service of the Nation, we seek to impart value based knowledge in addition to academic curriculum to our students in order to transform them into future leaders of tomorrow. This International workshop is a critical step in that direction which combines both traditional as well as modern fields of science. I congratulate Dr. Mukunda Dev Behera and the entire team for organizing this great event. I strongly encourage the researchers and participants to take full advantage of this workshop,”
stated Prof. V K Tewari.
The keynote talks of each technical session were oriented towards sustainable development perspectives. The participants presented their works in terms of rapid-oral and standard-oral as per specific format and allotted time. A few awards were adjudged from each session by the session co-chairs and the awardees were given a certificate and momento in the Valedictory session on 18th Feb 2023. Field trips to Sunderbans and Siilipal Biosphere Reserve on 19th and 20th February. Several deliberations in the event have led to better understanding of how can we better understand feedbacks between climate change and biodiversity, how do we maintain a balance between bioresource management and socio-economic development, how do cryospheric changes in polar regions and high mountains affect biodiversity, water cycle and global climate etc. Forecasting and preparing for natural hazards and extreme weather events, understanding the intricacies between terrestrial and marine bio-geochemical cycles, geomatics perspective on spatial biodiversity and ways to achieve the net-zero targets through nature-based solutions were among the other topics of discussion.
Healthy ecosystems constitute healthy planet. In this connection, ecosystem restoration is a win-win strategy that is crucial to attain Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and climate targets of the Paris Agreement. The on-going climate change is unequivocally anthropogenic and together with other stressors like deforestation, land degradation, biological invasion, etc. has resulted in species losses and shifts in landscape dynamics. The carbon cycle and the water cycle, arguably the two most important large-scale processes for life on Earth, depend on biodiversity at genetic, species, and ecosystem levels and can yield feedbacks to climate change.
Inputs by: Prof. M D Behera, CORAL, IIT Kharagpur Email: mdbehera@coral.iitkgp.ac.in
Edited by : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer) Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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Entrepreneurship Cell of IIT Kharagpur conducted Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2023
Oprah Winfrey said ,”Do not worry about being successful but work towards being significant and the success will naturally flow.” The entrepreneur always searches for change, responds to it and exploits it as an opportunity. Entrepreneurship is a state of mind, a can-do attitude, a capacity to focus on a vision and work towards it. Sometimes you have to cross the line of familiarity to explore what holds beneath the generic idea of representation and problem solving techniques considering the other variables. Entrepreneurship Cell, under the aegis of Rajendra Mishra School of Engineering Entrepreneurship (RMSoEE) of IIT Kharagpur organized the Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2023 (GES) 2023 from 3rd to 5th February 2023, returning from the virtual mode after last two editions. This year the opening ceremony was inaugurated by Chief Guest Shri Suresh Prabhu, Former Minister of Industry & Commerce, Aviation and Railway and the Chancellor of Rishihood University, Sonipat who addressed the inaugural ceremony in an online mode in the presence of Prof. Amit Patra, Deputy Director; Prof. C S Kumar, Head, RMSoEE, Prof P K Dan, Associate Professor, RMSoEE along with Special Guest Mr. Kanav Hasija, Co-founder & CPO Innovaccer & an Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur.
Shri Suresh Prabhu, Former Cabinet Minister stated, “IIT Kharagpur is one of the earliest IITs established in India and has a strong reputation both nationally and globally. The growth in recent decades has been phenomenal, with new enterprises bringing fresh ideas and challenging traditional practices. While there is wisdom to be gained from the past, it is crucial to recognize and embrace the changing world, which is driven by formative ideas establishing traditional values.”
Shri Suresh Prabhu
Former Cabinet Minister
Government of India
In the 16th edition of Entrepreneurship Summit 2023, the theme for this year GES 2023 was Realm of Renaissance. E-Cell of IIT KGP conducted keynote sessions from eminent personalities like Mr. Karti Kumar Marshan, President & CMO Kotak Mahindra Group; Mr. Abhijit Roy, MD & CEO, Berger Paints India Ltd., and Mr. Akilur Rahman, CTO Hitachi Technologies among many were conducted. Fireside Chats with Mr. Pulkit Jain, Co-Founder Vedantu; Mr. Rohit Kumar, Co-Founder Filo; Mr. Sean Sohn, CEO, Krafton, Mr. Mikhail Gusev, India Representative, Skolkovo Foundation among others invigorated the student with fresh ideations. Workshops, Product Expo, Professor’s Meet, Women Conclave, Million-At-Stake, Entrepreneurship Dialogues and panel discussions made the event a grand affair and a funding commitment were received by two startups, Atreya Innovation and Genexis Biotech.
Empresario’23
The closing ceremony was addressed by Chief Guest Mr. Vishal Chaudhary, Founder, Zetwerk & an Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur along with Alakh Pandey Show that grabbed many eye balls. This 3-day conglomeration provided a platform to interact with startup leaders, win exciting prizes and build an enterprising India. Mr. Gaurav Shah, Partner, Arete Ventures, Mr. Suryaprakash Konanuru, CTO, Ideaspring Capital, Mr. Avelo Roy, Managing Director, Kolkata Ventures, Mr. Bhavesh Choudhary, Partner, Venture Catalyst, Mr. Prashant Kataria, Investment Professional, Bharat Fund were the major investors. The summit attracted many footfalls from the academic world and industry experts with a major turnout.
Global Entrepreneurship Summit is annual flagship initiative of the Entrepreneurship Cell of IIT Kharagpur, being one of the biggest inter-collegiate corporate summits in India. It is a unique platform where industry doyens share their insights based on their experiences and entrepreneurial journey. GES is a confluence of aspiring entrepreneurs, venture capitalists, angel investors, new age entrepreneurs, industry experts, academicians and students. It is a platform for young minds to interact, enable them to create innovative ideas and empower them to build awareness amongst their peers about the ever-growing startup evangelism. Global Entrepreneurship Summit 2023 concluded with great aspirations and formative base models for future goals under the able supervision and guidance of Dr. P K Dan, Associate Professor, Rajendra Mishra School of Engineering Entrepreneurship.
By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer) Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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Bay Area Alumni Community of Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur conducted the IIT Bay Area Leadership Conference 2022 in Santa Clara Convention Centre, California USA on 27 August 2022. It is a nonprofit organization in California which is dedicated to the professional advancement of alumni from all IIT campuses who call the greater San Francisco Bay Area home. Every year towards the end of the summer, IITBAA organizes the IIT Bay Area Leadership Conference which is open to all IIT and non-IIT tech professionals. The annual conference typically brings together industry & academic luminaries, business leaders, engineers, startup founders, investors to gather and exchange knowledge through a power packed one day program.
The 2022 annual leadership conference held at Santa Clara in California, USA, witnessed participation by over 500 tech enthusiasts. The opening keynote of the conference was delivered by Dr. Arun Majumdar, Dean of Stanford School of Sustainability on the topic of “Future of Sustainability”. Dr. Majumdar, who is the Jay Precourt Provostial Chair Professor at Stanford University, emphasized the urgent global needs of sustainable and clean engineering systems, and compared the domain of sustainable energy as the “Next Computer Science” of the engineering industry. The keynote talk was followed by multiple lightning talks, panel discussions and fireside chats on various topics including AI, Quantum Computing, Electronic Design Automation, Successful Entrepreneurship, among many others. The closing remarks of Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad, the Consul General of India, San Francisco, emphasized the future needs of the startup ecosystem of India.
Dr. Arun Majumdar Dean of Stanford School of Sustainability
Prior to joining Stanford, Dr. Arun Majumdar served as the Director of the Environmental Energy Technologies Division at the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory. He was also appointed as the first Director of the Department of Energy’s Advanced Research Projects Agency-Energy (ARPA-E), USA in September 2009 and serves on numerous advisory boards and boards of businesses, investment groups and non-profit organizations. Dr. Majumdar’s talk focused on the extreme scales of climate change witnessed by planet earth in the past two decades. With the emphasis on rapid increase in human population, he explained the “Tsunami of Energy Consumption” using visual graphs and comparisons with the daily lifestyle of a layman. He proposed a set of engineering challenges as the next-gen challenges of the 21st century which included electricity, HVAC, transportation and water, and multiple engineering ideas to mitigate the current climate trends. In a question answer session with Mr. Arnab Debnath, Vice President of IITBAA, he answered simple pointers which even a regular layman can implement to bring about a positive change. Overall the audience was extremely receptive of his message which ended on a cautious yet positive note –
” We do not inherit the planet from our ancestors, rather, we borrow it from our children.”
Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad Consul General of India
San Francisco
Dr. T.V. Nagendra Prasad, Consul General of India in San Francisco, is a senior diplomat who served at Indian Missions in Tehran, London, Thimphu, Bern in various positions and was Ambassador of India to Turkmenistan from 2014-2018. He gave a motivating speech which emphasized on the topics of Indian startup ecosystem, recent India-US relations and the resourcefulness of the IIT alumni to the nation. He expressed his pride and joy in being part of the IIT Bay Area community and was delighted to speak to a diverse audience at the conference. Dr. Prasad shared the recent developments of India and the nation’s support to USA when India’s first Navy warship INS Satpura recently arrived at San Diego, USA harbour on August 13th 2022 under the aegis of Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav which was a moment of pride for every Indian. He also emphasized and seconded the need of sustainable energy and environment, and expressed that the growing economy of India should be in this direction. He concluded the talk by encouraging the audience to contribute to the Indian startup ecosystem in every possible manner.
Among such insightful talks by leaders, the conference also hosted a first of its kind Campus Mixer Session. This event was intended as an informal gathering of alumni from each campus to huddle and bond during the lunch time. As the event needed prompt management and outreach, Anshu Agarwal, IITBAA Board Member coordinated with a team of volunteers to take ownership for each of IIT campuses. Arnab Debnath,Vice President of IITBAA and IIT KGP alumni, helped the volunteer Yajat Pandya to connect with local IIT KGP luminaries and drive the outreach of the campus mixer event. Over 55 IIT KGP alumni gathered at the KGP Mixer session and witnessed the presence of esteemed alumni like Mr. Arjun Malhotra, Mr. Prith Banerjee, Mr. Debu Chatterjee, and many others. With the generous support of Mr. Arjun Malhotra, the group was also able to include a unique full-sized IIT KGP flag around this event area. Mr. Prith Banerjee, CTO of ANSYS, talked about his recent book, “The Innovation Factory”. The entire KGP contingent were delighted with this initiative by the conference organizers and look forward to many more events of networking going forward.
Inputs : Yajat Pandya, Alumni of IIT Kharagpur & Volunteer of IITBAA Email : yajatvp@gmail.com
Edited by : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007
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A Glimpse from the Table Tennis Tournament in Full Swing
A Glimpse from the Hockey Tournament
A Glimpse from the Basketball Tournament
A Glimpse from the Spring Tournament
A Glimpse of the Marathon Event
Dainik Jagran 
Dr. Arun Majumdar
