NEW DELHI: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi undertook 650 sponsored projects and consultancies through its Industrial Research and Development (IRD) Unit, attracting total funding of Rs 352 crore.
Another `80 crore was secured for 152 technology development projects and consultancies via FITT (Foundation for Innovation and Technology Transfer), stated the data shared by the institute on Thursday.
One of the most ambitious ventures underway is the Technology Hub (T-Hub) on Quantum Materials and Devices (QMD), funded by the Union Government with an initial outlay of Rs 312 crore until March 2031. Housed at IIT Delhi, the QMD T-Hub is envisioned as a national centre of excellence in quantum materials science. It aims to play a transformative role in shaping India’s quantum technology roadmap by advancing innovation at the intersection of materials science, photonics, and quantum device engineering.
At its core, the T-Hub is focused on developing next-generation materials and devices that support quantum computing, secure communication, and ultra-sensitive sensing technologies. The officials said, “Among its key objectives is the development of on-demand single-photon emitters (SPEs), single-photon avalanche detectors (SPADs), and reconfigurable photonic qubit circuits—all crucial for building a robust quantum technology ecosystem in the country.”
IIT Delhi is also leading efforts to address global research challenges through the Multi-Institutional Faculty Interdisciplinary Research Project (MFIRP) initiative. Launched by the IRD Unit, this programme fosters collaboration with top-tier national and international universities. So far, it has supported 112 joint projects with India and 144 with global institutions.
Partner institutions include University College London, Sorbonne University, TU Delft, Southern Denmark University, and National Yang-Ming Chiao Tung University, among others—demonstrating the institition’s growing global academic footprint.
2,750 students to be awarded degrees, diplomas
Prof Rangan Banerjee, the director of IIT Delhi, said that over 2,750 students, including 530 PhDs (the highest-ever), will be awarded degrees and diplomas. 35 international students (UG-1, Masters-28, PhD-6) from 20 countries are graduating this year.
“This year we also see our first graduates in the UG BTech course in Energy Engineering and three PG courses,” Banerjee said.