Chemical Engineering – The KGP Chronicle

IIT Kharagpur honours Shri Sundar Pichai with DSc Honoris Causa & Mrs. Anjali Pichai with Distinguished Alumnus Award

Excellence embodies the relentless pursuit of the highest standards, driven by an unwavering commitment to continuous improvement and innovation. It transcends conventional measures of success, focusing instead on achieving exceptional quality and performance through dedication, expertise, and a passionate commitment to one’s craft. Those who embody excellence are not satisfied with merely meeting expectations; they aim to exceed them, setting new benchmarks and inspiring others to reach their fullest potential. This pursuit involves a cycle of persistent learning, thoughtful reflection, and tireless effort, reflecting a deep dedication to personal and professional growth. In essence, excellence is a journey rather than a destination, characterized by the drive to push boundaries and redefine what is possible, both for oneself and for those around them. This attribute has been embodied by our most illustrious Alum Shri Sundarajan Pichai and his wife Mrs. Anjali Pichai.

In a momentous occasion of pride, IIT Kharagpur honoured Shri Sundar Pichai with the Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) Award and Mrs. Anjali Pichai with Distinguished Alumnus Award in San Francisco. Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur in the presence of Sundar Pichai’s parents and their daughter Ms. Kavya Pichai bestowed the award to the Google Scion.

(L-R) Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur; Shri Sundar Pichai, CEO, Google; Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur & Prof. Debashish Chakravarty, Dean, Alumni Affairs, IIT Kharagpur

The award ceremony was attended by renowned alumni of IIT Kharagpur including Vinod Gupta & Ranbir Gupta along with Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Deputy Director and Prof. Debashish Chakravarty, Dean Alumni Affairs of the institute.

“Last week I was grateful to receive an honorary doctorate from my alma mater IIT Kharagpur. My parents always hoped I would get my doctorate, I think an honorary one still counts (smiley). The access to education and technology at IIT put me on a path to Google and helping more people access technology. IIT’s role in technology will only grow in importance with the AI revolution, and I will always be thankful for my time there,” cited Mr. Sundar Pichai, Illustrious Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur & CEO of Google [https://www.instagram.com/p/C938BlwxKGB/?img_index=1]

A B.Tech (Hons) in Metallurgical and Materials Engineering from IIT Kharagpur, Shri Sundararajan Pichai is recognized by the third highest civilian award, the Padma Bhushan by the Government of India. He stands as a quintessence of inspiration to the millions of Indians who aspire to dream big. Shri Pichai is the CEO of Alphabet Inc. and Google who led a technological revolution as the Senior Vice President and Product Chief at Google launching popular products like iGoogle, Google Toolbar, Desktop Search and Gadgets, Google Pack, and Gears. With more than 15 years of experience developing high-tech consumer and enterprise products, he is the pride of every Indian. Building technologies that improves the lives of people around the world, he has shaped the global economy by strengthening partnerships between governments, businesses and communities over two transformative decades.

(L-R) Kavya Pichai, Daughter of Mr. Pichai; Mr. Regunatha Pichai, Father of Mr. Pichai; Mrs. Lakshmi Pichai, Mother of Mr. Pichai; Prof. Rintu Banerjee, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur; Mrs. Anjali Pichai (Haryani), Alumnus & Wife of Mr. Pichai; Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur; Shri Sundar Pichai, Alumnus & CEO of Google; Shri Vinod Gupta, Alumnus & CEO and Chairman of infoGROUP; Shri Ranbir Gupta, Alumnus & President of Gupta Associates Inc., and Chairman of SIGMA7 and Prof. Debashish Chakravarty, Dean, Alumni Affairs, IIT Kharagpur.

In recognition of his remarkable contribution towards digital transformation, affordable technology and path breaking innovations, the Hon’ble President of India, Smt Droupadi Murmu, Visitor of the Institute, bestowed the degree of Doctor of Science (Honoris Causa) in absentia at the 69th Convocation of IIT Kharagpur held on December 18, 2023.

Shri Sundar Pichai receiving the DSc Honoris Causa from Prof. V K Tewari

On receiving the Doctor of Science Award from his Alma Mater, Shri Sundar Pichai remarked, “This is indeed a great honour that IIT Kharagpur has bestowed on me. I am truly blessed and humbled to receive this award from Prof. Tewari in presence of my family and friends. Standing with this award in my hands reminds me of the young boy that I was who dreamed to be in the world that I am trying to create with my inventions. IIT Kharagpur holds a special place in my heart as this was the place where I first met my beloved wife, Anjali and had beautiful memories of my second home that I grew up in. The ambience, the people, the environment, the culture imparts a diaspora of knowledge learnings that one can implement in shaping up their practical wisdom. I am grateful to my institute for rewarding me with this award and there is nothing in the world that can compare to this emotional euphoria that I feel right now. I look forward to connect with IIT KGP manifesting greater technological solutions in partnership with Google. KGP ka tempo high hai! ,” added Shri Sundar Pichai.

Mrs Anjali Pichai (Haryani) receives the Distinguished Alumnus Award from Prof. Rintu Banerjee

Ms Anjali Pichai is a highly accomplished professional with a background in Chemical Engineering, earning her B.Tech honours degree from Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur in 1993. Commencing her career in the early 1990s, Anjali initially served as a Business Analyst at Accenture, contributing her expertise for a span of three years. Venturing into the United States, Anjali transitioned her career as a Business Analyst at Sun Microsystems. She held the position of Business Operation Manager at Intuit, a prominent software company. Anjali’s career trajectory reflects her dedication and proficiency in the technology and business sectors.

The Awardees with their family and friends

Prof. V K Tewari, Director of IIT Kharagpur, expressed his delight in honoring both Sundar and Anjali Pichai, stating, “Their achievements exemplify the spirit of innovation and excellence that IIT Kharagpur seeks to instill in its students. We are privileged to recognize their outstanding contributions to the global technology industry and wish more laurels and attributes are added to their stature.”

Shri Sundar Pichai meeting the Alumni of IIT Kharagpur including Rabir Gupta & Vinod Gupta

The awards ceremony underscores IIT Kharagpur’s commitment to celebrating the achievements of its alumni who have made significant contributions to society and industry worldwide.

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 Kharagpur ranked 1st in Agriculture & Civil Engineering in India in the 13th QS World University Ranking by Subject 2023

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT KGP) ranked 1^st in Agriculture Forestry and Civil & Structural Engineering in India, according to the latest edition of the world’s highest QS World University Ranking by Subject for the year 2023. The Institution’s strongest field Engineering & Technology ranked at 82^nd with an overall score of 76.7 among all the universities globally and 4^th in India, as per the 13^th QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2023 announced on 23^rd March 2023.

In India, IIT KGP ranked 1^st in Agriculture & Forestry along with Civil & Structural Engineering. Domestically, the Institute overall ranked 2^nd in Architecture & Built Environment, Material Science, Environmental Sciences, Accounting & Finance, Economics & Ergonomics. Core areas of the premier institute including Computer Science & Information Systems, Mineral & Mining Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Electrical & Electronics, Earth & Marine Science and Statistical & Operational Research held 3^rd position in all over India.

Globally, the institute ranked 74^th in 2023 compared to 80^th rank in 2022 in Electrical and Electronic Engineering; 94^th in 2023 compared to 109^th in 2022 in Computer Science & Information Systems & 106^thrank in 2023, improving its rank from 118^th in 2022 in Mechanical, Aeronautical & Manufacturing Engineering.

Speaking on the QS Rankings by Subject 2023, Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur remarked, “IIT Kharagpur stands out from other IITs with its multi-modal curriculum nurturing creativity, capacity building, affordable healthcare and rapid technological amalgamation. As an Institute of Eminence, we have to acquire the opportunity in digital economy space fostering skill development and encouraging entrepreneurship. The Institute is gearing up to establish bridges with ISRO and futuristic technologies with DRDO in unmanned & robotic technologies, cognitive technologies and secure systems, directed energy technologies, sensor systems and software, life support engineering and baseline technologies in materials. We are also planning to steer ahead in areas like precision agriculture, energy storage systems, hardware security, hydrogen storage, quantum communication, additive manufacturing, 3D printing & composite manufacturing.”

The institute also ranked #1 in Architecture & Regional Planning (ARP) in Indian Institutional Ranking Framework (IIRF) 2022.

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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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Sustainable Alternatives in Energy, Environment & Healthcare for Science & Society

INDO-US, INDO-AUSTRALIA AND INDO-CANADA INTERDISCIPLINARY WORKSHOPS AT IIT KHARAGPUR

The Bioprocess & Bioproduct Development Laboratory of the Department of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur along with the collaborators from USA, Australia, and Canada organized three days workshop under the Government of India’s Scheme for Promotion of Academic and Research Collaboration (SPARC) from 24th to 26th February 2023. The workshops were inaugurated by Prof. Amit Patra, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur in the august presence of Dr. Prachi Kaul, Director, Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute and Prof. Saswat Chakrabarti, Dean BTBS, IIT Kharagpur. The workshop saw a footfall of more than 80 participants from both within and outside the horizons of IIT Kharagpur. Sustainable Alternatives in Energy, Environment, and Healthcare for the well-being of Science and Society was the theme of the three different workshops that spanned across the institute.

Pic : Inaugural session of the Indo-US SPARC Workshop (L-R) – Professor Warren D. Seider from the University of Pennsylvania was present online; Prof. Amit Patra, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur; Prof. N. R. Jana, HOD, Department of Biotechnology and Prof. Ramkrishna Sen, Department of Biotechnology (Convener) were present physically for the inauguration ceremony.

The three day long programme witnessed 20 speakers from 10 National and International universities and institutes accompanied by eminent industry leaders. On 24th February 2023, the first of the series INDO-US workshop was initiated on ‘Algaeneering for Global Energy and Climate Challenge’, jointly organized by the Bioprocess and Bioproduct Development Laboratory (BBDL) at IIT Kharagpur and the University of Pennsylvania, USA wherein academia researchers and industry experts across India and the US discussed the challenges, avenues, and technologies in research, development & innovations and techno-commercial assessment of renewable energy sectors.

Prof. Warren D. Seider, a world-renowned Professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering at the University of Pennsylvania delivered a plenary lecture. The other speakers at the workshop were Prof. K. K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee; Prof. Pinaki Bhattacharyya Emeritus Professor, Head, R&D, Chemical Engineering, Heritage Institute of Technology, Kolkata; Dr. Anindita Moitra, Chief General Manager, Indian Oil Corporation Limited; Dr. Sangeeta Srivastava, Executive Director, Godavari Biorefineries Ltd., Karnataka and Dr. Harshad R. Velankar, Chief Manager, Bioprocess Group, Hindustan Petroleum Green R & D Center, Bengaluru.

Pic : Inaugural session of the Indo-AUS SPARC Workshop (L-R): Prof. Saswat Chakraborty, Dean BTBS, IIT Kharagpur; Prof. D. N. Singh, IIT Bombay; Prof. N. R. Jana, HOD, Department of Biotechnology and Prof. Ramkrishna Sen (Convener) in the inauguration ceremony.

Under the aegis of SPARC, the second day of the INDO-AUSTRALIA workshop scheduled on 25th February 2023 focused on ‘Bioinspired Solutions for Natural & Built Environment: Science, Society & Wellbeing.’ The Australian collaborators under the SPARC program from the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Curtin University; Prof. Abhijit Mukherjee and Dr. Navdeep Dhami joined hands with the experts from India, Prof. Devendra Narain Singh, D. L. Shah Chair Professor for Innovation, Department of Civil Engineering, IIT Bombay; Prof. Brajadulal Chattopadhyay, Professor, Jadavpur University; Mr. Ramananda Adhikari, Deputy General Manager, Hindustan Copper Limited, Kolkata and Dr. Santanu Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Reliance Technology Group, Reliance Industries Limited, Mumbai put forth a series of insightful talks.

Pic : Dr. Santanu Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Reliance Technology Group, Reliance Industries Limited, Mumbai, India delivering his plenary talk online

A multidisciplinary concerted effort and partnership between educational institutions and industries was deemed to be instrumental in advancing research and development was highlighted in these workshops through the active participation of three PSUs including Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL), Indian Oil Corporation Limited (IOCL) and Hindustan Computers Limited (HCL) and two private industry market players Reliance and Godavari Biorefineries. These industry experts visited algal biomass production facility, a demo park created under the ambit of IMPRINT-IIA scheme (DST-SERB) between IIT Kharagpur and HPCL.

The INDO-CANADA workshop was held on 26th February 26, 2023 with the funding supports from Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI) and SPARC on the theme ‘Green/Bio-polymers as renewable and sustainable alternatives to Petro-plastics: Energy-Environment-Healthcare Nexus’ with the active involvement of Prof. Sudip Kumar Rakshit, Canada Research Chair Professor, Bioenergy & Biorefining Research Institute, Lakehead University, Canada and Prof. Satinder Kaur Brar, James & Joanne Love Chair in Environmental Engineering, Lassonde School of Engineering, York University, Canada. Enthralling talks were also delivered by Dr. Santanu Dasgupta, Senior Vice President, Reliance Technology Group, Reliance Industries Limited, Mumbai, India; Prof. Prashant Mishra, Former Head, Department of Biochemical Engineering & Biotechnology, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi; Prof. Dipankar Chattopadhyay, Former Head, Department of Polymer Science & Technology, University of Calcutta, and Dr. Krishna Chattopadhyay, Jadavpur University and Anchor, DD Bangla, Doordarshan Kendra, Kolkata. Dr. Santanu Das Gupta gave virtual demonstration of their state-of-the-art biorefinery facility, highlighting the challenges and mentioning the need and scopes of Industrial-Academia collaborations.

Pic : Prof. Sen demonstrating the high-rate algal pond, one-of-its-kind facility to capture the industrial emissions and valorize towards biofuels and healthcare products.

Participants delivered oral presentations of their research work in the three day workshops where Prof. Sen’s doctoral students, Mr. Romit Mitra and Ms. Ankita Debnath presented their work on algal biorefinery and bio-cementation perspectives, respectively.

Pic : Group photo at the valedictory session on Day 3

Prof. Ramkrishna Sen, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur & Convener of the workshops remarked, “All the workshops were well organized by the members of the Bioprocess & Bioproduct Development Laboratory, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur which acknowledges Mr. Satyanarayana Reddy Battula, Dr. Chinmay Hazra and Dr. Debasree Kundu for their tremendous efforts and ground level coordination. Financial supports accorded by SPARC, an initiative of the Ministry of Education, GoI as well as the Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute (SICI) thus, paved the platform for developing an exciting research ecosystem through cohesive academic and research collaborations was well received by the overwhelming participants. “

Input By : Prof. Ramkrishna Sen, Department of Biotechnology, IIT Kharagpur
Email: rksen@bt.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

Follow us on: Facebook – IIT Kharagpur; Twitter – @IITKgp; Instagram – @iit.kgp; LinkedIn – Indian Institute of Technology
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IIT Kharagpur ranked 5th in India in QS Asia University Rankings 2023

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT KGP) ranked 5^th in India as per the QS Asia University Rankings 2023. The premier institute overall ranked 61^st in Southern Asia among its other peers. IIT Kharagpur is the national leader and Asia’s third-highest among the Universities with the indicator of maximum staff having PhD and featured among the top 8% in the QS Asia University Ranking 2023 with a total of 760 institutions.

The institute has also been named as one of the world’s top 100 universities for the study of 19 subjects, according to the world’s highest QS University Rankings. IIT KGP ranked 37^th in 2022 compared to 44^th in 2021 in Mineral & Mining Engineering & 80^thrank in 2022, improving its rank from 90^th in 2021 in Electrical & Electronic Engineering. In Engineering & Technology, it ranked 101^st in the world and 3rd in India, as per the 12th QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2022. The Institute of Eminence featured in the top three in India for Agriculture & Forestry (1^st rank), Statistics & Operational Research (1^st rank), Mineral & Mining Engineering (2^nd rank), Environmental Sciences (2^nd rank), Economics & Econometrics (2^nd rank), Engineering & Technology (3^rd rank), Computer Science & Information Systems (3^rd rank), Chemical Engineering (3^rd rank) and Accounting & Finance (3^rd rank). Overall, the institute leaped up to 10 places to secure 270^th rank in the QS World University Ranking 2023 and improved its 2022 performance by 10 places and seen significant rise in academic and employer reputation. The Citations per Faculty has also seen a variable rise being the strongest indicator for the institute and fared among the top 19% in the QS World University Rankings.

Speaking on the QS Asia Rankings 2023, Prof. Amit Patra, Deputy Director, IIT Kharagpur remarked, “We are glad to see the consistent rise in our global ranking over the last decade. Being fundamentally a technology oriented institution we have the scope to make a major impact to the economy of the country. We are soon going to add medical education to our repertoire which would put us head-to-head with the world leaders like MIT & Stanford.”

Branching out to the avenues of Medical Engineering and Bio-medical Studies with an amalgamation of technological advancements and nano technology, importance is given to medical education including biomedical sensing research, an interdisciplinary R&D work at School of Medical Science and Technology (SMST), at IIT Kharagpur has been initiated to promote MEMS and Biosensor activity that encompasses design, fabrication and engineering of biomedical & microfluidic devices for its electro-physiological characterization. For the evaluation of electrical and physical properties of biomolecules and cells using suitable micro-fluidic devices, appropriate fabrication of polymeric coated bio-MEMS are being investigated and its utility are evaluated under different microscopic and electrical impedance study. The School has collaborated with some of the best medical research institutes and medical industries from all over the world and introduced an interdisciplinary 3 years Masters Program in Medical Science and Technology (MMST) – the first of its kind in the country. The school also offers a 4 semester M.Tech program in Medical Imaging & Informatics along with PhD programs. Prestigious awards and fellowships like Nehru-Fulbright, Khorana, DAAD scholarships etc. were bestowed on several students.

The institute is also gearing up to expand its horizons in the field of medical science in the form Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee Institute of Medical Science and Research Forum & by establishing a medical college the B. C Roy Multi-Speciality Medical Research Centre which is a major boost for setting the dawn of a new era in the IIT system in Medical Education & Research for community welfare. IIT Kharagpur is the first IIT in India to have expanded its horizon to providing medical education in both MBBS and Post-graduate programs and healthcare services. The new Super Speciality Hospital in the name of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee has started its OPD with initial 14-visiting specialists. Many of the Alumni of IIT KGP have also donated beds for the hospital.

Speaking on the QS Rankings by Subject 2022, Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur remarked, “IIT Kharagpur stands out from other IITs with its multi-disciplinary mandate to transform its education curriculum to a knowledge economy along with the focus on skill development and entrepreneurship.”

Along with modern sciences, the genesis of traditional knowledge systems known as the Centre of Excellence for Indian Knowledge Systems (CoEIKS) entail in a knowledge transfer of indigenous knowledge systems offering a value proposition which can be naturally assimilated, making learning more engaging and delightful. The Indian Knowledge System that transfuses the relevance of traditional knowledge systems & ancient wisdom in contemporary times and their role to synergise modern scientific knowledge with Indian art, architecture, sociology, culture, language etc. has created a resource of connecting our basic knowledge with our existence. It has opened ways. The young talents of the post-pandemic world would be more in need of interdisciplinary and more integrated learning programs. Education in mother tongue follows the same line of thoughts to make learning more accessible by enabling students to grasp the knowledge in the same language as they speak. The diversity of the institute with Centre of Excellence for Indian Knowledge Systems, the Centre of Excellence for Classical and Folk Arts, Leadership, Science of Happiness, Law, Management, Safety Analytics etc. will generate multidisciplinary mandate implementation.

Being the oldest IIT in the country, the activities of IIT Kharagpur is aligned to serve national interest and seeks to provide broad-based education, helping students hone their professional skills and acquire the best-in-class capabilities in their respective disciplines, infusing a spirit of entrepreneurship, innovation and socialism among students. The institute has unique innovations like Deekshak e-classroom software, Ultra High Corrosion Resistant Stainless Steel for Indian Space, Painless Needle, Cell patterning, 2G Ethanol, AI based low-cost meteorological inspection system, Robotic systems to detect and treat plant disease, novel technique to trace ancient seasons and climate change etc. which thrust ahead the Institute among its global peers.

Associations with GIAN, SPARC, DST, C-DAC has been a complimentary asset to project IIT Kharagpur’s growth trajectory on a front foot with the nation where people are aware about its initiatives towards excellence in innovations, technological developments, research, community service, leadership and entrepreneurial skills, social impact, nation building, social welfare, and professional accomplishments. Centre for Artificial Intelligence, Paramshakti Supercomputing Mission for Param-Vidya, Safety in Engineering & Analytics along with Quality, Reliability, Availability, Maintainability & Safety (QRAMS) stands out with its inclusive efforts to become a global benchmark for education, training, consulting and research. As an Institute of Eminence, IIT Kharagpur has always been popular choice for Internationalization in Higher Studies with the neighbouring countries. Contributions to community welfare in the fields of Education and Outreach, Affordable healthcare, Clean drinking water, Food and Nutrition, Rural Development, Sustainable Livelihood, Environmental Sustainability and several other areas under the ambit of CSR has been developed to serve the neighbouring community.

Progressive change comes from progressive minds, that is the work the Institute fosters to implant as Policy Makers, as Academicians, as Societal Reforms and as one of the premier and oldest institute of the country.

By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007

Follow us: Facebook – IIT Kharagpur; Twitter – @IITKgp; Instagram – @iit.kgp; LinkedIn – Indian Institute of Technology
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IIT Kharagpur ranks 3rd among the top Universities in India

IIT Kharagpur ranks 3rd among the top Universities in India in Engineering & Technology & 37th in Mineral & Mining Engineering in the world according to 12th QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2022

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur has been named as one of the world’s top 100 universities for the study of 19 subjects, according to the latest edition of the world’s highest QS University Ranking. The institute ranked 37^th in 2022 compared to 44^th in 2021 in Mineral & Mining Engineering & 80^thrank in 2022, improving its rank from 90^th in 2021 in Electrical & Electronic Engineering. In Engineering & Technology, the institute ranked 101^st in the world and 3^rd in India, as per the 12th QS World University Rankings by Subject, 2022 announced on 06 April 2022.

Speaking on the QS Rankings by Subject 2022, Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur remarked, “IIT Kharagpur stands out from other IITs with its multi-disciplinary mandate to transform its education curriculum to a knowledge economy along with the focus on skill development and entrepreneurship.”

The Institute has been ranked at the top three in India for Agriculture & Forestry (1^st rank), Statistics & Operational Research (1^st rank), Mineral & Mining Engineering (2^nd rank), Environmental Sciences (2^nd rank), Economics & Econometrics (2^nd rank), Engineering & Technology (3^rd rank), Computer Science & Information Systems (3^rd rank), Chemical Engineering (3^rd rank) and Accounting & Finance (3^rd rank). Out of 19 academic disciplines of IIT Kharagpur, 32% improved their positions in ranking. Mineral & Mining Engineering scored 82.7 in Employer Reputation, Environmental Sciences scored 86.6 in Citations per Paper and Business & Management Studies scored 81.8 in H-Index. The Institute’s overall score by the broad subject area in Engineering & Technology is 76.2.

Prof Goutam Chakraborty, Associate Dean, International Relations/Ranking stated, “Although we are moving forward, it is no time for complacency. The expectation of the nation from its oldest Institute of Technology is quite high and we all must strive to live up to it.”

Content Writer:- Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007

Back in time

It was a homecoming of sorts. As Arjun Varma Kalidindi stood in front of the Chemical Engineering Department in the falling light, his mother, Usha, quickly clicked a few pictures. They had stolen these moments away from their visit to the Nehru Museum of Science and Technology with the members of the 32 teams who had come to participate in the IIT Kharapgur’s Young Innovator’s Program 2019.

They just had to make this detour. Many aeons ago, Arjun’s grandfather – K. Satyanarayana Raju on our rolls, and later Dr. K.S.N Raju – would have walked those stretches many a time with his friends. A wave of emotions gripped the mother and son as they made the trip together. Dr. Raju had passed away in October, 2014. In the fading light of that evening, his grandson, visiting the Department, made a poignant connection with his memory again.

Born in a small village in rural Andhra Pradesh, Dr. Raju grew up to be a passionate educator and writer. He finished his BTech in Chemical Engineering in Andhra University, before coming for his MTech in IIT Kharagpur, which he completed in 1959. He moved on to Panjab University to complete his PhD in 1971. He taught at Panjab University for 28 years. He moved to Libya to continue educating students in Bright Star University of Technology, a premier technical university of the country.

Dr. Raju was involved in active interaction with the industry, taking up projects and executing them with the induction of graduate students onsite in select industries. He was also responsible for developing chemical engineering departments at Panjab University, Chandigarh, B.V. Raju Institute of Technology, Andhra Pradesh, and the Bright Star University of Technology, Libya. Apart from this, Dr. Raju was involved in the curriculum development for several institutions as member of their boards of studies.

In his long and meritorious academic career, Dr. Raju published over 90 papers and articles in international magazines and journals. He supervised research at doctoral and postdoctoral levels, and reviewed publications in international journals and magazines in engineering, including the prestigious Applied Mechanics Reviews of the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.

He delivered invited lectures on plate heat exchangers at the NATO Advanced Research Institute along with highly distinguished speakers. He also gave onsite courses in industry, covering refineries, gas processing, petrochemical, and fertilizer plants, including lectures on several areas of chemical engineering to trainees and practising engineers in petroleum and petrochemical industry and on international fora. Among books authored by him are Fluid Mechanics, Heat Transfer, and Mass Transfer: Chemical Engineering Practice as a joint publication of the American Institute of Chemical Engineers. His other publications include Low Reynolds Number Heat Exchanger Design along with several distinguished authors and an earlier book on Applied Chemistry.

Arjun outside the Chemical Engineering Department

His grandson, Arjun, was at IIT Kharagpur for YIP 2019 with two of his friends, Ashrith Edukulla and Nairit Gupta as part of Team Reignite on behalf of FIITJEE School, Hyderabad. Using Arduino, they had developed a SafeDrive Device, a fully automatic and cost effective device which when attached to cars would inhibit driving if it detected alcohol level in the driver’s breath that was above the legal limit. Armed with ultrasonic sensors, it could also assist the driver in parking the car. The team had gone through several gruelling rounds before being invited to IIT Kharagpur to display their technology.

Back home, Arjun and his mother wrote back, “It was a wonderful experience for us and thank you so much for your hospitality.”