From prison to temple of learning: the first IIT

Today the IITs are India's most prestigious engineering institutions. But did you know that the first IIT began in a building where the British once imprisoned freedom fighters?

Hijli Detention Camp

Near Kharagpur in West Bengal, the British ran a detention camp at Hijli where freedom fighters were held without trial. In September 1931 police opened fire on unarmed prisoners in the camp, and two prisoners were killed. The incident was protested across the country.

A new beginning

After Independence the country needed large numbers of engineers and scientists to build dams, factories, power plants and roads. A committee led by Nalini Ranjan Sarkar recommended setting up higher technical institutes. Following this, on 18 August 1951, India's first IIT began in that same old building at Hijli. The first batch had 224 students, and there were 42 teachers in 10 departments.

Nehru's words

At IIT Kharagpur's first convocation in 1956, Nehru said that where the Hijli Detention Camp once stood, there now stood this fine monument of India, representing India's urges and India's future in the making. The same year Parliament passed a law declaring IIT Kharagpur an Institute of National Importance.

Today

The old building where the IIT began now houses the "Nehru Museum of Science and Technology". IIT Kharagpur is one of the largest IIT campuses in the country. The journey that began at Kharagpur has now reached 23 IITs. IITs at Bombay, Madras, Kanpur and Delhi were also set up in Nehru's time.

Why remember this story?

This story shows how independent India turned symbols of colonial rule into centres of education and science. From the place where prisoners were once shot, thousands of engineers and scientists now graduate every year to work in India and around the world.

It is also a reminder that institutions take decades to build. The choices made in the early 1950s, when resources were scarce, continue to shape India's technology and industry today.