The Indian Institute of Technology Kharagpur was founded in 1951. The history of IIT Kharagpur is intimately linked with the history of the Hijli Detention Camp. This is possibly one of the very few Institutions all over the world, which started life in a prison house. Pandit Nehru in his first convocation address in 1956 said "Here in the place of that Hijli detention camp stands the fine monument of India, representing India's urges, India's future in the making this picture seems to me symbolical of the changes that are coming to India". A forerunner of the other six IITs, and in many ways a role model to them, IIT Kharagpur has been producing scientists and technologists of the highest calibers who provided and are providing leadership in education, research, industry and management.

This institute is the biggest and the most diversified among the IITs, which has 19 departments and 8 multidisciplinary centers, a school of management, a school of telecommunication and several sophisticated central facilities. Institute offers wide range of academic programmes includes B. Tech. (Hons) in 16 branches together with B. Arch. (Hons), M. Sc. Programmes in 5 science streams, Dual Degree programmes in 14 disciplines, 49 Post Graduate Degree courses and Ph. D. programmes. A great emphasis is given to academia-industry synergy and as a result, IIT Kharagpur is actively involved in sponsored research and industrial consultancy programmes supported by national and international agencies. At present Institute operates 325 sponsored research projects and 284 consultancy projects, which generate a significantly large amount of fund. Institute has two extension centers at Kolkata and Bhubaneswar. The Science and Technology Entrepreneur's Park (STEP) of IIT Kharagpur has been given a fillip to entrepreneurial activities in the region. IIT Kharagpur has taken significant steps to protect its own intellectual property. The institute is first among academic organizations in India to formulate its own IPR policies.

I I T Kharagpur has been ranked No. 1 for the third year in succession amongst the Engineering colleges of the country in a survey published by India Today in June 2003.

Agricultural and Food Engineering Department, I. I. T. Kharagpur:

The Agricultural and Food Engineering Department was established in 1952. It is a unique multidisciplinary department among all IITs. Ever science its establishment it has pioneered agricultural engineering education and research in the country. Keeping pace with the technological advancement and agricultural development in the country it has upgraded its academic programmes from time to time. Today it offers 8 M. Tech. courses in different specializations, one four years B. Tech. (Hons) in Agricultural and Food Engineering and one five years integrated course with specialization in Water Resources Development and Management. The department has strong linked with industries, R & D organizations and international institutes/universities, which supports a number of consultancy and sponsored projects. The departments aims at meeting the challenges of production and processing of foods by strengthening its teaching and research programmes with the additional inputs of automation, information technology, biotechnology and environmental technology.