IIT Roorkee: 160 Years of Engineering & Research Excellence
Engineering is one of the most sought-after courses in India and an IIT is considered the Mecca for any aspiring engineers. Initially, India has only five recognized IITs. IIT Guwahati was added to the list in 1994 and IIT Roorkee joined the coveted rank in 2001.
However, IIT Roorkee which was initially called the College of Civil Engineering and was founded in 1854 by James Thomason, the Lieutenant-Governor of the North-Western Provinces. The institute was Sesquicentennial in October 1996 and was converted to IIT on September 21, 2001. Today, the institute is a seat of learning for higher technological education and in engineering, basic and applied research.
Several renowned and illustrious individuals have walked the hallowed halls of IIT Roorkee. Many even acknowledge the pivotal role played by the institution in their subsequent professional success.
An IIT Roorkee alumnus, Sorabh Gupta is the Managing Director of Dhampur Green, championing sustainable agribusiness, farmer empowerment, and rural development while driving innovation in jaggery based products for healthier consumption. Talking about his experience, he says, “IIT Roorkee was instrumental in shaping both my personality and professional outlook, largely because of its highly competitive peer environment.”
Another alumni is materials innovator and entrepreneur, Rehan Ali Pradhan who drives deep-tech solutions for sustainable materials, combining academic excellence, industry experience, and purpose driven leadership to create scalable, impact-focused innovations. “IIT Roorkee played a decisive role in shaping my entrepreneurial outlook and business thinking,” he says.
A similar sentiment is echoed by Vivek Singhal, a leader from the construction sector. As Co-Founder and CEO of Multigen India, his strength lies in his rare combination of analytical, executional and visionary skills, which help him produce positive and sustained value for all stakeholders. “The concept of laid-down education was highly emphasized at IIT,” he says.
To read more about these leaders and how IIT Roorkee powered their success journey, read the current edition of CEOInsights India magazine.
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