India’s First IIT: Why Classes Were Held Inside A Detention Camp

In its early days, IIT Kharagpur conducted classes in the old jail barracks and administrative structures of the Hijli detention camp. (News18)

The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs) are among the country’s most prestigious engineering institutions. Today, India has 23 IITs, with IIT Madras currently holding the top position in the NIRF rankings. But before we look at the present, it is essential to revisit the origins of the very first IIT, and its history is truly fascinating.

IIT Kharagpur is India’s first IIT, and its journey from a detention camp to a world-class institution is nothing short of extraordinary.

The Idea Of IITs: A Vision Born Before Independence

The concept of establishing IITs began even before India attained independence. After 1947, the newly formed nation urgently needed premier institutions to advance in modern technology, science, and engineering.

To address this, the Sir Jogendra Singh Committee was set up in 1946, recommending that India establish institutes similar to America’s renowned MIT.

Choosing Kharagpur: A Historic Decision

In 1950-51, the Government of India decided to establish the first IIT in Kharagpur, West Bengal. Interestingly, the site chosen for this pioneering institution was none other than the Hijli Detention Camp, a facility used by the British to imprison political revolutionaries and freedom fighters, among them Bengal’s revolutionary Ramkrishna Biswas.

The camp consisted of a large building and vast land already under government control, making it immediately usable. But there was also a deeper emotional significance: transforming a symbol of colonial oppression into a centre of knowledge and progress.

On August 15, 1951, India’s first Education Minister, Maulana Abul Kalam Azad, formally inaugurated the institution. During the event, he famously remarked that this was not merely an IIT, but “a temple of modern India”.

From Jail Barracks To Classrooms

In its early days, IIT Kharagpur conducted classes in the old jail barracks and administrative structures of the detention camp. Even the student hostels were set up in the former camp buildings.

Over time, new academic blocks, laboratories, hostels, and residential facilities were constructed, and the institute gradually evolved into the sprawling campus it is today.

Hijli Martyrs Memorial: A Living Reminder Of History

The Hijli Detention Camp holds a poignant place in India’s freedom struggle. The Hijli Detention Camp was one of the most notorious British-run prisons for political detainees in Bengal.

In September 1931, a tragic and shocking event unfolded as British police forces opened fire inside the detention camp, targeting unarmed political prisoners. Two young revolutionaries, Tarakeswar Sengupta and Santosh Kumar Mitra were killed in this firing, and several others were injured.

What made the incident particularly disturbing was that the firing took place without warning and inside the confines of the prison, which was meant only for detainees awaiting trial or held for political agitation.

Their memory is preserved through the Hijli Martyrs Memorial, which still stands with honour on the IIT Kharagpur campus, a solemn reminder of the site’s powerful history.

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