Rourkela: Union Minister of Education and Sambalpur MP Dharmendra Pradhan on Saturday inaugurated major infrastructure facilities at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela, marking a significant boost to the Institute’s academic and student-centric development.
The Minister inaugurated the state-of-the-art Indoor Sports Complex and a 1,000-seater open-air theatre, and laid foundation stones for three major projects. The event was attended by Bhabani Shankar Bhoi, Deputy Speaker of the Odisha Legislative Assembly; Sarada Prasad Nayak, MLA, Rourkela; Durga Charan Tanti, MLA, Raghunathpalli; and Tankadhar Tripathy, MLA, Jharsuguda.
Developed at a cost of Rs 35 crore, the Indoor Sports Complex under the Student Activity Centre (SAC) has been built to international standards and aims to promote sports, fitness, and holistic student development. The facility includes multipurpose courts, squash courts, yoga and cultural halls, a gymnasium, recreational rooms, and indoor sports facilities. The adjoining open-air theatre, built at a cost of Rs 6 crore, will serve as a hub for cultural, recreational, and athletic activities and is expected to host state- and national-level events.
Addressing the gathering, Dharmendra Pradhan said NIT Rourkela is playing a key role in advancing education, research, and innovation while contributing to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of Viksit Bharat @ 2047. He highlighted the Institute’s role in nurturing startups, promoting sustainable research, and producing future job creators. He also described Rourkela as a symbol of India’s industrial and educational strength.
Welcoming the dignitaries, NIT Rourkela Director Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao said the new infrastructure reinforces the Institute’s commitment to providing a world-class and student-centric learning environment. He noted that NIT Rourkela ranks 2nd among all NITs and 13th in engineering education nationwide in the NIRF 2025 rankings, and is the only NIT in the top ten for Sustainable Development Goals.
The Minister also performed Bhoomi Pujan and Shilanyas for three major projects: a new Civil Engineering Department Building costing Rs 91.18 crore, a modern Institute Guest House at Rs 33.51 crore, and a 500-capacity MCL Girls’ Hostel with an estimated cost of Rs 55.35 crore, of which Rs 43.82 crore has been sanctioned by Mahanadi Coalfields Limited under CSR.
Deputy Speaker Bhabani Shankar Bhoi described NIT Rourkela as a centre of excellence in innovation, engineering, and entrepreneurship, playing a vital role in implementing the National Education Policy 2020.
The Union Minister also visited the construction site of the permanent Kendriya Vidyalaya on campus. Dean of Planning and Development Prof. Pradip Sarkar informed that over Rs 800 crore worth of infrastructure projects are in the pipeline, including hostels, faculty and staff residences, an extension academic campus at Bhubaneswar, and sustainable support facilities.
The initiatives are expected to significantly strengthen NIT Rourkela’s academic, residential, and research ecosystem.
