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Centenary Celebration of the Mechanical Engineering Department, Jadavpur University – the Background, the Programme & the Invitation (18th March ’06 onwards) It is a historically established fact that the National Council of Education, Bengal was founded on 11th March, 1906, the announcement being made in the rooms of Bengal Landholders’ Association. The declared objective of the N.C.E., Bengal was “to organize a system of education – Literary, Scientific & Technical – on National lines & under National Control”. With Dr. Rashbehari Ghosh as the president, plans were afoot to establish a National College & School of Calcutta. On the 14th of August, 1906, a public meeting was held at the Town Hall, Calcutta for inauguration of the Bengal National College & School, the model institution established by the Council. The institution started to work from 15th August, 1906 at 19/1, Bowbazar Street with Sri Aurobindo Ghosh as Principal & Sri Satish Ch. Mukherjee as an Hony. Superintendent. The institution had four departments – Literary, scientific, Technical & Commercial. The Technical Department of the Bengal National College & School was in charge of B.B.Ranade, L.M.E. of Victoria Technical Institute, Bombay. He was a Lecturer, Mechanical Engineering and was also founder Supdt. of the Mechanical Workshop. V.K.Paranjpye, L.E.E. of Victoria Technical Institute, Bombay joined next as a Lecturer in Mechanical & Electrical Engineering. The other teacher in the Technical Department was Sri Nagen Rakshit, Foreman Instructor.
The teaching section of the Technical Department imparted both theoretical (“by means of lectures on the various subjects connected with Mechanical Engineering”) and practical (“by means of a course of practical work done by students in the several engineering workshops of the department – the carpenter’s shop, the blacksmith’s shop, the moulder’s shop and the Machine shop”). Other subjects taught included: Drawing – freehand & Mechanical, Physics, Chemistry & Mathematics. The working hours were from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Besides, there was a Manufacturing section of the College – which did some industrial works relevant for that period, details of which are well documented.
The “three dimensional” system of education, as taught in the National College & School, imparted education also by the sense of touch as added to the sense of seeing & hearing. Thus practical handling, shaping, breaking, analyzing & measuring of materials was an important part of the training imparted in the Technical Department of the National College. On the very day (June 1, 1906) the N.C.E., Bengal was officially registered, a second organization, rival to the NCE (as told by Sri Haridas Mukherjee, the historian) was established mainly by Sri Taraknath Palit, named Society for Promotion of Technical Education (S.P.T.E.). The later founded the Bengal Technical Institute on 25th July, 1906 at 92, Upper Circular Road. The scheme of studies of the Bengal Technical Institute, whose first principal was Sri Pramatha Nath Bose, included engineering departments of Mechanical & Electrical. BTI also had a manufacturing Department. Record also shows that the permanent principal of BTI was Sri Sarat Kumar Dutta (appointed in 1909).
Record shows, on 25th May, 1910, the S.P.T.E. was wholly amalgamated with the National Council with its property and assets with the condition that half of the income of the National Council will be earmarked for technical education. However, the premises of Bengal National College moved to that of BIT at 92, Upper Circular Road – the combined name was Central National Institution. Management of the combined institute came under the National Council of Education, Bengal.
In 1922, 100 bighas of land were acquired by NCE, Bengal at Jadavpur and on 11th March, 1922, Sri Asutosh Chaudhuri inaugurated the Aurobindo Building, presently the main building of the Jadavpur University.
In 1928, the Institute (the combined) was named the College of Engineering & Technology. Later, on 24th December, 1955, Jadavpur University was established with Dr. Triguna Sen as the Rector (equivalent to Vice Chancellor).
If we go by the route NCE, Bengal to National College to College of Engg. & Technology to JADAVPUR University - 14th August, 1906 was the foundation day of the Mechanical Engg. Deptt., Jadavpur University. The Deptt. must acknowledge the contributions made by Dr. Hem Chandra Dasgupta, Dr. Satish Ch. Bhattacharyya & Prof. Gopal Chandra Sen amongst many others.
S.P.T..E.'s child, Bengal Technical Institute merged with the NCE, Bengal. The Lineage of NCE historically exists and is well documented. S.P.T.E. movement, though established a college about 20 days earlier than the National College of NCE, could not sustain. That is what documents unfold. It means the M.E. Department's origin coincides with the foundation of the National College on 14.8.1906.
The Mechanical Engineering Department of the Jadavpur University is one of the largest in the world, with 80 (sanctioned) Faculty Members, about 500 students & 5 buildings +several workshops. Tracing the origin of this deptt., it was found that initiation was done in a very small way in the Technical Section of the Bengal National College established by the National Council of Education, Bengal at 192/1, Bowbazar Street on 14th of August, 1906 under Sri Satish Chandra Mukherjee (founder of the Dawn Society) as the Superintendent & Sri Aurobindo Ghosh as the Principal. From then, the merger with Bengal Technical Institute in 1910, the shifting to the present campus at Jadavpur between 1922-28, the renaming of the institute as the College of Engg. & Technology in 1928 and then becoming one of the Departments of the Jadavpur University in 1956 – the historical journey, not well recorded, has been a tough and arduous one.
Starting from Sri Nagen Rakshit, Ranade & Paranjape in 1906, later we had the doyens namely Dr. Hemchandra Dasgupta, Dr. Satish Chandra Bhattacharyya, Dr. Triguna Sen, Dr. Sudhir Ch. Chakraborti, Prof. Gopal Ch. Sen – all alumni of the Mechanical Engg. Deptt., trained abroad, coming back & building the Deptt. & the Laboratories.
In 50’s & 60’s, it was mainly the consolidation of the Departments, starting the PG programmes. Leaving aside 70’s, which was a turbulent period, the growth of interdisciplinary schools & centres were initiated in 1980s. The School of Water Resources Engg. started with Prof. Balaram Bose & the Biomedical School started with Prof. Subrata Pal, both from the Mechanical Engg. Deptt.
Then in 90’s & 2000, the Department brought many research projects & many new subjects were introduced.
It is time now to look back & prepare for going ahead with renewed vigor. One of such efforts will be to start the Centenary Programme on 18th March ’06, to commemorate the heritage. The Reunion this year will be held on 19th March, ’06 (Sunday) & will be celebrated as Centenary Reunion of the Department. The programme schedule is attached herewith. Please circulate it amongst your members & alumni for participation. You are requested to join with your family. Besides the year long programme our plan is to create an endowment fund, build a centenary hall etc. For success of the programme generous contribution is required. Contributions can be made by draft / cheque payable to “Centenary Mechanical, JU”, a/c no. 01100051097 SBI, JU Branch (code no. 0093) & send to Dr. Swarnendu Sen, Mechanical Engineering Department, JU, Kolkata – 700032, who is the Treasurer of the Committee. All contributions will be gratefully acknowledged.
PROGRAMME
Date : 18th March ’06, Saturday Venue : M. L. Sircar Hall, Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science (Opposite of JU Gate No.3) 3-30 pm : Ceremonial Walk from the front of Mechanical Engineering Bldg. to M.L.Sircar Hall 4-00 pm to 5-00 pm : Inaugural Session 5-00 pm to 6-00 pm : Centenary Lecture I : “Innovation & Entrepreneurship“ by Mr. Syamal Gupta, Chairman, Tata International 6-15 pm to 7-15 pm : Songs by Srikanta Acharya 7-30 pm : DINNER Date : 19th March, ’06 , Sunday Venue : Mechanical Engineering Department 9-30 am : Registration Breakfast 10-00 am : Inauguration 11-00 am to 1-30 pm : Symposium : ‘Mechanical Engineering – Past, Present and Future’ (Seminar Room) Speakers: Prof. Rajat Kr. Chakraborty, Ex Professor, Mech. Engg. Deptt., JU Sri Nilotpal Basu , M.P., Rajyasabha Sri I.K.Mukherjee , D.G., National Council of Science Museum, GOI Sri Subrata Mitra , Technical Director, M.N.Dastur & Co. Chairpersons : Prof. A.B.Chattopadhyay, IIT, Kgp, & Mr. S.R.Ghosh, Head-Plant, HPL 11-00 am to 1-30 pm : Parallel programme for Spouse & Children : Sports, Quiz, magic etc. 1-30 pm to 2-30 pm : LUNCH 2-30 pm to 5-00 pm : Movies, cultural programmes etc. 5-00 pm to 5-30 pm : Concluding Programmes
Date : 14th August ’06 , Monday Venue : University Campus · Release of the History of the Deptt. · Centenary memento to Teachers & NT Staff · Felicitation to Eminent Alumni & Teachers of the Deptt. · Lunch · Cultural Programme · An Exhibition (25 panels) on 100 years of Mech. Engg. of JU
Date : 26th – 31st December ‘06 Venue : University Campus 2 day International Symposium on · Future of Mech. Engg curriculum
Date : 25th Feb ’07, Sunday Venue : Mech. Engg. Deptt. § Reunion § Publication of an Alumni Directory
· Design competition by and for Students . Paper competition for Students
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