IIT Kanpur hosted a 'Media Day' on campus on June 21, with media persons from across India gracing the occasion. The event was conceived with the objective to extend gratitude to the media fraternity for their unending support and to give them an opportunity to explore the cutting-edge research, innovation, and entrepreneurial spirit thriving within its vibrant campus.

The event commenced with an address by IIT Kanpur Director Prof. Abhay Karandikar, who welcomed the media representatives at the PBCEC (Pioneer Batch Continuing Education Centre) seminar hall, IIT Kanpur. Prof. Karandikar shared insights into the Institute's ongoing initiatives, strategic collaborations, and the relentless pursuit of excellence in education, research, and development. Journalists and media persons had the chance to interact directly with the Director, gaining valuable insights into IIT Kanpur's vision, research focus areas, and its commitment to fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among students.

The Media Day continued with a series of enriching presentations by different departments and centres at IIT Kanpur. Mr. Rahul Patel, VP (CSR /International Business) at IIT Kanpur’s technology business incubator, the Startup Incubation & Innovation Centre (SIIC), shed light on IIT Kanpur’s remarkable COVID response measures, some entrepreneurial ventures, and key activities, highlighting the Institute's commitment to nurturing a flourishing startup ecosystem and encouraging technological innovation. It is to be noted that in the recently declared NIRF Rankings 2023, IIT Kanpur topped the Innovation category.

The Computer Science and Engineering Department, which boasts of being the oldest and the first to start computer education in India, had HoD Prof. Amey Karkare, giving a broad overview of the department, research projects and various ongoing interdisciplinary collaborations. Prof. Sohini Sahu from the Economics Department followed with a presentation on the department’s key activities and achievements.

Prof. Manindra Agrawal led an insightful presentation on the C3i Hub (Cybersecurity and cybersecurity for Cyber-Physical Systems Innovation Hub), showcasing their groundbreaking initiatives aimed at enhancing cybersecurity, ensuring data privacy, and addressing emerging challenges in the digital era.

In July last year, IIT Kanpur set a milestone by laying the foundation stone of the Gangwal School of Medical Sciences & Technology, in the presence of Union education minister Dharmendra Pradhan. This ambitious project that also would host a superspeciality hospital, is undertaking various projects of national as well as global interest. One among those is the ‘Hridyantra project’ to develop an affordable and advanced artificial heart. Professor-in-charge Sandeep Verma gave a detailed overview of the project and other activities under the Gangwal School of Medical Sciences & Technology, emphasizing the integration of technology with medical sciences for improvement of healthcare system.

After the first session, the media persons were taken to explore IIT Kanpur's state-of-the-art research and development facilities. The Imagineering Lab, C3iHub, and the Flight Lab, were the key facilities visited by the groups. The Imagineering Laboratory is a central facility for concept design and product realization at IIT Kanpur. Under the laboratory, there are different labs and centres, including 4-i Lab, MedTech Lab, Tinkering Lab, Central Workshop and RuTAG, all supporting various innovations in line with the ‘Make in India’ initiative of the Government of India. It was followed by a visit to the C3iHub, to get a glimpse of the setups.

The Flight Lab, a facility dedicated to training and cutting-edge research in aerospace engineering and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), showcased their path-breaking work in the field of aviation and the Institute's contribution to the nation's aerospace industry.

The 'Media Day' at IIT Kanpur served as a platform for journalists to witness the Institute's commitment to excellence, innovation, and impactful research. It highlighted IIT Kanpur's unwavering dedication to nurturing the next generation of leaders, who will shape the future of technology, science, and entrepreneurship.

It is with utmost gratitude that we thank all our media partners for engaging with us on the institute's Media Day! We take this opportunity to thank all those present for their constant patronage.