IIT Kanpur Marks 65th Milestone; Celebrates Alumni Contributions and Defence Innovation

IIT Kanpur celebrated its 65th Foundation Day with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh as Chief Guest. 18 recipients were awarded the Institute Fellow, Distinguished Alumnus, Distinguished Services, and Young Alumnus awards.

IIT Kanpur Marks 65th Milestone

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur (IITK) celebrated its 65th Foundation Day with a grand event honouring its legacy of innovation and impact. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, attending as Chief Guest, joined distinguished guests and honorees in paying tribute to the institute's contributions to national progress and global knowledge. The event highlighted IIT Kanpur’s role in academia, industry, and society, celebrating the achievements of its alumni, faculty, students, and staff.

The ceremony opened with a traditional Saraswati Vandana, followed by a welcome address from Director Prof. Manindra Agrawal, who reflected on the institute’s pioneering influence in advancing knowledge, fostering innovation, and developing leaders. He emphasised IIT Kanpur's dedication to tackling global challenges through groundbreaking research and collaboration, reinforcing its commitment to excellence and societal impact.

As part of the celebrations, IIT Kanpur hosted a special event on defence innovation, supporting India’s vision of Aatmanirbhar Bharat. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh visited a Defence Research, Product, and Incubation Showcase organized by IIT Kanpur’s Startup Incubation and Innovation Centre (SIIC). The showcase featured pioneering solutions from 23 SIIC-incubated startups, highlighting advancements in defence technology, including autonomous systems, AI-powered surveillance, and next-generation communication tools.

Prof. Deepu Philip, Professor-in-Charge of SIIC, IIT Kanpur, emphasized that SIIC’s startups are creating solutions to meet national defence needs while setting new benchmarks in technology and research. The day also featured key discussions on India’s latest defence initiatives, including iDEX’s DISC 12 and Aditi 2.0, offering attendees insights into the defence innovation landscape. Several strategic MoUs were signed to enhance partnerships, including IIT Kanpur’s collaborations with BEML and HAL to advance military logistics and defence innovation, and a partnership with Kanpur University to bolster incubation efforts.

Dr. Samir Kamat, Secretary of DDR&D and Chairman of DRDO, presented sanction letters for six transformative DRDO projects, while SIDBI’s Matching Offer for iDEX-funded startups further boosted essential funding support. A commemorative tree planting, led by Shri Rajnath Singh, symbolized IIT Kanpur's enduring legacy in technological and defense advancement and commitment to sustainability.

As the Chief Guest, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh shared, “In today’s era of technology-driven transformation, India is on the verge of groundbreaking innovation, with institutions like IIT Kanpur driving us forward. As we envision a ‘Viksit Bharat’ by 2047, I urge our youth to lead India’s journey towards technological self-reliance, especially in critical sectors such as defence. From ideation to production, IIT Kanpur’s role in nurturing new ideas and bringing them to fruition will be vital. To achieve ‘Aatmanirbharta,’ we must reduce reliance on imports and prioritize cutting-edge domestic innovations. I am confident that the progress will continue, and defence exports will reach Rs 50,000 crore by 2029-30. As the proverb goes, ‘If you want to go fast, go alone. If you want to go far, go together.’ Let us walk together to achieve our target and reach heights greater than we ever could alone.”

On its 65th Foundation Day, IIT Kanpur honoured 18 alumni with awards celebrating their impactful contributions and dedication. These included the Distinguished Alumnus Awards, Distinguished Services Awards, Young Alumnus Awards, and Institute Fellow Awards. Each award symbolizes IIT Kanpur’s enduring commitment to excellence, innovation, and the values it has cultivated over the decades.

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