Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur

Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) is a public institute of technology research university located in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India. It is the first of the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) to be established, and is recognised as an Institute of National Importance.

The history of Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur (IIT Kharagpur) dates back to 1946, when a committee was set up by the Government of India to consider the setting up of higher technical institutions in the country. The committee, headed by Nalini Ranjan Sarkar, recommended the establishment of five such institutions, along the lines of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in the United States.

The first Indian Institute of Technology was founded in May 1950 at the site of the Hijli Detention Camp in Kharagpur, West Bengal. The institute was initially known as the Eastern Higher Technical Institute, but was renamed the Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur in September 1950. The institute was formally inaugurated on August 18, 1951, by Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, the then Minister of Education of India.

IIT Kharagpur started with only 10 departments and 224 students. It is now one of the most prestigious and selective technical universities in India.

The institute has played a major role in the development of India's technical education and research system.

Based on the QS World University Rankings of 2024, Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur is positioned as the #271 top university in the world, which makes it the #4 top university in India.