GUWAHATI, Sept 01: Marking over three decades of the Institute’s journey of academic excellence, research, innovation and contribution to nation-building, Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati celebrated its 33rd Foundation Day event on 1st September 2026.
Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, Hon’ble Chief Minister of Assam, attended the event as the Chief Guest. Other dignitaries including Prof. R. C. Malhotra, Project Director, IIT Guwahati and Former Director, IIT Kanpur; Prof. D. N. Buragohain, Founder Director, IIT Guwahati Prof. G. Biswas, Former Director, IIT Guwahati; Prof. T. G. Sitharam, Former Director, IIT Guwahati and Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Present Director, IIT Guwahati graced the occasion with their presence.
Held under the theme, “Celebrating the Past, the Present and the Future”, the event highlighted IIT Guwahati’s legacy, its ongoing contributions in the domain of education, research and innovation, and its aspirations for the years ahead.
Speaking during the event, Hon’ble Chief Guest, Dr. Himanta Biswa Sarma, said, “IIT Guwahati represents the aspiration of the people of Assam and carries a significance that extends well beyond academic excellence. From its beginnings, the Institute has grown into an institution of national importance and has demonstrated how vision, institutional commitment and excellence can help overcome the disadvantage of a late beginning. I see IIT Guwahati increasingly emerging as the knowledge partner of Assam and the Northeast, working with the Government, industry, startups and civil society to address the region’s real development challenges. The next decades of IIT Guwahati are important not only for the institution itself, but also for the future of Assam, the Northeast and India.”
During his address Hon’ble Chief Minister also announced that the Government of Assam proposes to institute 100 scholarships for students of IIT Guwahati. He requested the Institute’s leadership and faculty to develop a framework for the initiative, while emphasising the need for IIT Guwahati to evolve from an institution located in the Northeast into an institution working for the Northeast.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Devendra Jalihal, Director, IIT Guwahati, said, “Despite the floods affecting Assam and the rescue efforts underway, we are grateful to the Hon’ble Chief Minister for joining us on IIT Guwahati’s 33rd Foundation Day. IIT Guwahati is a committed partner to the Government of Assam in its efforts to transform, industrialise and modernize Assam and the Northeast. From flood control, riverbank management, semiconductors, mineral processing to healthcare, technical education, skilling, innovation, startups and incubation, the Institute is committed to addressing the region’s challenges and advancing its development.”
The event also witnessed inspiring addresses by former Directors of the Institute, including Prof. R.C. Malhotra, Prof. D. N. Buragohain, Prof. G. Biswas, and Prof. T. G. Sitharam.
Open House Connects Young Minds with IIT Guwahati
As part of the Foundation Day celebrations, the Institute observed 1st September as an “Open House” at IIT Guwahati, and welcomed over 750 students from 9 schools and colleges across the region. The open house gave them the opportunity to visit state-of-the-art laboratories and research facilities established across different departments of IIT Guwahati.
With an aim to inspire students to explore opportunities in science, technology, engineering, research and innovation, the Open House connected them with researchers and current students of the IIT Guwahati community to gain first-hand experience and exposure.
Through such initiatives, IIT Guwahati continues to encourage young minds to develop an interest in research and technological innovation and to envision themselves as future contributors to India’s scientific and technological development.
Sports and social activities at IIT Guwahati
Multiple sports and social activities were also organised by the Institute to commemorate the special occasion. A key highlight of the occasion was the plantation drive conducted in the presence of Prof. R.C. Malhotra, Prof. D.N. Buragohain, Prof. Gautam Biswas, Prof. Devendra Jalihal and Prof. Soumitra Nandi.
Alumni Awards, Student Scholarships, and Faculty Achievement Awards
Multiple alumni and faculty awards, along with student scholarships, were announced during the 33rd Foundation Day Celebration at IIT Guwahati. These included:
Alumni Awards –
·Mr. Jaspreet Singh (CSE, Class of 2004) — Distinguished Alumni Award for “Druva”, the world’s first cloud-native data protection platform, trusted by organisations including NASA.
·Mr. Himanshu Upreti (Mathematics, Class of 2015) — Young Alumni Achiever Award for developing “Ai Palette”, the world’s first AI platform for end-to-end product innovation in the CPG industry.
Student Scholarships –
·Anup Kumar Gogoi Scholarship, given by Ziroh Labs to one meritorious student from EEE, CS, or AI.
·Dr. Manmohan Singh Fellowship, instituted in the memory of India’s former Prime Minister and given by his daughter, Ms Daman Singh.
·Priyakrishna and Monisha Bhattacharya Fellowships, given to 2 MTech students each in the Department of Biosciences & Bioengineering and the School of Agro & Rural Technology.
Faculty Achievement (NPTEL Chair Professorships Conferred) –
·Prof. Dilwar Hussain as the D. N. Buragohain NPTEL Chair Professor
·Prof. Ajay Kalamdhad as the Gautam Barua NPTEL Chair Professor
Additionally, the Institute also honoured over 100 non-teaching employees who have completed 25 years of dedicated service.
The 33rd Foundation Day of IIT Guwahati reaffirmed its commitment to advancing education, research, innovation and societal impact. As the Institute enters another year of its journey, it continues to strengthen its role as a centre of excellence and as an important institution contributing to the development of Assam, the Northeast and the nation.