There are 23 Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) in India – one for each state – but IIT Guwahati is the only IIT that caters to as many as eight states: Assam, Sikkim, Arunachal Pradesh, Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram, Tripura and Meghalaya.
Prof Devendra Jalihal, who recently joined as the director of IIT Guwahati, said that the institute has been promoting a sustainable economy in the region for 30 years, but there is a long way to go.
“IIT Guwahati has been recognised as an ambassador for research & development in northeastern India,” Prof Jalihal told FE. “It has played a key role in translational research and entrepreneurship, with initiatives to foster innovation, support start-ups, and enhance industry-academia collaboration in the region.”
Low-hanging fruits
Prof Jalihal – who was previously senior faculty at IIT Madras – said he has identified certain low-hanging fruits at the institute, working on which would require least effort and make the maximum impact.
“I would like IIT Guwahati to play a leadership role in skilling people from the entire Northeast,” he said. “I also plan to work closely with the seven National Institutes of Technology (NITs) of the region.”
The Tata Group is building India’s first indigenous semiconductor assembly and test facility in Jagiroad, Assam, with an investment outlay of Rs 27,000 crore. It will serve global customers, and is expected to generate over 27,000 direct and indirect jobs in the region.
“We will supply skilled professionals from the Northeast, and feed into corporate India’s growth plans for the region,” he said.
Working with NITs
Although there is just one IIT for the entire Northeast, there are seven NITs, which are a storehouse of talent. Prof Jalihal said he will work closely with the NITs, and possibly even start joint PhDs between IIT Guwahati and NITs. “I will ensure there is a lot of knowledge exchange between all engineering colleges in the Northeast,” he said. “There can be amazing talent even at local engineering colleges, and we would like to find and polish that talent.”
Supporting entrepreneurship
In 2011-12, two of Prof Jalihal’s students – Tarun Mehta and Swapnil Jain – started working on electric motors in IIT Madras. Today, their electric two-wheeler company is called Ather Energy, and their aim is global markets.
“I would like to see similar start-ups being born in IIT Guwahati,” he said. “Start-ups that excel in technology innovation.”
The institute recently signed an MoU with Assam Startup – an initiative by the Assam government to create a start-up ecosystem in the state – through the Assam Industrial Infrastructure Development Corporation (AIIDC) to promote entrepreneurship through access to technology, industry, innovation, and value-added activities.
Another MoU was signed with the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FICCI) to solidify their commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship in the Northeast.
“IIT Guwahati will serve as a catalyst for innovation and entrepreneurship in the northeastern region and the entire country. Through collaborations with the FICCI and Assam Startup, we are hopeful that the collective measures and initiatives we aim to provide will help foster an ecosystem where entrepreneurs can transform their ideas into successful businesses,” Prof Jalihal said.
IIT Guwahati has also launched a six-week Residential Bootcamp with 51 start-up participants from the Northeast region. It’s designed to provide a platform for aspiring entrepreneurs, equipping them with the skills and knowledge needed to succeed in the start-up ecosystem.
Global and national rankings
IIT Guwahati was last year ranked seventh among the best engineering institutions of the country by the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) of the Union Ministry of Education.
As far as global rankings are concerned, it achieved rank 6 in the SDG 7 (affordable and clean energy) globally in the Times Higher Education (THE) Impact Rankings 2023, and is the only academic institution in India that occupied a place among the top-100 world universities – under 50 years of age – by the THE in 2014. In the most recent QS World University Rankings, IIT Guwahati was ranked 32nd globally in the ‘Research Citations per Faculty’ category, and overall 364th rank in the world.
“Although rankings aren’t the end-goal, they show that we are doing the right things, and are a testament to the dedication and hard work of our faculty, students and staff,” Prof Jalihal said. “In fact, the QS World University Rankings, released on June 4, highlight that since 2014, IIT Guwahati has ascended its rank by a remarkable 257 places, from the 601-650 range to the 344th position.”
Attracting faculty
Guwahati isn’t a metro city like Mumbai, Chennai or Delhi, but this IIT hasn’t faced any challenge in attracting the best of faculty. It’s a huge, 700-acre green campus, located on the northern banks of the mighty Brahmaputra River.
“The natural beauty of this place itself is enough to attract people – we have clean air, good weather, hill stations nearby, and lovely people around. Who wouldn’t want to come here?” he said. “An advantage no other IIT has is that we are located just 20-25 minutes from the airport. You land at Guwahati airport at 10:00 am, and you would be on the campus at 10:30 am, and Guwahati has good connectivity. I don’t think any other IIT is so close to the airport. There is a lot of economic activity happening in the Northeast, and so there are job opportunities for spouses of faculty also. We will keep attracting the best of the world.”
The Northeast, which has somehow failed to keep up with the India growth story in certain areas, definitely needs the best.