Priyanka Tiwari
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Suspense crime, Digital Desk : Today, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Roorkee is a world-renowned symbol of academic excellence, a sprawling campus where India's brightest minds push the boundaries of science and technology. But this prestigious institution rose from the most humble of origins: a single tent with just 20 students.
The story begins in 1847, during the British Raj. The colonial administration was undertaking a monumental engineering feat: the construction of the Ganges Canal, a massive project designed to irrigate vast tracts of land. To train the civil engineers needed for this and other ambitious infrastructure projects, the Lieutenant Governor of the North-Western Provinces, Sir James Thomason, established a college.
This pioneering institution, initially named the Thomason College of Civil Engineering, was the very first of its kind in India. Its first classes were not held in grand halls but in a simple tent set up on campus, with a modest inaugural batch of 20 aspiring engineers.
The college’s success and importance grew rapidly. After India gained independence, its pivotal role in nation-building was recognized. In 1949, it was granted a charter as the University of Roorkee, a testament to its expanding influence in technical education.
The final and most prestigious chapter in its evolution came in 2001. Recognizing its historical significance and academic prowess, the Government of India officially designated it as the nation’s seventh Indian Institute of Technology (IIT).
From a makeshift classroom built of canvas to a global leader in education and research, the 177-year history of IIT Roorkee is a powerful story of vision, resilience, and the enduring quest for knowledge. It stands today not just as an elite university, but as a living monument to the birth of technical education in India.
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