Times News NetworkKanpur: Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will launch IIT Kanpur’s ‘Greater Than Us’ campaign in New Delhi on Oct 14. The institute aims to raise USD 1 billion, the biggest fundraising drive ever by any IIT.Rajnath Singh’s presence is expected to give the event national importance. At a time when India is working to strengthen its defence capabilities, promote indigenous technology and advance technological self-reliance, leading technical institutions like IITs have an important role to play.Confirming this, director of IIT Kanpur, Prof Manindra Agrawal, said, “We are aiming for a very ambitious target of raising USD 1 billion through various initiatives within the institute. We have raised half the amount. We are reaching out to donors to fund our research work.” The funds, he said, will support work in seven frontier areas: cybersecurity, medical technology, drones, social security, sustainability, semiconductors and quantum technology.Using these resources, the institute plans to establish a School of Defence Technologies, a School of Advanced Materials and Manufacturing and further expand research in space technology. In a social media post, the IIT shared the update, saying that a distinguished leader helping shape India’s national vision would join the institute for a landmark moment in its journey.“We are honoured to welcome the Union Defence Minister as the chief guest at the unveiling of The IIT Kanpur Campaign”, the vice-chancellor said.
