15 interesting facts about IITs you did not know

A dream for many, IITs are one of the best tech institutes of the country. A hub of toppers, IITs are equipped with some of the best teaching facilities one could ever find. However, there are some interesting but unknown facts about these premier institutes that we bet you are unaware of.

For instance, did you know that when IIT started functioning, it did not have an entrance exam and that students were admitted to the institutes on the basis of their academic record and interview?

Similar to this, there are many such mind-blowing facts about IITs that you might be oblivious of. Let's discuss some of these below.

About IITs in general:

• The first batch of students at the IITs consisted only boys. And these were among the top ten rankers in their universities. 
• The IITs receive around 100-200 million grant from the Indian government every single year. Other fund sources also include alumni help and academic fees.
• A House Resolution was passed by US Congress in 2005 which acknowledged the significant contribution of IITians in the field of research and innovation. Infact, IITs are the only foreign university to be praised by the US Congress in this manner. Don’t believe us? Take a look at the image below.

IIT Bombay:

• IIT Bombay was set up with assistance from UNESCO and the former soviet union.
• The institute’s 1975 batch kicked off Asia’s largest cultural festival - 'Mood Indigo' in the year 1971. However, the very first MI happened in 1973. And in the year 1981, R. D. Burman and Asha Bhosle performed at MI.
• The budget for the 1997 Mood Indigo was Rs.24 lakhs which was bigger than any Bombay fest.
• In 1981, the very first woman metallurgist in Indian history graduated from IIT. And ironically, in the very same year, a girl was admitted in Mechanical Engineering at IIT Bombay for the first time.

IIT Roorkee:

• IIT Roorkee is said  to have the highest internet speed in India, much over the world's average and almost 6 times that of India's average speed of internet.

 IIT Kharagpur:

• IIT Kgp is three times the area of Vatican City and Monaco put together. It’s area is as huge as 8.5 SqKM.
• The main building tower has a steel tank with a capacity of 10,000 imperial gallons of water for emergency supply needs.
• The institute has a house named “Bomb House”. Located in the campus, this structure was the place to store bombs by the Britishers during World War.  Currently, the place is being used as a staff quarter.

IIT Madras:

• Australian cricket team came was at the institute for net practice at the Chemplast, IIT –M while at Chennai.

IIT Delhi:

• The roof of Dogra Hall at IIT Delhi is a  specially designed hyperbloc parabolid by IIT professors. And the most interesting part of the roof is that it is supported only at the ends!

IIT Kanpur:

• The institute was establsihed under the Kanpur Indo-American Programme, which was a consortium of nine American univesities, including MIT, Cornell, Columbia, CalTech and Case Western. 
• IIT Kanpur is believed to have its own airstrip for the Aeronautical Engineering students.