The President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee inaugurated the first Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST) of the country at Shibpur, Howrah, West Bengal today (August 24, 2014).

Speaking on the occasion, the President said a culture of excellence must be promoted in our higher academic institutions and core competencies nurtured. Academic cooperation between institutions must be encouraged. Research and innovation must go hand in hand and should be focused on solving our country’s myriad developmental problems. It is also important that industry and academia operate in tandem and create the right synergies and environment for industrial growth and academic rejuvenation. Quality up-gradation of state-level institutions, which account for 96 percent of the higher education capacity, needs to be accorded high priority.

The President praised IIEST Shibpurfor significant advancements in several areas of human endeavour. He said the IIEST is actively seeking to address some of the global challenges today in areas as diverse as renewable energy, water technology, medical and environmental sciences. Some other important areas of engagement of the institute are Disaster Management; Clean coal technology; Power Electronics; Remote-sensing and GIS; Space Technology; Biochemical Sensors, Structural Engineering; VLSI and Embedded Systems.

Among the dignitaries present on the occasion were Smt. Justice Manjula Chellur, Chief Justice of Calcutta High Court; Dr. Partha Chatterjee, Minister-In-Charge, Higher Education, Government of West Bengal; M. Anandakrishnan, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT, Kanpur; Shri Tarun Vijay, Member of Parliament, Prof. Ajoy Kumar Ray, Director, IIEST, Shibpur and Dr. Biman Badyopadhyay, Registrar, IIEST, Shibpur.

This release issued at 1745 hrs.