Kharagpur, November 20, 2025 – IIT Kharagpur officially launched the journey towards its
inaugural Impact RISE Conclave with a faculty curtain raiser event held at the Kalidas
Auditorium. The event marked a pivotal moment in the institute's Platinum Jubilee year,
outlining a strategic national blueprint to address pressing societal and environmental
challenges.
The gathering was energized by a landmark announcement: the signing of a Memorandum of
Understanding (MoU) with the WHEELS Global Foundation (WGF). This partnership
signifies a major step in amplifying the institute's societal impact and sets a collaborative tone
for the conclave.
In his address, Prof. Suman Chakraborty, Director of IIT Kharagpur, unveiled the
ambitious 'Impact RISE' initiative. He articulated a powerful vision for the institute: "Let's
build in our labs, pilot in our campus, and extend the sustainable technologies and impact
models to the whole world." This statement encapsulates the core mission of Impact RISE,
which is structured around the pillars of Research, Innovation, Skilling, and
Entrepreneurship (RISE).
The session detailed how IIT Kharagpur will leverage its technological prowess and academic
excellence to create large-scale, measurable impact in alignment with National Missions and
UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Key themes discussed included the role of
technology in solving critical issues in water, health, energy, and rural development, and a call
for multi-stakeholder partnerships.
The faculty curtain raiser has set a strong foundational vision, paving the way for the inaugural
Impact RISE Conclave on January 17-18, 2026, where these plans will be expanded upon
with a wider cohort of impact champions
