The brain child of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, a successful businessman and philanthropist, the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) was conceived in the late 1800s. To this end, Tata set up a provisional committee under the leadership of Burjorji Padshah, an educationist, to come up with a blueprint for the proposed university. The committee drafted a plan which went through several iterations before it was finalised. Tata also endowed a substantial part of his personal wealth for this ambitious project.
Unfortunately, Tata died in 1904, well before the Institute came into existence. It was eventually established, through a vesting order passed on 27 May 1909 by the Indian Government, in the southern city of Bengaluru on 371 acres of land donated by the Mysore Durbar.
The Institute which started with just two departments – General and Applied Chemistry and Electrical Technology – today has over 40 departments spread across six divisions: Biological Sciences, Chemical Sciences, Electrical Sciences, Interdisciplinary Research, Mechanical Sciences, and Physical and Mathematical Sciences. It also has a new campus at Challekere in Chitradurga district in Karnataka.
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The Main Building and the First Director
Laying of the Foundation Stone
IISc’s Contribution to Early Industrialisation
Koenigsberger’s Architectural Legacy
Three Mile Stones : Golden Jubilee, Platinum Jubilee and Centenary Year
IISc’s Growth Since Centenary Year
Statue of JN Tata with a model of the Main Building of IISc in his hand. Tata died in 1904 before the Institute came into existence (Courtesy: APC)
The Indian Institute of Science was founded in 1909 as a result of the joint efforts of Jamsetji Nussarwanji Tata, the Government of India and the Maharaja of Mysore.
Tata conceived of a university of science in 1896 that would work for the benefit of India, and in 1898, created an endowment for establishing such an institution.
The Government of India decided to locate the Institute in Bengaluru, where the Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, donated over 370 acres of land for this initiative.
The Institute was formally vested in 1909, the foundation stone was laid in 1911, and the first batch of students started their studies the same year
S Ramaseshan | Joint Director 1979–81 |
G Padmanaban | Deputy Director 1993–94 |
A Sridharan | Deputy Director 1994–97 |
M Vijayan | Associate Director 2000–04 |
N Balakrishnan | Associate Director 2005–14 |
Jayanth M Modak | Deputy Director Aug 2015 - July 2020 |
S Ramakrishnan | Deputy Director Aug 2015 - July 2018 |
Rudra Pratap | Deputy Director Aug 2018 - July 2020 |
Alfred Hay | Officiating Director June 1914–Oct 1915, Mar 1921–Nov 1922 |
B Venkateshachar | Director-In-Charge July 1937–July 1939 |
E V Ganapathi Iyer | Acting Director Nov 1947–Sep 1949 |
K Sreenivasan | Acting Director Aug 1955–Mar 1957 |
D K Banerjee | Acting Director April 1971–Mar 1972 |