New Delhi : November 9, 2024: IIT Delhi proudly hosted the 17th edition of its annual “Open House” event designed to inspire young minds towards Science and Technology.
This year’s Open House saw an overwhelming response, with around 3500-4000 students from 58 schools and colleges across the Delhi-NCR region, along with their teachers and members of the general public, coming together to explore how IIT Delhi, a distinguished Institute of National Importance is contributing to the Nation Building through research and innovation.
The annual event provided an insight into path-breaking research works, student projects, and the numerous advanced facilities and laboratories available at IIT Delhi.
Prof. Rangan Banerjee, Director, IIT Delhi, said: “We started with a focus on science and engineering, we continue to have that focus on science and engineering, but we are also doing things for healthcare, social sciences as well. We are collaborating with AIIMS and currently we are starting a centre of excellence for AI in Healthcare. Our goal is to create the future generations who will transform the country and the world and we also want to make the impact through our research”.
Chief Guest, Prof. Randeep Guleria, former Director, AIIMS New Delhi, inaugurated the Open House and delivered a talk titled ‘Healthcare: A Look Back, a Look Ahead’. Prof. Randeep Guleria talked about the way science is going to progress. He said: “We have to come out of our silos, in the future, it is not going to be engineering, computation, mathematics, humanities or medicine, all of them will merge to one bigger area, and if you start thinking outside your silos, you will have better ideas to serve humanity.”
At the Open House, Guest of Honor, Mr. Rajat Mishra, Director & CEO, EFKON India Group, delivered a talk titled ‘Children: The Agents of Change’. Mr. Mishra, a 1989 batch IIT Delhi alumni, a dedicated social entrepreneur with a deep passion for initiatives in education, road safety, and environmental sustainability. He is also currently serving as the President of the Manava Bharti Society, a non-profit organization, which supports over 17,000 children across India. He is the one responsible for FASTag, Atal Setu & Atal Tunnel projects of GoI and encouraged children to have passion and not fashion, with dreams out of box and not to be afraid of failure to become a leader and never say die.
Prof. Naresh Bhatnagar, Dean, IIT Delhi, noted the remarkable growth of the event, with school participation doubling post-COVID, signifying a strong, renewed interest in science and technology among students. As IIT Delhi is now Hub of AI in Healthcare and Quantum and Semiconductor mission of GoI, the Open House was covered by expert faculty to arouse the curiosity of young minds in these domains.
Open House 2024’s Chairperson, Prof.Tapan K Gandhi (Electrical Engineering Dept.), a leading expert in Neuroscience and AI-driven Healthcare, commended the enthusiasm of the young participants. He noted, “Events like ‘Open House’ play a crucial role in fostering future innovators who will propel India’s scientific and technological advancement.”
An extensive collection of around 250 innovative research projects were on display at the Open House. IIT Delhi faculty and students showcased their work to the visitors through live demos, posters, and 3-minute research presentations, making complex research accessible and engaging for young audiences.
The event featured live demonstrations of various landmark projects, underscoring IIT Delhi’s role as a hub of innovation in areas such as AI in healthcare, quantum technology, and semiconductor advancements. Among the main highlights was an **AI-based project for detecting gallbladder cancer from ultrasound images**, aimed at saving lives through early, non-invasive diagnosis. Other standout projects included a **Laser-Based Solid-State Lighting System** for efficient white light, a **smart walking stick** enhancing mobility for the elderly, and a **Portable Microscopic Air Quality Monitoring and Bioaerosol Imaging System** for real-time environmental monitoring. Additional innovations included **5G Authentication and Key Agreement Protocol on XBee** for secure communications, **Rapid Testing Kits** for food and environmental applications, **Atoms at Play: Molecular Dynamics Simulations** to explore atomic interactions, and **Mapping our Galaxy from Within** to understand cosmic structures. These projects highlighted IIT Delhi’s commitment to bridging theoretical research and real-world applications, creating solutions with tangible societal impact.
An IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi stall was among the various key attractions at the Open House. The visitors were informed about the IITD-AD admission procedure, hostel facilities, ongoing UG and PG courses, associated laboratory facilities, attractive scholarships, and allowances to travel home. In 2025, new academic programs are expected to be launched along with several research initiatives at IIT Delhi-Abu Dhabi, the institute’s first international campus.
Visitors shared their excitement about the event. Mohammad Asif, a Class 11 student from Ramjas School, expressed, “My experience at IIT Delhi has been great, particularly the optics experiment that was demonstrated—it was very interesting, and the professors who delivered the seminar were also excellent.”
Another student, Akansha Nayak of Class 11 from MCLSBM School, remarked, “The exhibition at IIT Delhi is a fabulous experience. Seeing such models, which were so informative and creative, allowed me to appreciate the creativity of others and the level of the models presented. The new topics and the information provided about the models were extremely helpful for me. I hope to motivate myself from this experience to do much better in life. These model exhibitions inspire students because they encourage us to practice, work hard, and perform activities that explore the reality of life.”
Teacher Ajay Malhotra from Rukmani Devi Public School added, “The Open House provided my students with a glimpse of science beyond textbooks, showing them its real-world applications and inspiring them to think about their future.”
IIT Delhi’s Prof. Bhaskar Kanseri (Physics Dept.) delivered talks titled ‘Quantumania: The Power of Quantum Communication’. He introduced the scientific and technological aspects of quantum communication and the mysteries associated with revolutionary technologies of quantum entanglement and quantum teleportation.
Prof. Tapan K Gandhi (Electrical Engineering Dept.) discussed his work in the field of neuroscience and AI, entitled “NeuroAI: Science of Intelligence” demonstrating how interdisciplinary research can have a significant societal impact and inspire the development of intelligent machines for future applications.
Open House 2024 once again served as a powerful platform to ignite curiosity, foster learning, and inspire a new generation eager to shape a brighter future through Science and Technology for the whole world.
