The Department of Liberal Arts, Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhilai began its monthly lecture series Intersections with a talk by Dr Aparajith Ramnath on Engineering in India: A Brief History of an Aspirational Profession. The lecture series was inaugurated by IIT Bhilai Director Professor Rajat Moona who emphasised on the importance of subjects such as literature, economics, and psychology in an edifying educational curriculum that nurtures students in the best possible way. In view of this, Intersections aims to be a multidisciplinary platform for open discussion and examination of the liberal arts and their pedagogies, methodologies, and trajectories in our times.
In the inaugural lecture, Dr Ramnath-from the School of Arts and Sciences, Ahmedabad University—traced the origins of engineering and the evolution of engineering as a discipline within the intertwined matrix of colonialism and modernity under the British Raj in the first half of the twentieth century in India. Dr Ramnath, who is a renowned historian of science in modern South Asia, shared his thoughts regarding the establishment of various engineering institutions.
The event was well-attended by students, faculty, and staff members from across the institution and from other universities. It proved to be an excellent opportunity for the audience to become better acquainted with the history of engineering, one of the most sought-after professions in India. The event coordinators Dr Sonal Jha and Dr Anubhav Pradhan, Assistant Professors in the Department of Liberal Arts, thanked the audience for their interactive presence during the lecture.
