Ten years later, IIT Tirupati was firmly trapped in the saddle!

Views from the Yerpedu campus of IIT Tirupati. |Picture source: Special arrangement

The decade is too short to judge the growth parameters of any national importance institute, but the emerging Indian Institute of Technology Tirupati (IIT-T), has come a long way in finding its own footsteps.

The institute was established on March 28, 2015, with an academic schedule beginning on August 5, and the institute began its journey from a temporary venue on Renigunta Road.

Ten years later, IIT Tirupati now firmly sank into the saddle on its 548-acre permanent campus in Yerpedu to accommodate 12,000 students, preparing for the move forward to shape the future of technologists and disseminate knowledge by cutting edge research and industry collaboration.

This 35-acre southern campus begins with essential labs, hotels, classrooms and sports facilities and was completed in 2018 using prefabricated and sustainable technologies. The initial intake was 106 B. Technology Program (Civil CSE, Electrical and Mechanical Engineering) which began offering chemical design in 2018 in 2015 and launched MS (Research) and PhD in 2017, and the M. Tech program was launched in 2018, which is now available in 11 professional fields. In 2022, the Institute diversified its courses to introduce a master’s program in public policy, becoming the third IIT offering this course in India.

Synchronize with nature

To adjust the Prime Minister’s call for “catching up with rainy rainwater”, the campus has two lakes covering 10 acres and has 80 million liters of rainwater harvesting capacity. The powerful water management system includes a 600 KLD water treatment plant, two sewage treatment plants and a micro-irrigation system using 100% recycled water.

The energy infrastructure includes a 1 MW rooftop solar installation, a centralized cooling system with water and air coolers. IIT Tirupati’s sustainable practice has been awarded a four-star Griha LD rating and many national and international awards, including CPWD’s “Best Project 2024”.

The sprawling campus has 5,250 native tree saplings, 1,10,000 flowering shrubs and a biodiversity plantation, which are 260 medicinal plant varieties from Seshachalam Hill Ranges. “These efforts have enhanced biodiversity, protected local heritage and created a pleasant and environmentally friendly environment,” said IIT-T director Kn Kn satyanarayana.

Teachers are power

Intent on gaining strength from its dedicated human resources, IIT-T, among its top faculty, is currently composed of 139 members with diverse expertise, who have achieved success in education, research and innovation, attracting cooperation and placement from Indian and global Prime Ministers.

The college has published 1,266 research jobs and has worked in 203 sponsored projects worth Rs 18.602 crore and 209 consulting projects worth Rs 2.432 crore. Similarly, the institute has established strategic partnerships with 50 universities, research institutions and industry leaders.