Respected Sir,

We are in a state of dismay as we came to know that MHRD is searching for a new Director for IIEST, Shibpur. 

The transformation of Bengal Engineering and Science University to Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology, Shibpur, the first Director of India’s first and only IIEST, the Padma Shri winner is the person who always did EVERYTHING THAT WAS POSSIBLE FOR THE UPLIFMENT OF STUDENTS. It is our ardent request that our Director Sir, Prof. Ajoy Kumar Ray remains at the helm of the institute at a critical time of transition for IIEST Shibpur.

When Prof. Ajoy Kumar Ray joined the University in 2009 as Vice Chancellor of BESU, the situation was completely different and extremely volatile. There were groups of students which used to constantly fight against each other for their vested interest and many of them got injured very frequently. BESU, Shibpur had to be closed down multiple times before 2009, with chaos threatening the academic environment of the second oldest engineering college in India, Bengal Engineering College. With more than 30 years of experience in IIT Kharagpur as a professor, and the alumnus of B.E College, he although was involved in building the School of Medical Sciences and Technology (First of its kind in India) at IIT Kharagpur, chose to join BESU as the Vice Chancellor. He established peace in campus by taking control of all such violent activities in BESU to an apolitical students’ senate in IIEST Shibpur. From driving the police out from campus and maintaining the law and order to completely eradicating violence in every way from the walls of Shibpur he did it all. Our Alumni have often shared with us that erstwhile Vice-Chancellors had to move in secured VAJRA vans. Our Director Sir freely walks around the campus interacting with all students without any bias.  In fact, the institute which was also known for its elections, violent protests, and unions had NO such incidences since his joining.

Even the recommendation of IIEST, Shibpur by the Anandakrishnan Committee was under severe threat due to the collapse of the law and order within campus before 2009. He worked as hard as he could to give the INI tag for the institute and made IIEST possible which would have not been otherwise made (http://indianexpress.com/article/cities/kolkata/no-central-status-for-besu-courtesy-violence-expenditure-plans/)

He realized the aspirations of the students regarding a 4 year B.Tech degree to ensure good job placements and higher education opportunities for students and with the active support of our Chairman Sir converted the compulsory 5 year dual degree programme to optional at a time when we had thought it would take many years to do the transformation like the 8 year wait from BESU to IIEST Shibpur.

He encouraged the students inculcating a sense of innovation in BESU and IIEST, Shibpur. In particular, the Robotics club Robodarshan, Students' Innovation Centre and other clubs are noteworthy mention. From the sorry state of brilliant students getting degraded because of violence in campus to the transformation of students designing and building tree-climbing robots, floor cleaning robots and drones for surveillance opened a new dimension of creativity in IIEST. Clubs on Photography, Programming, Debating, Singing, Drama, Literature, Quiz, Dancing, Creative Arts and Sports, etc. entirely run by students helped to direct the positive energy into meaningful purpose rather than destruction previously. It has emerged as a model to depoliticize the university campus in West Bengal and may be the harbinger of reforms all across India.

After the transformation to IIEST, He has started the process of recruiting 90 new Professors in various departments which the students badly needed for the institute’s good and lots more which will be too hard to pen down. The Centres of Excellence that he has started at the institute are now some of the best in our country.  However, current uncertainty for a transforming institution will hamper the prospects of IIEST to emerge stronger. It is to be noted that IIEST has received a rank of 17 in NIRF despite its legacy of being a state university. Now our rank is above almost all NITs. If current reform processes are allowed to be completed under the stewardship of our Director Sir, the institute will reach higher even without the IIT tag.

 What is the campus going to miss?

Standing with the workers he explained how the campus should be cleaned, sitting with the students he heard and addressed their problems. From going to every Hostel, Halls during almost every occasion just for a visit to walking in the campus late night just to see that everything’s alright, coming to the classes and teaching out of syllabus. Contents and so on, we don’t remember any such instances of any other Director or VC who shares the pain of students at different times.

He encourages every idea good or bad among students hoping to blossom the good ideas and that bad ideas will be corrected to give way to breakthroughs. He is one of the most social media friendly Directors frequently updating and encouraging students in facebook. He was one of the Directors who even play cricket with us and even the police who had patrolled the campus 8 years ago, had recounted their memories and happiness at the transformation during their friendly cricket matches in IIEST, Shibpur.

Summarising his achievements and the works he has done for IIEST is tedious indeed. He is also the most humble and probably the most student accessible Director in any of the Technical Universities in India. India's first Smart Grid Project, inaugurated by the Hon'ble President of India, flourished by his active encouragement under CEGESS (The Centre of Excellence for Green Energy and Sensor Systems (CEGESS)), which was set up in 2010 by him. The Centre has been relentlessly pursuing research for increasing the efficiency of Crystalline Silicon solar cell by 1 to 2%, over and above 18.5%, which they have achieved and is quite high in Indian context. This was at a time was state funding was low, and IIEST has received central funds only for 3 years since 2014, that we students read from newspapers:

(http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/After-9-years-of-wait-Besu-gets-IIEST-tag/articleshow/30697901.cms).

Industry Academic collaboration were organised jointly by IIEST, Shibpur and CII (Confederation of Indian Industry) and was attended by the Hon'ble President of India to encourage industries to explore the skills of students of IIEST. The Institute had visitors from many Industries in and outside our Country and has signed MOUs with them. In recent times we have seen Dean's from several top universities such as university of California Irvine, University of Michigan, University of Massachusetts, Hiroshima University and so in have visited our campus to explore more linkage with IIEST for the benefits of the students.  IIEST Shibpur had received the maximum number of MoUs among all IITs / IISc / NITs / IISERs and CFTIs at the visitor’s conference at the Rashtrapati Bhavan in 2015, during his tenure the Alumni of our Institute have donated a lot. He has invited many retired eminent Professors from IITs and Industries. Many of his other accomplishments in IIEST Shibpur have helped the Institute emerge stronger from the former chaos and uncertainty.

Sir, the first batch of IIESTS will pass out in 2018. So if the placement or internship is affected, then the entire institute will be affected. In the midst of the process of searching a new Director, we think the placements would be hampered as despite our placements not being up to the mark, they have improved extremely well in the past few years only with the active intervention of the Director Sir, who ensured accountability in the Placements Office. The Industry has treated Shibpur synonymously with the Director and at a time when companies were sceptical to return to Shibpur after the period of bloodied violence in 2009, he took pains to popularizing BESU and then IIEST Shibpur. Hence we earnestly request you not to change our director as the institute is in its nascent stage.

Please give at least 4-5 years time to the institute to flourish under the guidance of Prof. A.K. Ray. Kindly consider about our future.

We request you to consider our appeal benevolently.

With warm regards

Sincerely yours.

A student of IIEST, Shibpur.