Harcourt Butler Technical University

{{Short description|STEM college in Kanpur, India}} {{Use dmy dates|date=December 2015}} {{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}} {{Infobox university | name = Harcourt Butler Technical University | native_name = Harcourt Butler Prāvidhika Viśvavidyālaya {{small|([[Hindi]] - [[International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]])}} | native_name_lang = Hindi | motto = ''śrama eva paraṃ tapaḥ'' {{small|([[Sanskrit]] - [[International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration|IAST]])}} ''ɕrəmə eːvə pərⁿ t̪əph'' {{small|([[International Phonetic Alphabet|IPA]])}} | motto_lang = Sanskrit | mottoeng = "Work Indeed is Great Austerity" | established = {{Start date and age|df=yes|paren=yes|1921}} | type = [[State University (India)|State University (IN)]]<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://upgovernor.gov.in/en/page/state-universities |title=Raj Bhawan UP: State Universities |author= |access-date=9 June 2025 |publisher=Governor's Secretariat, Raj Bhavan Uttar Pradesh |location=[[Lucknow]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=GoUP institutions |url=https://up.gov.in/en/page/institutions |publisher=State Portal, Government of Uttar Pradesh |website=up.gov.in |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref> | address = Hastings Ave., Nawabganj | city = Kanpur | state = Uttar Pradesh | country = India | postalcode = 208002 | undergrad = | postgrad = | doctoral = | faculty = | language = English | campus = [[Urban area|Urban]] | campus_size = {{Convert|323|acre}} | colours = {{color box|#002366}} Royal Blue {{small|#002366}} {{color box|#AAC588}} Sage Green {{small|#aac588}} {{color box|#BB0000}} Racing Red {{small|#bb0000}} | endowment = | nickname = | mascot = | website = {{URL|https://hbtu.ac.in}} | founder = [[Harcourt Butler|Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler]] | accreditation = [[National Assessment and Accreditation Council|NAAC A+ Grade]] | chancellor = [[Governor of Uttar Pradesh]]<ref name="Chancellor">{{Cite web |url=https://upgovernor.gov.in/en/page/chancellor-role-of-governor |title=Raj Bhawan UP: Governor's Role as Chancellor |author= |access-date=9 June 2025 |publisher=Governor's Secretariat, Raj Bhavan Uttar Pradesh |location=[[Lucknow]]}}</ref> | vice_chancellor = Dr. Samsher<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://upgovernor.gov.in/en/page/vice-chancellors-of-universities |title=Raj Bhawan UP: Vice-Chancellors of universities |author= |date=30 April 2024 |access-date=9 June 2025 |publisher=Governor's Secretariat, Raj Bhavan Uttar Pradesh |location=[[Lucknow]]}}</ref> | former_names = HBTI (Harcourt Butler Technological Institute) | image = Harcourt Butler Technical University Logo SSH.png | caption = | image_size = 160px }}

'''Harcourt Butler Technical University''' ('''HBTU'''), formerly '''Harcourt Butler Technological Institute''' ('''HBTI'''), is a reputed and old [[Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics|STEM]] college currently functioning as a [[public university|public technical university]], and is located in [[Kanpur]], Uttar Pradesh, India. Established in 1921, it is one of India's oldest engineering institutes,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.igniteengineers.com/15-oldest-engineering-colleges-in-india/ |title=15 Oldest Engineering Colleges in India |author=Sidhartha |date=12 September 2015 |publisher=Ignite Engineers Blog |access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=What are the Oldest Engineering Colleges in India? |url=https://click4college.com/articles/oldest-engineering-colleges-india |last=Mishra |first=Kundan |date=29 March 2023 |website=Click4College.com |publisher=Click4College |access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref> India's second institute for industry-oriented [[applied science]],<ref name="ProgEd JAR"/> and also India's first technological institute for [[Applied science#Applied research|higher research]] in technical chemistry.{{NoteTag |name=TechChem}}<ref name="AHMI DA Ch4">{{cite book |chapter=4. Industry and Trade |author=D. Awasthi |title=Administrative History of Modern India |pages=41–58 |date=1973 |publisher=National Publishing House |url=https://ia902906.us.archive.org/31/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.118662/2015.118662.Administrative-History-Of-Mordern-India_text.pdf |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref>

It is named after its visionary and relentless proponent-in-chief [[Harcourt Butler|Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler]], a highly regarded [[Indian Civil Service|ICS officer]] and [[Governor]] in [[British Raj|British India]], who preferred to be addressed as "Harcourt Butler".<ref name="IUB 1930"/><ref name="IUB 1942">{{cite book |section=Appendix IV: HBTI, Cawnpore |title=Handbook of Indian Universities 1942 |page=647-648 |editor=N.L. Sidhanta |location=Lucknow |publisher=Inter-university Board, India |date=1942 |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/86330 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/86330 |archive-date=24 January 2017}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.86330 Alt URL]</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler – An Exceptional Governor of Early Twentieth Century British India – 1890 – 1928 |url=https://www.peterlang.com/article/sir-spencer-harcourt-butler-an-exceptional-governor-of-early-twentieth-century-british-india-1890-1928/ |last=Macnamara |first=Michael |date=3 September 2024 |website=peterlang.com |publisher=Peter Lang Group AG |access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref> As an advocate of industrial advancement, Sir Harcourt was a promoter of technical education in general, and the patron of "Technological Institute" in particular.<ref>{{cite report |title=Proceedings of the Legislative Council of the United Provinces: Official Report - 2nd January to 12th March, 1921 |section=(Remarks by Babu Vikramajit Singh) |volume=I |page=46 |date=14 February 1921}}</ref> Originally, the institute aimed to train science graduates for pursuing career as technologists, or starting their own industrial venture.

It has historical and foundational connections to many scientific entities. It is the parent of the [[National Sugar Institute]] which operated from HBTI campus from 1936 to 1963.<ref>{{cite book |title=NSI Prospectus 2025 |section=1. Historical Background |page=3 |url=https://nsi.gov.in/storage/files/1/Prospectus/prospectus.pdf |publisher=National Sugar Institute |location=Kanpur}}</ref><ref name="NSI Archive 1">{{Cite web |url=http://nsi.gov.in/Historical.htm |title=Historical - National Sugar Institute, Kanpur |access-date=9 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417053756/http://nsi.gov.in/Historical.htm |archive-date=17 April 2015 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref><ref name="NSI Archive 2">{{cite web |url=https://nsi.gov.in/history.html |title=NSI: About Us |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240825214238/https://nsi.gov.in/history.html |archive-date=25 August 2024 |url-status=dead |publisher=NSI Kanpur, DFPD, GoI}}</ref> The ''Central Control Laboratory'' (for [[Ghee]], [[Edible oils]], and [[Vanaspati#Hydrogenated vegetable oil|Vanaspati]]) started in HBTI in 1937.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abhilekh-patal.in/jspui/handle/123456789/2691688 |title=Central Control Laboratory, Cawnpore for Ghee, Edible Oils and Vanaspati- Continuance |id=File No. 65—6A of 1939, Serial Nos. 1—29 (F-65—6/39A) |year=1939 |publisher=EH&L Department, GoI |via=[[National Archives of India]]}}</ref> HBTI also housed ICAR's Sugar Technologist (1930-36), and provincial govt's offices of Glass Technology (1942–91) and Alcohol Technology (estd. 1953). It assisted three new state-govt colleges - Rajkiya Engineering College (REC) Bijnor (started in 2010 as BRAECIT), REC Kannauj<ref>{{cite web |title=REC Kannauj - About College |url=https://reck.ac.in/about-college/ |website=reck.ac.in |publisher=REC Kannauj |access-date=13 August 2025}}</ref> (started in 2015), and REC Mainpuri,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://recmainpuri.in/about-the-college/|title=RECM - About The College |publisher=REC Mainpuri}}</ref> (started in 2015).<ref>{{cite news |title=मैनपुरी, कन्नौज तथा सोनभद्र इंजीनियरिंग कालेजों में शैक्षिक सत्र 2015-16 से पठन-पाठन प्रारम्भ होगा |url=https://www.shramjeevijournalist.com/mainpuri-kannoj-sonbhdra-new-satra/ |website=shramjeevijournalist.com |language=Hindi |publisher=Shramjeevi Journalist |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref> And, when [[Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur|IIT Kanpur]] was established in 1959, its classes, starting 9 August 1960, were initially held in HBTI until IITK had its own campus.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iitk.ac.in/doaa/convocation/data/Back_in_1960.pdf |title=Back in 1960, the first day of IIT Kanpur |last=Bansal |first=Samarth |date=11 August 2015 |publisher=IITK Vox Populi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://voxiitk.com/iitk-and-its-beginnings/ |title=IITK and its beginnings |last=Suryadevara |first=Prahash |date=28 March 2014 |publisher=IITK Vox Populi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://voxiitk.com/vignettes-of-history-abhay-bhushan-reminisces/ |title=Vignettes of History: Abhay Bhushan reminisces (Part I) |last=Bhushan |first=Abhay K. |date=28 September 2014 |publisher=IITK Vox Populi}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.iitk.ac.in/mse/history.php |title=IITK: MSE - History |publisher=IIT Kanpur |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref>

== History ==

===Origins=== In early 1900s, there was a need for application of science in industry in the [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh]], and technical education was paramount.<ref>{{cite report |section=Paragraph 249 (Technical Education), 57.—Education, CHAPTER VII: INSTRUCTION |title=Report on the Administration of the United Provinces of Agra & Oudh 1906-07 |page=44 |date=1908 |location=Allahabad |publisher=F. Luker, Superintendent, Govt. Press, UP |hdl=2027/uc1.c2625877 |url=https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.c2625877 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201010000000/https://hdl.handle.net/2027/uc1.c2625877 |archive-date=10 October 2020}} [https://archive.org/details/dli.ernet.17264 Alt URL]</ref> On the initiative of [[Harcourt Butler]],<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Note by Mr. S.H. Butler on Technical Education |title=Papers Connected with the Industrial Conference Held at Naini Tal 1907 |last=Butler |first=Spencer Harcourt |author-link=Harcourt Butler |pages=12–25 |date=1907 |publisher=Government Press Allahabad}}</ref><ref name="AHMI DA Ch4"/><ref>{{cite book |section=Preface |title=Notes on the Industries of the United Provinces |author=[[Atul Chandra Chatterjee]] |date=31 October 1908 |publisher=F. Luker, Superintendent, Govt. Press |location=Allahabad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wWpXAAAAMAAJ }} [https://archive.org/details/notesonindustri01chatgoog Alt URL]</ref> the Secretary to ''Industrial Committee'' (1907-08) and [[Deputy commissioner (India)|DC]] of [[Lucknow]],<ref name="AHMI DA Ch1">{{cite book |chapter=1. Hereditary, Training and Assignments |author=D. Awasthi |title=Administrative History of Modern India |pages=1–12 |date=1973 |publisher=National Publishing House |url=https://ia902906.us.archive.org/31/items/in.ernet.dli.2015.118662/2015.118662.Administrative-History-Of-Mordern-India_text.pdf |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref><ref name="SHB SCS UL">{{cite book |title=Speeches Made by His Excellency Sir Harcourt Butler |chapter=Proceedings of Conference in Lucknow on 10 Nov 1919 |editor=S.C. Sen |date=1921 |pages=1–2 |url=https://www.indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/speeches-made-his-excellency-sir-harcourt-butler |publisher=The Pioneer Press |location=Allahabad |access-date=20 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200313000000/https://www.indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/speeches-made-his-excellency-sir-harcourt-butler |archive-date=13 March 2020}} [https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.8179 Alt URL]</ref> the 1907 '''Industrial Conference''' at ''[[Nainital|Naini Tal]]'' convened by the [[Lieutenant governor|Lt.Gov.]] of the province,<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Opening Address by The Lieutenant Governor |title=Papers Connected with the Industrial Conference Held at Naini Tal 1907 |last=Hewett |first=John Prescott |pages=1–11 |date=1907 |publisher=Government Press Allahabad}}</ref> [[Sir John Hewett|Sir John P. Hewett]], {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|GCSI|KBE|CIE}}, recommended establishment of a '''Technological Institute''' at ''[[Cawnpore]]''.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Final resolutions passed by the Industrial Conference at Naini Tal on Saturday, 31 August 1907 |title=Papers Connected with the Industrial Conference Held at Naini Tal 1907 |last=Hewett |first= John Prescott |display-authors=etal |pages=48–53 |date=1907 |publisher=Government Press Allahabad}}</ref> Therein, [[IIT Roorkee|Thomason]]'s Principal<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.scribd.com/document/57136997/Iit-Roorkee-History |title=IIT Roorkee History |date=December 2007 |page=11 |location=Roorkee}}</ref> [[Edwin Atkinson|Sir Edwin H.deV. Atkinson]], {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|KBE|CIE|RE}},<ref>{{cite web |url=https://swetenham.org/getperson.php?personID=I69898&tree=1 |title=Sir Edwin Henry de Vere Atkinson, KCB KBE CMG CIE |editor=Richard Swetenham |publisher=Swetenham Family |website=swetenham.org |access-date=24 June 2025}}</ref> opined on location of the institute,<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Note by Major E.H. de V. Atkinson |title=Papers Connected with the Industrial Conference Held at Naini Tal 1907 |last=Atkinson |first=Edwin Henry de Vere |pages=25–28 |date=1907 |publisher=Government Press Allahabad}}</ref> and views of ''Upper India Chamber of Commerce (UICC)'' were expressed by their Secretary, Alexander B. Shakespear, {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|CIE}}.{{NoteTag |name=ABS}}<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Note presented by Mr. A.B. Shakespear to the sub-committee on Technical Education |title=Papers Connected with the Industrial Conference Held at Naini Tal 1907 |last=Shakespear |first=Alexander Blake |display-authors=etal |pages=28–30 |date=1907 |publisher=Government Press Allahabad}}</ref>

The conference approved teaching and research via four chemical sections (of four students each) in industries of [[leather]], [[sugar]], [[acid]]-n-[[alkali]], and [[Textile manufacturing|textile]]-n-[[papermaking]] ([[dyeing]], [[Textile bleaching|bleaching]], etc.).<ref name="IJHS PB">{{cite journal |last1=Bhargava |first1=Prakrati |date=2006 |title=Modernization of leather industry and chequered history of technical education in colonial Kanpur |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/360441952 |journal=Indian Journal of History of Science |volume=57 |issue=2 |pages=102–114 |doi=10.1007/s43539-022-00039-z |access-date=7 August 2024}}</ref> In 1908, Sir Harcourt left UPA&O,<ref name="AHMI DA Ch1"/> and the provincial secretary (and future [[Comptroller and Auditor General of India|CAG]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://cag.gov.in/en/former-cag |title=Former CAG |publisher=Comptroller and Auditor General of India |website=cag.gov.in |access-date=16 June 2025}}</ref>), Sir Robert W. Gillan, {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|KCSI}}, submitted the scheme to the government.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Letter No. 90 dated the 22nd January 1908 (with enclosures) |title=Papers Connected with the Industrial Conference Held at Naini Tal 1907 |last=Gillan |first=Robert Woodburn |pages=63–85 |publisher=Government Press Allahabad}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Form No. 5, C.A. Code, Statement of proposition for establishment of Technological Institute, Cawnpore (Dated 8 January 1908) |title=Papers Connected with the Industrial Conference Held at Naini Tal 1907 |author=Claude Fraser De La Fosse |page=80 |publisher=Government Press Allahabad}}</ref> But, the [[Secretary of State for India|India Secretary]] deferred, and sought opinions from [[Morris Travers|Dr. Morris W. Travers]], {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|FRS}}, {{post-nominals|unlinked=DSc}}, among others, regarding overlaps with [[Indian Institute of Science|IISc]], and relevant areas of instruction and enquiry. However, it was generally accepted that a colloquial ''Central Higher Technical Institute'' be set-up in two branches. The ''[[Roorkee|Rurki]] Branch'' would take over Thomason's engineering courses while the ''[[Kanpur|Cawnpore]] Branch'' would be the industrially accessible ''Technological Institute''.<ref name="Res NT 14"/>

By 1914, the idea of starting it as a [[Polytechnic (United Kingdom)|British Polytechnic]] was abandoned, and industry-oriented applied research became the keynote, with some provision of teaching courses of practical importance to regional industries.<ref name="Res NT 14">{{cite report |url=https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/100620831 |section=APPENDIX VIII: RESOLUTION (Dated Naini Tal, the 29th August, 1914) |title=Minutes of Evidence taken before the Indian Industrial Commission (1916–1918) - Vol. I - Delhi, United Provinces, and Bihar & Orissa |pages=196–200 |year=1919 |location=London |publisher=His Majesty's Stationery Office}}</ref> Deferments also happened due to [[World War I]], apart from differing opinions, and lack of funds.<ref name="AHMI DA Ch4"/><ref>{{cite report |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/indian-industrial-commission-minutes-evidence-1916-17-voli-delhi-united-provinces-and |section=APPENDIX X |title=Indian Industrial Commission - Minutes of Evidence (1916–1917) - Volume I - Delhi, United Provinces, and Bihar & Orissa |author=Alan William Pim |editor=R.D. Bell |pages=203–206 |year=1917 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Superintendent Government Press}}</ref> By mid 1910s, an IISc-like central higher research institute under [[India Office|Imperial]] control in [[North India]] was steadily demanded not only by industrialists and professionals,{{NoteTag |name=CTACMdeS}} but also by officials like the Director of Industries (DI) A.H. Silver.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://ignca.gov.in/Asi_data/39762.pdf |section=Written Evidence, Witness No. 27 |title=Indian Industrial Commission - Minutes of Evidence (1916–1918) - Volume VI - Confidential Evidence |author=Alexander Blake Shakespear |editor=G.H.W. Davies |page=5 |year=1918 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Superintendent Government Press}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |url=https://ignca.gov.in/Asi_data/39655.pdf |section=VII. Organization of Technical and scientific Departments of Government, Written Evidence, Witness No. 11, 19, and 24 |title=Indian Industrial Commission - Minutes of Evidence (1916–1917) - Volume I - Delhi, United Provinces, and Bihar & Orissa |author1=Charles Turner Allen |author2=A.H. Silver |author3=Caetano Mariie DeSouza |editor=R.D. Bell |pages=72–73, 135, 213–214 |year=1917 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Superintendent Government Press}}</ref>

Indian businessmen wanted training in leather chemistry<ref>{{cite document |title=File No. 415/211, 1911, Industries Department |last=Elliott |first=E.D. |date=1914-06-13 |page=79 |publisher=United Provinces}}</ref> as Kanpur had leather industry since 1800s.<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Chapter VIII.—Tanning and Leather Manufacture |pages=98–107 |title=Notes on the Industries of the United Provinces |author=[[Atul Chandra Chatterjee]] |date=31 October 1908 |publisher=F. Luker, Superintendent, Govt. Press |location=Allahabad |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=wWpXAAAAMAAJ }} [https://archive.org/details/notesonindustri01chatgoog Alt URL]</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/44147021 |last=Sharma |first=Monica |title=COLONIAL INITIATIVE : The Emergence Of Leather Industry In Cawnpore (1861-1947) |journal=Proceedings of the Indian History Congress |date=1998 |volume=59 |pages=539–547 |publisher=Indian history Congress |jstor=44147021 |via=JSTOR |access-date=10 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |chapter=Factories in Cities (6: Leather) |title=Traditional Industry In The Economy Of Colonial India |date=1999 |isbn=978-0-511-49742-1 |doi=10.1017/CBO9780511497421 |last=Roy |first=Tirthankar |author-link=Tirthankar Roy |page=176 |publisher=Cambridge University Press |series=Cambridge Studies in Indian History & Society}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |title=Statistical Report of the District of Cawnpoor; June, 1848 |section=Purgunu Jajmow |author=[[Robert Montgomery (civil servant)|Sir Robert Montgomery]] |date=January 1849 |page=114 |location=Calcutta |publisher=James Charles Sherriff, Superintendent, Bengal Military Orphan Press}}</ref> Contrarily, officials like Director (LR&A)<ref name="IOL 1919">{{cite book |url=https://bsi.gov.in/uploads/userfiles/file/Rare%20Books/The%20Office%20List%20For%201919.pdf |section=Officers Employed in UPA&O |title=The India Office List for 1919 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=61–69 |date=April 1919 |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]]}}</ref> H.R.C. Hailey, {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|CSI|OBE|CIE}},{{NoteTag |name=HRCH}} and Offg. DI & DD (Agri.)<ref>{{cite book |title=A History of Agriculture in India: 1757–1947 |volume=3 |first=Mohindar Singh |last=Randhawa |publisher=Indian Council of Agricultural Research |year=1980 |page=366 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9DDRAAAAMAAJ |access-date=4 December 2011}}</ref><ref name="IOL 1916">{{cite book |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/india-office-list-1916 |section=Officers Employed in UPA&O |title=The India Office List for 1916 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=61–69 |date=February 1916 |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]] |via=NVLI}}</ref><ref name="IOL 1920">{{cite book |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/india-office-list-1920 |section=Officers Employed in UPA&O |title=The India Office List for 1920 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=45–53 |date=March 1920 |edition=Thirty-Fourth Publication |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]] |via=NVLI}}</ref> [[Bryce Chudleigh Burt|Sir Bryce C. Burt]], {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|CIE|MBE}}, {{post-nominals|unlinked=FCS}}, concurred with European industrialists<ref name="IJHS PB"/> and ''UICC'' that the proposed institute should focus on research in applied chemistry, and offer special branches only on demand.<ref>{{cite document |title=Upper India Chamber of Commerce, Golden Jubilee, 1888–1938 |year=1939 |publisher=UICC}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/533097 |section=VII. Organization of Technical and scientific Departments of Government, Written Evidence, Witness No. 13, and 15 |title=Indian Industrial Commission - Minutes of Evidence (1916–1917) - Volume I - Delhi, United Provinces, and Bihar & Orissa |author1=Hammett Reginald Clode Hailey |author2=Bryce Chudleigh Burt |editor=R.D. Bell |pages=92, 98, 103–104 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/533097 |archive-date=24 January 2017 |year=1917 |location=Calcutta |publisher=Superintendent Government Press}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533097 Alt URL]</ref> The '''Indian Industrial Commission''' (1916–18) headed by [[Thomas Henry Holland|Sir Thomas H. Holland]], {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|KCSI|KCIE|FRS}}, {{post-nominals|unlinked=DSc}}, recommended that technological institutes should be controlled by provincial ''Director of Industries''<ref>{{cite report |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/report-indian-industrial-commission-1916-18-4 |section=Paragraphs 161, 177–179, Chapter X: Industrial and Technical Education |title=Report of the Indian Industrial Commission (1916-18) |pages=110, 118–119 |last1=Holland |first1=Thomas H. |last2=Bell |first2=R.D. |last3=Davies |first3=G.H.W. |year=1918 |publisher=Superintendent Government Printing, India |location=Calcutta}}</ref> to facilitate research in regional industries.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=coo1.ark:/13960/t2891s305&seq=15 |section=Paragraph 214 and Table, Chapter XIV: technical Assistance to industries by Government |title=Report of the Indian Industrial Commission (1916-18) |pages=140–141 |last1=Holland |first1=Thomas H. |last2=Bell |first2=R.D. |last3=Davies |first3=G.H.W. |year=1918 |publisher=Superintendent Government Printing, India |location=Calcutta}}</ref><ref>{{cite report |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/report-indian-industrial-commission-1916-18-0 |section=Paragraph 306 (c), Chapter XXI: Provincial Departments of Industries |title=Report of the Indian Industrial Commission (1916-18) |last1=Holland |first1=Thomas H. |last2=Bell |first2=R.D. |last3=Davies |first3=G.H.W. |pages=189 |year=1918 |publisher=Superintendent Government Printing, India |location=Calcutta |via=NVLI}}</ref> A representative committee recommended that training be provided for research [[chemist]]s, and technical chemists (in [[Vegetable oil|oil]], textile, and leather).<ref name="ProgEd JAR">{{cite book |url=http://14.139.60.153/handle/123456789/675 |chapter-url=http://14.139.60.153/bitstream/123456789/675/1/Internet%20Archive-progress%20of%20educatn%20in%20india%201917-1922.%208th%20quinquennial%20review.%20vol.1.pdf |chapter=(I) Technical and Industrial Schools - Chapter VIII - Industrial and Commercial Education |title=Progress Of Education In India 1917-1922 (Vol. I) |series=Eighth Quinquennial Review |last=Richey |first=J.A. |date=1922 |pages=176–177 |publisher=Superintendent Government Press |location=Calcutta |isbn=978-1-02-108178-0 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124000000/http://14.139.60.153/handle/123456789/675 |archive-date=2017-01-24 |access-date=2024-10-06}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.35184/page/n185/mode/2up Alt URL]</ref>

[[File:Sir_Harcourt_Butler,_c._1934.png|thumb|[[Harcourt Butler|Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler]], c.1934]]

===GRI and GTI=== Sir Harcourt returned to [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|UPA&O]] in 1918 as [[List of governors of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|Lieutenant-Governor]], and expressed dismay at the delays in starting the institute.<ref name="SHB SCS UL"/> Ultimately, '''Government Research Institute''', Cawnpore, was launched in January 1920, offering industrial research without teaching any courses. It was headed by the [[Agricultural chemistry|Agricultural Chemist]]<ref>{{cite book |last=Keatinge |first=G.F. |section=II.—Programme of the Agricultural Chemist, 2.—United Provinces of Agra & Oudh, Subject III.—Programmes of Work of the Provincial & Native States Departments of Agriculture |title=Proceedings of the Board of Agriculture in India Held at Pusa on the 21st of February, 1910 and Following Days |pages=12–13 |date=1910-03-09 |editor-last1=[[James William Mollison|Mollison]] |editor-first1=James W. |editor-last2=[[Claud Mackenzie Hutchinson|Hutchinson]] |editor-first2=Claude M. |publisher=Superintendent Government Printing, India |location=Calcutta |via=Tamilinaiyam |url=https://www.tamildigitallibrary.in/admin/assets/book/TVA_BOK_0043266/TVA_BOK_0043266_Proceedings_of_board_of_agriculture_held_at_Pusa_1910.pdf}}</ref> Dr. Harold Edward Annett, {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|OBE|FIC}}, {{post-nominals|unlinked=FCS, DSc}},{{NoteTag |name=HEA}} then the Principal of ''Opium Research Laboratory'',<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/journal-of-agricultural-science/article/abs/B08282E45760CAB9B6B7E30BD66F30F7#authors-details |title=Author Details: H. E. Annett (Affiliation) |journal=The Journal of Agricultural Science |date=2009-03-27 |volume=9 |issue=4 |pages=416–429 |publisher=Cambridge University Press|doi=10.1017/S0021859600005256 |last1=Annett |first1=H. E. |last2=Sen |first2=Jatindra Nath |url-access=subscription }}</ref> of which '''GRI''' was an adjunct. It was housed in two rooms of ''Sher Wali Kothi'', a British era [[bungalow]] near Nawabganj.<ref name="HBHB">{{cite book |author= |editor-last1=Singh |editor-first1=Yaduvir |editor-last2=Mishra |editor-first2=Vivek |date=25 November 2021 |title=The History Book - HBTU |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/GO/HISTORY%20BOOK%20HBTU%20KANPUR.pdf |location=Kanpur |publisher=HBTU Kanpur (Self published ebook)}}</ref>

The distinguished [[dye]] scientist<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.jstor.org/stable/1641629 |title=University and Educational News |journal=Science |series=New Series |volume=44 |issue=1136 |date=6 October 1916 |pages=494–495 |publisher=AAAS (Open JStore Collection) |doi=10.1126/science.44.1136.494 |jstor=1641629|bibcode=1916Sci....44..494. |url-access=subscription }}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.nature.com/articles/098063a0.pdf |title=University and Educational intelligence (Nature, No. 2447)|journal=Nature |date=21 September 1916 |volume=98 |issue=2447 |pages=63–64 |doi=10.1038/098063a0 |publisher=Nature Group Publishing}}</ref> Dr. Edwin Roy Watson, {{post-nominals|unlinked=DSc}}, Professor<ref name="IOL 1916 Bengal">{{cite book |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/india-office-list-1916 |section=Officers Employed in Bengal |title=The India Office List for 1916 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=44–52 |date=February 1916 |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]] |via=NVLI}}</ref><ref name="IOL 1920 Bengal">{{cite book |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/india-office-list-1920 |section=Officers Employed in Bengal |title=The India Office List for 1920 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=27–35 |date=March 1920 |edition=Thirty-Fourth Publication |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]] |via=NVLI}}</ref> at [[Dhaka College|Dacca College]], was appointed as ''Research Chemist''. Dr. Watson had been research assistant to [[C. T. R. Wilson|Charles T.R. Wilson]] (who won [[List of Nobel laureates in Physics|1927 Physic Nobel prize]]), and Siegfried Ruhemann (who discovered [[Ninhydrin]] in 1911) at [[University of Cambridge]] (1903-04).<ref>{{cite web |title=Chemistry Tree: Edwin Roy Watson |url=https://academictree.org/chemistry/peopleinfo.php?pid=724369 |publisher=The Academic Family Tree |date=24 April 2017 |access-date=5 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Meteorology Tree: C.T.R. Wilson |url=https://academictree.org/meteorology/peopleinfo.php?pid=58622 |publisher=The Academic Family Tree |date=16 February 2012 |access-date=11 August 2025}}</ref> He was aided by two ''Asst. Res. Chemists'' - his [[Dhaka College|DC]] colleague Kshitish Chandra Mukherji, {{post-nominals|unlinked=AIC}}, and Dr. Nitya Gopal Chatterji, {{post-nominals|unlinked=DSc, DIC, AMIChemE}}<ref name="Civil List"/> (who did [[Doctor of Science|DSc]] under four-times [[Nobel Prize|Nobel]] nominee [[Nil Ratan Dhar|N.L. Dhar]] at [[University of Allahabad]]<ref>{{cite book |chapter-url=https://insaindia.res.in/BM/BM14_8901.pdf |pages=10, 22 |chapter=Nil Ratan Dhar (1892—1986): Foundation Fellow |title=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of INSA |volume=14 |author=S.G. Misra |editor=V.L. Chopra |editor2= D.V.S. Jain |date=1990 |location=New Delhi |publisher=Indian National Science Academy}}</ref>). Dr. Watson became the ''Principal'' of GRI as Dr. Annett was appointed Officiating Principal of [[Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology|Govt Agricultural College]].<ref name="IOL 1922">{{cite book |url=https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/37992 |section=Officers Employed in the United Provinces of Agra & Oudh |title=The India Office List for 1922 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=49–59 |date=June 1922 |edition=Thirty-Sixth Publication |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]] |via=Dhananjayrao Gadgil Library of [[Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics]]}}</ref>

[[File:J.P._Hewett_&_C.Y._Chintamani.jpg|thumb|(L) Sir J.P. Hewett, c. 1907; (R) Sir C.Y. Chintamani, c. 1911]] In 1921, Sir Harcourt became the (first<ref>{{cite web |title=SIR HARCOURT (SPENCER) BUTLER: First Governor of UP |url=http://upgovernor.gov.in/harcourtbio.htm |website=upgovernor.gov.in |publisher=Govt of UP |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120206015604/http://upgovernor.gov.in/harcourtbio.htm |archive-date=6 February 2012}}</ref><ref name="SHB RajBhavan">{{cite web |title=Sir Harcourt (Spencer) Butler |url=https://upgovernor.gov.in/en/article/sir-harcourt-(spencer)-butler |access-date=20 June 2025 |website=upgovernor.gov.in |publisher=Governor's Secretariat, Raj Bhavan Uttar Pradesh |location=Lucknow}}</ref>) [[List of governors of the United Provinces of Agra and Oudh|Governor of UPA&O]].<ref name="IOL 1921"/><ref name="IOL 1922"/> He appointed [[C. Y. Chintamani|Sir C.Y. Chintamani]], {{post-nominals|post-noms=LLD}}, the [[Editor-in-Chief|Chief-Editor]] of [[The Leader (Allahabad newspaper)|The Leader]] newspaper, as the [[Minister (government)|Minister]] of Education and Industries.<ref name="IOL 1921">{{cite book |url=https://bsi.gov.in/uploads/userfiles/file/Rare%20Books/The%20Office%20List%20For%201921.pdf |section=Officers Employed in the United Provinces of Agra & Oudh |title=The India Office List for 1921 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=49–59 |date=March 1921 |edition=Thirty-Fifth Publication |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]]}}</ref><ref name="IOL 1922"/> With active support from the keen minister in [[United Provinces of Agra and Oudh#Dyarchy (1920–37)|UPA&O Legislative Council]], the institute secured funding for and started teaching three-year [[postgraduate diploma]] courses apart from their activities in applied research, and became the '''Government Technological Institute'''.<ref>{{cite web |title=A Brief History Of HBTI |url=http://www.hbti.edu/about.htm |website=hbti.edu |publisher=HBTI, Kanpur |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20000823042828/http://www.hbti.edu/about.htm |archive-date=23 August 2000}}</ref>

The institute started with two ''Chairs'' each in three areas of applied chemistry: oil, tinctorial, and leather.<ref name="AHMI DA Ch4"/> Dr. E.R. Watson was appointed as the first ''Principal'' (1921–26) of '''GTI'''.<ref name="IOL 1926">{{cite book |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/532997 |section=Officers Employed in UPA&O |title=The India Office List for 1926 |editor=[[India Office]] |page=59 |edition=Fortieth Publication |date=March 1926 |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]] |via=Digital Library of India |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/532997 |archive-date=23 January 2017 |access-date=}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.532997 Alt URL]</ref> On 25 November 1921, [[Harcourt Butler|Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler]], {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|GCSI|GCIE|DL|FRGS|FRAS}}, formally laid the [[Cornerstone|foundation-stone]] of the ''Main Building''.<ref name="IUB 1930"/><ref name="IUB 1942"/> Sir Harcourt had envisioned to make it a full-fledged technological university, but had to leave charge in UPA&O to go to [[Myanmar|Burma]] in 1922. {{Quote box |quote = "The institute will have two sides, instruction and research. They must operate and energise together. [...] The work of the institute will take time. The professors must be given a reasonably free hand. But they must not lose touch with the world of business and the practical conditions of industry.Let our motto be 'on and ever on'. The outlook is favourable. The site of the new institution is within easy reach of the great industrial centre of Cawnpore, rich with capacity and experience. [...] I will set no limits in my imagination to the future progress of Cawnpore or the United Provinces. I will not admit one argument against their destiny." |source = — Sir Harcourt Butler at the ''Foundation-Stone Laying Ceremony'' |width = 25% |align = right }}

===Initial years=== The first batch of PG '''Diploma in Technology''' ("Dip.Tech.") consisted of three students each in two courses of '''General Applied Research''' ("Gen Res"), and '''Oil Chemistry & Technology''' ("Oil Tech"). Due to lack of infrastructure, they were sent to the [[Government Polytechnic Lucknow|Govt Technical School]] (under principalship of P.A. Lyons<ref name="IOL 1921"/>) in [[Lucknow]] for a six-month preliminary course in mechanical engineering. The first classes & laboratories were held in two buildings (later, the erstwhile ''Forest View Hostel'') of the old govt soda factory, and the first hostel was a [[Nawab]]'s [[bungalow]] in Souterganj near the Govt School of Dyeing & Printing (GSDP,{{NoteTag |name=GSDP}} later a [[Uttar Pradesh Textile Technology Institute|GCTI]] constituent<ref>{{cite web |url=https://uptti.ac.in/about-us.php |title=UPTTI - About Us |publisher=Uttar Pradesh Textile Technology Institute |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref>).<ref name="HBHB"/>

In 1922 the institute moved its operations to the new bungalows in ''Luxman Bagh'' - Bungalow No. 1 for "Gen Res", Bungalow No. 2 for workshop (with pilot plant), Bungalow No. 3 for "Oil Tech", and Bungalow No. 4 for hostel. By 1925, the north-wing of ''Main Building'' was completed, and a temporary hostel was constructed behind the central hall.<ref name="HBHB"/> In 1926, under the then Minister of Industry,<ref name="IOL 1925">{{cite book |url=https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/38030 |section=Officers Employed in UPA&O |title=The India Office List for 1925 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=49–59 |date=February 1925 |edition=Thirty-Ninth Publication |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]] |via=Dhananjayrao Gadgil Library of [[Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics]]}}</ref> [[Muhammad Ahmad Said Khan Chhatari|Sir M.A.S. Khan]], {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|GBE|KCSI|KCIE}}, the generically monikered GTI took the name '''Harcourt Butler Technological Institute'''<ref name="hbti.ac.in">{{Cite web |url=http://hbti.ac.in/html/history.html |title=Harcourt Butler Technological Institute |access-date=22 April 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150421005537/http://www.hbti.ac.in/html/history.html |archive-date=21 April 2015 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all }}</ref> in honour of its patron, though Sir Harcourt was absent, working as the (first) [[List of colonial governors of Burma|Governor of British Burma]].<ref name="SHB RajBhavan"/><ref name="IOL 1923 Burma">{{cite book |url=https://bsi.gov.in/uploads/userfiles/file/Rare%20Books/The%20India%20Office%20List%20For%201923.pdf |section=Officers Employed in Burma |title=The India Office List for 1923 |editor=[[India Office]] |page=75 |date=May 1923 |edition=Thirty-Seventh Publication |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]]}}</ref>

[[File:HBTI Old Pic v3.jpg|thumb|Old Photograph of Main Building]] As Richardson Committee prioritized leather over sugar, a third course of '''Leather Chemistry & Technology''' was started in 1922 under Madhav Balkrishna Hudlikar.<ref>{{cite report |section=Written Statement, dated the 7th November 1929, of Mr. M. B. Hudlikar, M.Sc. (Leeds) |title=Report of the Hides Cess Inquiry Committee |url=https://static1.squarespace.com/static/643cdb80e402cd24d01a75fa/t/644449324b13672418a210b8/1682196806345 |date=1930 |page=43 |volume=II (Evidence) |location=Calcutta |publisher=Central Publication Branch, GoI |access-date=3 July 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307000000/https://static1.squarespace.com/static/643cdb80e402cd24d01a75fa/t/644449324b13672418a210b8/1682196806345 |archive-date=7 March 2021}} [https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.20703 Alt URL]</ref><ref>{{cite report |title=Proceeding of the Industries Department |pages=61–63 |date=November 1924 |publisher=Govt. of United Provinces, Superintendent Government Press}}</ref><ref name="RIRC App1">{{cite report |title=Report of the Industries Reorganization Committee |section=Appendix I.— Note on Importance of Leather Industry |date=1934 |last1=Duke |first1=J.A.H. |last2=Shah |first2=S.P. |pages=1A–4A |publisher=Superintendent, Printing & Stationery, United Provinces |location=Allahabad |url=https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/18491 |access-date=18 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120000000/https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/18491 |archive-date=20 January 2017 |via=Digital Library of India}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.52060 Alt URL]</ref> A course in [[Textile#Coloration|Tinctorial]] Chemistry was also considered. In 1924, the Department of (Applied) Chemistry was established, and all six students of the first batch also received their PG diplomas. Though, [[Grading in education|grading]] and classification criteria based on [[test score]]s was only finalised a year later in 1924-25.<ref name="HBHB"/> A fourth course of '''Sugar Chemistry & Technology''' was started in July 1926.<ref name="IJHS PB Sgr">{{cite journal |last1=Bhargava |first1=Prakrati |date=19 June 2024 |title=Industrialization and Technical Education in Colonial India: A case study of Imperial Institute of Sugar Technology, Kanpur |url=https://www.researchgate.net/publication/381560438 |journal=Indian Journal of History of Science |volume=59 |issue=5 |pages=165–177 |doi=10.1007/s43539-024-00126-3 |access-date=2 August 2025}}</ref> [[Gilbert John Fowler|Dr. Gilbert J. Fowler]], {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|FIC}}, {{post-nominals|unlinked=FRSI, DSc}}, who held the [[Professor|Chair]] of [[Biochemistry]] at [[Indian Institute of Science|IISc]] (first in India and [[Eastern world|The East]]), became the Officiating Head of chemical research in 1926, and then Principal of HBTI in 1927.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://insaindia.res.in/BM/BM9_8401.pdf |title=Biographical Memoirs of Fellows of INSA |volume=9 |chapter=Gilbert John Fowler (1868-1953): Foundation Fellow 1935 |chapter-url=https://ds7-backend.ndl.gov.in:8443/insa/api/core/bitstreams/4bf247db-30b0-4464-a0ee-7d2778b51364/content |last1=Pillai |first1=S.C. |last2=Viswanath |first2=Kasi |editor1=G S Venkataraman |editor2=A N Mitra |pages=1–8 |date=1 December 1984 |publisher=Indian National Science Academy |location=New Delhi |access-date=18 June 2025 |archive-date=8 April 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210408000000/https://insaindia.res.in/BM/BM9_8401.pdf}} [https://archive.org/details/biographicalmemo0000unse_w0v2 Alt URL]</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://connect.iisc.ac.in/2020/12/the-science-of-gilbert-fowler/ |title=The Science of Gilbert Fowler |last=Ramaswamy |first=Karthik |date=29 December 2020 |publisher=Connect, OOC, IISc |location=Bengaluru}}</ref><ref name="IOL 1927">{{cite book |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/533008 |url-status=dead |section=Officers Employed in UPA&O |title=The India Office List for 1927 |editor=[[India Office]] |page=72 |date=March 1927 |edition=Forty-First Publication |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]] |via=[[Digital Library of India]] |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/533008 |archive-date=24 January 2017}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533008 Alt URL]</ref>

Academically, the first-year included a short course in mechanical engineering followed by instructions in applied chemistry. Second-year onwards, special branches were taught.<ref name="ProgEd 1922-27">{{cite book |url=https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/bitstream/handle/10973/26500/GIPE-008205.pdf |section=Paragraph 366, I. Technical and Industrial Schools, Chapter IX. Industrial and Commercial Education |title=Progress Of Education In India 1922-1927 |volume=I |series=Ninth Quinquennial Review |last=Littlehailes |first=R. |date=1929 |page=205 |publisher=Central Publication Branch, GoI |location=Calcutta |access-date=2025-10-03}} [https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/26500 Alt URL]</ref> HBTI emphasised practical training in simulation plants and commercial factories.<ref>{{cite report |author=RCHBTI |title=Report of a Committee on the Harcourt Butler Technological Institute |year=1929 |pages=58–59 |publisher=Govt. of United Provinces, Superintendent Government Press}}</ref> Admissions were done through competitive exams (written and oral).<ref name="IUB 1930"/> The oil course developed an excellent reputation while the sugar course became popular.<ref name="IJHS PB Sgr"/> Post-diploma courses, two-year studentship and three-year fellowship, were also introduced within the first decade.<ref name="IUB 1930">{{cite book |section=Appendix V: HBTI, Cawnpore |title=Handbook of Indian Universities 1930 |page=391-392 |editor=P. Seshadri |location=Cawnpore |publisher=Inter-university Board, India |date=1930 |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/86127 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170123000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/86127 |archive-date=23 January 2017}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.86127 Alt URL]</ref><ref name="IUB 1932">{{cite book |section=Appendix V: HBTI, Cawnpore |title=Handbook of Indian Universities 1932 |page=413-414 |editor=P. Seshadri |location=Nawabganj, Cawnpore |publisher=Inter-university Board, India |date=1932 |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/85905 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/85905 |archive-date=24 January 2017}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.85905 Alt URL]</ref> The head(s) of technology section(s) worked ''de facto'' as area ''Expert(s)'' to the ''Industries Department'', while the head of chemical research worked as ''Industrial Chemist'' to the provincial government.<ref name="RIRC Chap8">{{cite report |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/reports-proceedings/report-industries-reorganization-committee-1934 |title=Report of the Industries Reorganization Committee |date=1934 |last1=Srivastava |first1=J.P. |last2=Stampe |first2=William Leonard |last3=Donaldson |first3=J.C. |display-authors=etal |chapter=Paragraph 223, Chapter VIII: Organisation Of The Department |page=115-118 |access-date=24 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307000000/https://indianculture.gov.in/reports-proceedings/report-industries-reorganization-committee-1934 |archive-date=7 March 2021 |location=Allahabad |publisher=Superintendent, Printing & Stationery, United Provinces |via=NVLI}} [https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.20976 Alt URL]</ref>

===Reforms===

During ministership of [[Jwala Prasad Srivastava|Sir J.P. Srivastava]], {{postnominals|country=GBR|sep=,|KCSI|KBE}}, {{post-nominals|unlinked=DSc}},<ref>{{cite book |chapter=Biographies: SRIVASTAVA, Dr. Sir Jwala Prasad |title=Who's Who 1954 |date=January 1954 |page=2773 |publisher=Adam & Charles Black Ltd. |location=London, UK |url=https://archive.org/details/whos-who_1954 |access-date=22 January 2024}}</ref><ref name="IOL 1933">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.533052 |section=Officers Employed in UPA&O |title=The India Office List for 1933 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=66–74 |date=April 1933 |edition=Forty-Seventh Publication |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]]}}</ref> the ''Director of Industries'' was made the ''ex-officio Principal'' in 1932, and an ''Acting Principal'' was to be the head.<ref name="RIRC Chap7">{{cite report |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/reports-proceedings/report-industries-reorganization-committee-1934 |title=Report of the Industries Reorganization Committee |date=1934 |last1=Srivastava |first1=J.P. |last2=Stampe |first2=William Leonard |last3=Donaldson |first3=J.C. |display-authors=etal |chapter=Paragraphs 173 & 174, Section B — Individual Institutions, Chapter VII: Industrial And Technical Education |page=89-90 |access-date=24 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307000000/https://indianculture.gov.in/reports-proceedings/report-industries-reorganization-committee-1934 |archive-date=7 March 2021 |location=Allahabad |publisher=Superintendent, Printing & Stationery, United Provinces |via=NVLI}} [https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.20976 Alt URL]</ref> [[National Academy of Sciences, India|NASI]] Founder-Fellow<ref>{{cite web |url=https://nasi.org.in/founder-fellows/ |website=nasi.org.in |title=NASI: Founder Fellows |publisher=National Academy of Sciences, India |access-date=10 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |url=https://nasi.org.in/wp-content/uploads/2020/12/The-Journey-of-NASI-1930-2005.pdf |chapter=1. Conception & Birth |title=The Journey of NASI (1930-2005) |author1=B.N. Dhawan |author2=Niraj Kumar |page=5 |date=2005 |location=Allahabad |publisher=General Secretary, NASI}}</ref> and industrial researcher<ref>{{cite journal |title=Fused Silica |author=Sir Richard Paget |volume=113 |issue=2847 |page=752 |journal=Nature |date=24 May 1924 |url=https://dbc.wroc.pl/Content/30808/PDF/033594.pdf}}</ref> Dr. H.D.H. Drane, {{post-nominals|unlinked=DSc, AMIEE, AMIChemE}},{{NoteTag |name=HDHD}} was the last British Principal,<ref name="IOL 1933"/> and Dr. J.A.H. Duke,{{NoteTag |name=JAHD}} the Oil Expert,<ref name="IOL 1924">{{cite book |url=https://bsi.gov.in/uploads/userfiles/file/Rare%20Books/The%20India%20Office%20List%20For%201924.pdf |section=Officers Employed in UPA&O |title=The India Office List for 1924 |editor=[[India Office]] |pages=49–59 |date=July 1924 |edition=Thirty-Eighth Publication |location=London |publisher=[[Harrison and Sons]]}}</ref> was appointed the first Acting Principal of HBTI. Also, the three-year "Dip.Tech." was replaced by a two-year PG course for an '''Associate of HBTI (A.H.B.T.I.)''', and a further two years of studies for a '''Fellow of HBTI (F.H.B.T.I.)'''.<ref name="IUB 1936">{{cite book |section=Appendix IV: HBTI, Cawnpore |title=Handbook of Indian Universities 1936 |page=473-474 |editor=A.R. Wadia |location=Mysore |publisher=Inter-university Board, India |date=1936 |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/222230 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170117000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/222230 |archive-date=17 January 2017}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.222230 Alt URL]</ref><ref name="IUB 1938">{{cite book |section=Appendix IV: HBTI, Cawnpore |title=Handbook of Indian Universities 1938 |page=498-499 |editor=N.K. Sidhanta |location=Bangalore |publisher=Inter-university Board, India |date=1938 |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/215739 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170124000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/215739 |archive-date=24 January 2017}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.215739 Alt URL]</ref> The "Gen Res" and leather courses were discontinued in 1932 on the recommendations of the second Mackenzie Committee.<ref name="ProgEd 1932-37">{{cite book |url=http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/35132 |section=Paragraph 7, (ii) Technical, Craft and Industrial Schools, Chapter VIII. Vocational Training |title=Progress Of Education In India 1932-1937 |volume=I |series=Eleventh Quinquennial Review |last=Sargent |first=John |date=1910 |pages=214–215 |publisher=Manager, GoI Press |location=Simla |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170118000000/http://www.new.dli.ernet.in/handle/2015/35132 |archive-date=2017-01-18 |access-date=2025-10-03}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.35132 Alt URL]</ref><ref>{{cite report |last=Mackenzie |first=Arthur Henry |display-authors=etal |title=Report of the Inquiry Committee on the Harcourt Butler Technological Institute |year=1932 |publisher=Superintendent, Government Press, United Provinces}}</ref> Short courses and non-diploma courses were also started in 1932-33 session.<ref name="RIRC App7">{{cite report |title=Report of the Industries Reorganization Committee |section=Appendix VII — Table II: S.No. 1 |date=1934 |last=Srivastava |first=J.P. |page=45A |publisher=Superintendent, Printing & Stationery, United Provinces |location=Allahabad |url=https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/18491 |access-date=5 August 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170120000000/https://dspace.gipe.ac.in/xmlui/handle/10973/18491 |archive-date=20 January 2017 |via=Digital Library of India}} [https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.52060 Alt URL]</ref>

[[File:E.R. Watson & J.A.H. Duke.JPG|thumb|(L) Dr. E.R. Watson, first principal; (R) Dr. J.A.H. Duke, first acting principal]]

In 1932-34, [[Indian Council of Agricultural Research|ICAR]] was proposed to takeover the oil section to make an all-India institute of oil technology,<ref name="RIRC Chap7"/> and in 1936 the sugar section was taken over to establish the [[National Sugar Institute|Imperial Institute of Sugar Technology]] on the recommendations of Indian Sugar Committee,<ref>{{cite report |url=https://indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/report-indian-sugar-committee-1920 |chapter=Paragraphs 371–374, CHAPTER XXIII: Formation of an Indian Sugar Board |title=Report of The Indian Sugar Committee |author=[[James MacKenna]] |display-authors=etal |pages=364–369 |date=1920 |location=Simla |publisher=Superintendent, Government Central Press |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210307000000/https://indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/report-indian-sugar-committee-1920 |archive-date=7 March 2021}} [https://archive.org/details/dli.ministry.20806 Alt URL]</ref> and others.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://dfpd.nic.in/Home/ContentManagement?Url=national-sugar-institute.html&ManuId=4&language=1 |title=GoI DFPD - NSI}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Organisations: National Sugar Institute, Kanpur |url=https://dfpd.gov.in/nationals-sugar-institute/en |publisher=DFPD, GoI |access-date=29 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=NSI: About Us (website footer) |url=https://nsi.rdisl.com/about_us.html |publisher=NSI, DFPD, GoI |access-date=29 July 2025}}</ref> Student enrolment crossed the three-figure mark to 106 in the year 1936-37. The first Indian Actg. Principal, [[Rao Saheb]]<ref name="Civil List">{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.35726 |chapter=Section XXIII—Industries Department |title=The Civil List: Part I for The United Provinces |editor=Government Secretariat of United Provinces |page=316 |date=15 May 1947 |location=Allahabad |publisher=Superintendent, Printing and Stationery, UP, India |access-date=8 July 2025}}</ref> Dattatraya Yeshwant Athawale, officiated from 1937 to 1947, followed by Dr. D.R. Dhingra, {{post-nominals|unlinked=ARIC}}, in the first decade [[Indian Independence Act 1947|post-independence]] from 1947 to 1957. An R&D scheme, and a short-course on [[essential oil]]s were started in the latter's tenure<ref name="HBHB"/>

[[File:HBTI_Courses_1933-34_v2.png|thumb|HBTI courses, c. 1933-34]]

In 1952, a committee headed by [[Jnan Chandra Ghosh|Sir J.C. Ghosh]], {{post-nominals|unlinked=DSc, FNI}}, advised that HBTI operate as a [[university college]] with [[National Sugar Institute|IIST]], [[Uttar Pradesh Textile Technology Institute|GCTI]], and GLI{{NoteTag |name=GLI}} as integral parts, and offer new courses. But, it was not implemented, except for a course (India's second) in Chemical Engineering in 1954. [[All India Council for Technical Education|AICTE]] review in 1955 suggested teaching reorganisation, and in 1956, faculty posts separate from Experts/Chemists were sanctioned. Dr. Hrishikesh Trivedi became the first Indian-origin Principal when the post was revived in 1957. HBTI was affiliated to [[Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar University|Agra University]] in 1958, and AHBTI/FHBTI diplomas were converted to degrees: a four-year '''B.Sc. (Chem. Engg.)''' to be pursued post [[Junior college#India|I.Sc.]] ([[Higher Secondary Certificate|HSC]]), and a three-year '''B.Sc. (Tech.)''' post B.Sc.<ref name="HBHB"/>

===Expansion=== HBTI widened the spectrum of its activities in the 1960s. The '''M.Sc. (Tech.)''' courses and an ''Industrial Research Centre'' were started in 1960, along with appointment of a ''Head'' of Oil Technology, and completion of ''Lake View Hostel''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/naac/CH/Alumini%20List.pdf |title=Alumni from Chemical Engineering Department: Memoirs, 2. Prof. Ranvir Aggarwal |publisher=Chemical Engineering Department, HBTU |date=2021 |access-date=11 June 2025}}</ref> The state's industrial-advisor and [[Massachusetts Institute of Technology|MIT]]/[[Fu Foundation School of Engineering and Applied Science|SEAS]] alumni [[Chittaranjan Mitra|Dr. Chittaranjan "CR" Mitra]] became Principal in 1962.<ref>{{cite news |title=Former director of BITS Pilani C.R. Mitra dead |url=https://twocircles.net/2008aug29/former_director_bits_pilani_c_r_mitra_dead.html |date=29 August 2008 |access-date=14 June 2025 |work=TwoCircles.net |publisher=TwoCircles.net (TCN) |agency=[[Indo-Asian News Service]]}}</ref> The departments of Physics and Mathematics were started in 1961, while those of mechanical, electrical, and civil engineering were started in 1964-66. India's first courses in Biochemical Engineering and Chemical Engineering Practice were launched in 1964 and 1965 respectively. And, HBTI organised India's first [[seminar]]s in Biochemical Engineering ('67) and Biomedical Engineering ('68) under the pioneer Dr. Tarun K. Ghosh.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://beb.iitd.ac.in/TK-Ghose-Tribute.pdf |title=Dr. Tarun K. Ghosh Tribute |publisher=IIT Delhi |access-date=29 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://endowment.iitd.ac.in/research-prof-t-k-ghose-endowment |title=Prof. T.K. Ghosh Endowment |publisher=IIT Delhi |access-date=29 August 2025}}</ref>

[[File:CR_Mitra_NKR_CC_BY-SA_3.0_v2.jpg|thumb|Dr. CR Mitra, first director]]

On 26 March 1965, the [[Government of Uttar Pradesh|GoUP]] made HBTI an autonomous institution registered as a [[Societies Registration Act, 1860|society]].<ref>{{cite act |author=Board of Governors |title=HBTI (Kanpur) Society Bye Laws |pinpoint=Section 11 (i), p. 19 |type=Bye-Laws |institution=HBTI (Kanpur) Society |location=Kanpur, UP |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/HBTI_bye_laws.pdf |access-date=1 August 2025}}</ref> Accordingly, it got a [[Board of directors|Board of Governors]], and the post of [[Principal (academia)|Principal]] raised to [[Director (education)|Director]]. Dr. Mitra became the first Director in 1965, and remained till 1969 (when [[G. D. Birla|G.D. Birla]] invited him to lead [[BITS Pilani]]).<ref>{{cite magazine |title=In Memoriam: C.R. Mitra |url=https://sandpaper.bitsaa.org/archives/pdf/SandpaperSummer2008.pdf |editor=Dileepan Narayanan |page=40 |magazine=Sandpaper 2.0 (BITS Pilani Alumni Magazine) |publisher=BITSAA International |date=2008 |access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.newswiretoday.com/news/38973/Dr-CR-Mitra-doyen-of-Higher-Education-in-India-and-Former-Director-BITS-Pilani-is-a-Legacy/ |title=Dr CR Mitra doyen of Higher Education in India and Former Director BITS Pilani is a Legacy |publisher=NewswireTODAY |location=Pilani |date=2008-08-28 |last=Natarajan |first=Dr. BR}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal |title=Exporting MIT |last1=Leslie |first1=Stuart W. |last2=Kargon |first2=Robert |page=122 |journal=Osiris |volume=21 |issue=1 |date=2006 |publisher=The University of Chicago Press |doi=10.1086/507138 |jstor=10.1086/507138}}</ref> The college's affiliation was transferred to [[Chhatrapati Shahu Ji Maharaj University|Kanpur University]] in 1967 on the latter's inception. On AICTE's 1967 recommendations, [[Government of India|GoI]] sanctioned grants for development of HBTI, which led to many new infrastructure projects by 1972-73.

By 1970s, HBTI had transformed from an instructor in chemical branches to a prominent institute of [[higher education in India|higher education]] in STEM fields. The ''Science & Technology Entrepreneur's Park'' (STEP-HBTI) was launched on-campus in 1986 to encourage entrepreneurship,<ref>{{cite web |title=STEP-HBTI: Campus Profile |url=https://www.stephbti.ac.in/campus-profile.php |website=stephbti.ac.in |publisher=STEP-HBTI |access-date= 12 August 2025}}</ref> sponsored by [[Department of Science and Technology (India)|DST (GoI)]], [[ICICI Bank|ICICI]], and [[IFCI Ltd|IFCI]].<ref>{{cite book |url=https://dst.gov.in/sites/default/files/75-Impactful-Startup-DST-Incubation-Program.pdf |section=List of DST Incubators (TBI/NIDHI TBI/COE/STEP) |title=75 Impactful Startups : DST Incubation Program |editor1=Nakul Parashar |editor2=Kinkini Dasgupta |page=104 |publisher=Vigyan Prasar, DST, GoI |location=New Delhi |isbn=978-8-174-80391-7}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.stephbti.ac.in/governing-bodies.php |title=STEP-HBTI Governing Body |website=stephbti.ac.in |publisher=STEP HBTI |access-date=13 August 2025}}</ref> In 1991, all B.Sc. (Engg/Tech) courses were changed to four-year '''B.Tech.''', and all M.Sc. (Tech) were changed to two-year '''M.Tech.''', in keeping with the times.

===21st century=== In 2000, the GoUP established the [[Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University|Uttar Pradesh Technical University (UPTU)]], and HBTI was affiliated to it in 2001.<ref>{{cite web |title=Information Brochure 2018-19 |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/naac/Information%20Broucher%202018-19.pdf |page=1 |location=Kanpur |publisher=HBTU}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Strategic Plan 2021-30 |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/HBTU-Strategic-Plan.pdf |page=1–2 |location=Kanpur |publisher=HBTU}}</ref> This made HBTI lose the autonomous status which it had retained in previous affiliations.<ref>{{cite news |title=UPTU sets norms to improve quality of technical education |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/3789958.cms |date=4 December 2008 |work=The Times of India |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref> However, HBTI worked for, and later became the only STEM college in Uttar Pradesh to be granted the '''academic autonomy''' by the [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grants Commission]] on 27 February 2008,<ref>{{cite web |title=HBTI Autonomy |url=http://www.hbti.ac.in/doaa/osautonomy.pdf |publisher=HBTI |access-date=13 April 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110721150033/http://www.hbti.ac.in/doaa/osautonomy.pdf |archive-date=21 July 2011 |url-status=dead |df=dmy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Govt to grant autonomy to HBTI |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/govt-to-grant-autonomy-to-hbti/story-G6L5HnIMPXVzrr4KzJOHcM.html |date=26 November 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |publisher=HT Media Ltd. |access-date=29 July 2025}}</ref> a status it had lost a decade earlier.<ref>{{cite news |title=HBTI gets autonomy, to be developed as 'centre of excellence' |url=https://www.oneindia.com/2008/03/10/hbti-gets-autonomy-to-be-developed-as-centre-of-excellence-1205134524.html |date=10 March 2008 |work=Oneindia |publisher=One.in Digitech Media Pvt. Ltd. |access-date=29 July 2025}}</ref> While still affiliated to UPTU administratively, the institute could now conduct its own internal academic affairs independently, viz., syllabus, exams, grading, etc.

By 2000s, HBTI's infrastructure had become inadequate and degraded.<ref>{{cite news |title=Poor power supply hits HBTI hostel inmates |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/story-U1hFKBPJwd8KBmWok7MezO.html |date=29 April 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Inmates face trouble in HBTI hostel |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/story-zjOe3veyRGjJFhQzc3h3RJ.html |date=7 May 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Why HBTI website is with worst look, feel and functioning |url=https://thecareertools.wordpress.com/2013/12/06/why-hbti-website-is-with-worst-look-feel-and-functioning/ |website=thecareertools.wordpress.com |author=Sumit Arora |date=6 December 2013 |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref> There was also worsening of [[student–teacher ratio]] due to unfilled vacancies, faculty leaving for new [[Centrally Funded Technical Institutes|CFTIs]], etc.<ref>{{cite news |title=Delay in HBTI appointments hits teaching |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/story-qgF1pTmSyj7pQVWOFAOVyM.html |date=17 March 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=HBTI facing crises of teachers |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/story-Mxxp0f3r8eJZrto9alxkIM.html |date=28 January 2011 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref> Mismanagement and failures increased even in important activities.<ref>{{cite news |title=Uncertainty looms over HBTI interviews |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/story-eqrwJcwl2Fn6t02SRLE17N.html |date=1 March 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=HBTI teachers await grade, seniority |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/story-KakQMZkYOjNR0LE0ZfADZO.html |date=1 July 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=HBTI Cell fails to achieve target |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/story-wnRgSwOjYMa39mjIGHGssN.html |date=14 November 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=FIR against HBTI Registrar, former Director |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/articleshow/20641483.cms |date=18 June 2013 |work=The Times of India |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref> Hence, its reputation suffered against some [[National Institutes of Technology|NITs]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/hbti-better-than-top-10-institutes-in-country/story-2YQuLGZkAdhbue2LICeWzM_amp.html |title=HBTI better than top 10 institutes in country |date=26 November 2006 |publisher=Hindustan Times |access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref> The alumni offered financial assistance to resolve immediate issues, but it could not be initiated due to government regulations.<ref>{{cite news |title=Don't Meddle in Fund Management |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/don-t-meddle-in-fund-management/story-gTRPextpuCtwPc4jzJOiJK_amp.html |date=25 November 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref> UPTU plans to develop it as a STEM [[Center of excellence|CoE]] did not materialize either.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/kanpur-emerging-as-technical-education-hub-108071801068_1.html |title=Kanpur emerging as technical education hub |author=Vishnu Pandey |date=29 January 2013 |work=Business Standard |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref> In this period (2001-21), HBTI did not have any long-term permanent head, either short-term ones or mostly temporary "Acting" ones.<ref>{{cite news |title=HBTI gets new acting director |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/hbti-gets-new-acting-director/articleshow/29394744.cms |date=26 January 2014 |work=The Times of India |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=HBTI to soon get a permanent director |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/hbti-to-soon-get-a-permanent-director/articleshow/38846323.cms |date=22 July 2014 |work=The Times of India |access-date=15 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title='Misappropriation of funds, extortion'— why is Kanpur University VC Vinay Pathak under CBI lens |url=https://theprint.in/india/misappropriation-of-funds-extortion-why-is-kanpur-university-vc-vinay-pathak-under-cbi-lens/1316207/ |author=Shikha Salaria |editor=Amrtansh Arora |date=16 June 2023 |work=The Print}}</ref>

On 1 September 2016, HBTI was raised to the status of a technical [[State university (India)|state-university]] by the ''UP HBTU Act, 2016'' (dated 7 April 2016), and its name was modified to '''Harcourt Butler Technical University'''.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/HBTI-gets-university-status/articleshow/51736230.cms |title=HBTI gets university status |newspaper=The Times of India |date=8 April 2016 |access-date=10 September 2016 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title= The UP HBTU Act 2016 |url=https://upvidhai.gov.in/UPCODE/UpCode/ViewAct/459 |website=UP Code Portal |publisher=UP Legislative Department, GoUP |access-date=29 July 2025}}</ref> Prof. M.Z. Khan was appointed as the first [[Vice-chancellor|Vice-Chancellor]].<ref>{{cite news |title=IET Professor is HBTU's first VC |work=The Times of India |date=8 September 2016 |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/iet-professor-is-hbtus-first-vc/articleshow/54154879.cms |access-date=13 August 2025}}</ref> HBTU obtained administrative autonomy, and some much needed infrastructure upgrades were started. In 2021, the college completed its centenary, and the then VC Dr. Samsher requested the [[President of India]] to make HBTU a [[Central university (India)|central university]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/uttar-pradesh/kanpur/news/hbtu-kanpur-up-vice-chancellors-tenure-extended-by-three-years-133125230.html |title=HBTU कानपुर के कुलपति का कार्यकाल तीन साल बढ़ा |date=5 June 2024 |publisher=Dainik Bhaskar |language=Hindi |access-date=13 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Kovind assures govt's help to proposals by VCs of CSJMU, HBTU & IIT-K director |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/education/news/kovind-assures-govt-s-help-to-proposals-by-vcs-of-csjmu-hbtu-iit-k-director-101624780365561.html |author=Rajeev Mullick |date=27 June 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=13 August 2025}}</ref>

== Campus == [[File:HBTI Main Building.jpg|thumb|HBTI Main Building, c. 2004]]

The university is on the Hastings Avenue in Nawabganj area in the northern outskirts of the [[Metropolitan area|metro-city]] of Kanpur, officially in the [[Kanpur Nagar district]]. It is situated between the [[Kanpur Zoo]] and the Company Bagh Chauraha (crossing), about 4 km from the Kanpur [[Ganges|Ganga]] [[Barrage (dam)|Barrage]], and within 2 km of the [[Ganges|Ganga]] river. It is spread across two campuses – the East campus (74.84 acres), and the West campus (248.64 acres), roughly 3 km apart. The East Campus is primarily academic with limited accommodation facilities, while the West campus is entirely residential.

=== East campus === The ''East Campus'' has its main entrance gate opposite the [[Chandra Shekhar Azad University of Agriculture and Technology|CSA Univ. of Agriculture]] premises on the Agricultural College Lane. The other gate on the opposite side of campus faces the Azad Nagar locality. It is 3 km of the [[Rawatpur]] railway station, 3 km from the Rawatpur [[Kanpur Metro|metro station]] (on [[Orange Line (Kanpur Metro)|Orange Line]]), 8 km from the [[Kanpur Central railway station|Kanpur Central]] railway station, and 9 km from the Kanpur Central ("Jhakarkati") Bus Station.

[[File:HBTI Main Building, 2010.jpg|thumb|HBTI Main Building, c. 2010]] The ''Main Building'', in use since 1925, houses the administrative offices, classrooms, halls, [[Massive open online course|MOOC]] recording studio, and departments of Sciences, Chemical Technology (five out of six branches), and Humanities. Seven other independent buildings house the departments of engineering (six fields), and Leather Technology. The ''Central [[Workshop]]'' (finished 1957) consists of seven shops: [[Foundry]], [[Welding]], [[Machining|Machine]], [[Sheet Metal]], [[Blacksmith]]y, [[Carpentry]], and [[Engineering fit|Fitting]]-&-Benchworking. It once also had a [[state of the art]] industrial-grade [[oil mill]], a sugar plant, a soap-factory, and manufacturing machines for paint and varnish.<ref>{{cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/in.ernet.dli.2015.122784 |chapter=Paragraphs 187–198, 26. Industrial Output, Chapter IV: Production and Distribution |title=Report On The Administration Of The United Provinces Of Agra And Oudh 1926-27 |pages=72–76 |date=1928 |location=Lucknow |publisher=Govt Branch Press |access-date=8 July 2025}}</ref>

The ''Tagore Central Library'' is an independent building. It offers a web-based [[Online Public Access Catalog|OPAC]] catalogue with 83,000+ books, and 25,000+ [[Academic journal|journals]] & [[Periodical literature|periodicals]]. The library provides access to [[Electronic journal|e-journals]] like the [[American Chemical Society|ACS]], [[J-Gate]], [[Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers|IEEE]], [[Springer Nature]], and [[Web of Science]] database. It also offers [[ebook|e-books]] from leading publishers,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/central-library-e-journels/ |title=HBTU Tagore Central Library eBooks |website=hbtu.ac.in |publisher=HBTU, Kanpur}}</ref> along with [[E-ShodhSindhu]] (eSS) subscriptions,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ess.inflibnet.ac.in/eres.php?memID=502 |title=eSS HE e-Resources for HBTU |website=inflibnet.ac.in ([[INFLIBNET Centre]]) |publisher=UGC, MHRD, GoI |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref> like [[National Digital Library of India|NDLI]] eBooks/archives, and ''ShodhShuddhi'' [[Content similarity detection|PDS system]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pds.inflibnet.ac.in/members.php |title=Inflibnet ShodhShuddhi PDS - Beneficiary Institutions |website=inflibnet.ac.in ([[INFLIBNET Centre]]) |publisher=UGC, MHRD, GoI |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref>

This campus also has the offices of several engineering and technology organisations of national repute. It has the [[headquarters]] of ''Oil Technologists' Association of India'' (OTAI),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.otai.org/about-otai/zonal-offices/ |title=OTAI Zonal Offices: Head Office |website=otai.org |publisher=Oil Technologists Association of India |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref> the central regional office of ''Council of Leather Exports'' (CLE),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.leatherindia.org/about-council/contact.asp |title=Council For Leather Exports |website=leatherindia.org |publisher=Council of Leather Exports |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120624072145/http://www.leatherindia.org/about-council/contact.asp |archive-date=24 June 2012}}</ref> the Kanpur Local Centre of ''[[Institution of Engineers (India)]]'' (IEI),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ieindia.org/webui/IEI-Network.aspx |title=IEI Network: UP State Centre |publisher=Institution of Engineers (India) |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref> the Kanpur Regional Centre of ''[[Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers]]'' (IIChE),<ref>{{cite web |url=https://iichekanpur.com/ |title=IIChE Kanpur Regional Centre |website=iiche.org.in |publisher=Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers |access-date=3 August 2025}}</ref> and the headquarters of the ''Paint and Coating Technologist Association'' (PACT).<ref>{{cite web |url=https://pactind.org/aboutus |title=PACT: About Us |publisher=Paint & Coating Technologist Association |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>

All female hostels are in this campus, namely, [[Alaknanda River|Alaknanda]] Hostel (GH-I), [[Mandakini river|Mandakini]] Hostel (GH-II), [[Gangotri glacier|Gangotri]] Hostel (GH-III), [[Bhagirathi River|Bhagirathi]] Hostel (GH-IV, and formerly Lake View III, "LV New"), [[Kaveri]] Hostel (GH-V), and [[Sarasvati River|Saraswati]] Hostel (GH-VI). There are also two male hostels - [[Sridhara|Shridharacharya]] Hostel (Lake View I & II, "LV Old"), and [[Srinivasa Ramanujan|Ramanujan]] Hostel. Additionally, it has a few residential quarters for staff, and a [[Central Bank of India]] branch (with [[Automated teller machine|ATM]]).

=== West campus === The ''West Campus'' is on Indra Road, opposite Deen Dayal Nagar locality, and around 1 km from the Gurudev Chauraha (and same name metro station). It is on the other side of the Kanpur Zoo with reference to the East Campus. This land was acquired in 1965 to expand the institute.

The West Campus features several male hostels - [[A. P. J. Abdul Kalam|Abdul Kalam]] Hostel (WCH-I), [[M. Visvesvaraya|Visveswaraya]] Hostel (WCH-II), [[C. V. Raman|Raman]] Hostel (WCH-III), [[B. R. Ambedkar|Ambedkar]] Hostel (DBRA-I), [[Aryabhata|Aryabhatt]] Hostel (DBRA-II), and [[Vishvakarma|Vishwakarma]] hostel (WCH-IV). It also has the VC residence, VC camp office, multi-purpose hall (Shatabdi Bhawan), new gymnasium, community centre, a [[State Bank of India|State Bank (SBI)]] ATM, postal facilities, and residential quarters for faculty and staff. There are also playing grounds for cricket, football, [[field hockey|hockey]], [[basketball]], and [[volleyball]].

== Administration ==

{| style="float:right; font-size:85%; font-size:85%; margin:auto;" class="wikitable" |+ Principals of HBTI |- ! Name !! Years |- | E.R. Watson || 1921-25 |- | G.J. Fowler || 1926-28 |- | H.D.H. Drane || 1929-32 |- | J.A.H. Duke || 1932-37 |- | D.Y. Athawale || 1937-47 |- | D.R. Dhingra || 1947-57 |- | H. Trivedi || 1957-62 |- | C.R. Mitra || 1962-65 |} ===Governance=== HBTU is a state-university nominally headed by the [[List of governors of Uttar Pradesh|Governor of Uttar Pradesh]] as its [[Ex officio member|ex-officio]] [[Chancellor (education)|Chancellor]]. The Chancellor appoints the Vice-Chancellor (VC), nominates certain members of the Executive Council, and is the appellate authority.<ref name="Chancellor"/> HBTU is administered by the following structure: * Chancellor ** Executive Council (VC as Chairperson) *** Vice-Chancellor (VC) **** [[Pro-vice-chancellor|Pro Vice Chancellor (Pro VC)]] **** [[Registrar (education)|Registrar]] **** Finance [[Comptroller|Controller]] **** Controller of Examinations **** Statutory Authorities The above-mentioned statutory authorities have their own respective chairperson, secretary, and members. They can be convened for specific functions as per their mandate. The authorities are: Academic Council, Board of Studies, Board of Examinations, and several other Committees (Finance, R&D, Admission, Grievance, etc).<ref name="HBTU Org">{{cite web |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/naac/criterion6/organizational%20setup.pdf |title=HBTU Official Organogram |publisher=HBTU Kanpur}}</ref>

===Organisation=== The university is operationally headed by the [[Vice Chancellor]] (VC) who is assisted by several officials in the following reporting order: * Vice-Chancellor (VC) ** Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Pro-VC) *** Registrar, and Deputy Registrar *** Finance Controller, and Fin/Acc Officer *** Deans of six function groups **** Associate Deans (respective) *** Deans of six schools **** Heads of nineteen departments *** [[Human resources|HR]] Development (HRD) [[Facilitator|Coordinator]] The six functional Deans are of following work: Academic Affairs, Student's Welfare, [[Planning]] & [[Resource]] Generation (PRG), [[Research and development|R&D]], [[Business incubator|Incubation Hub]], and [[Continuing education|CE]]-n-IQA.<ref name="HBTU Org"/>

== Academics ==

HBTU is a government-aided state-university for technical [[Undergraduate education|UG]] and [[Postgraduate education|PG]] education specialising in engineering and technology, along with research and consulting in allied areas. It is a non-[[Collegiate university|collegiate]] unitary-type university, and does not affiliate or administer other colleges or institutes. It is recognised by the [[University Grants Commission (India)|University Grants Commission]],<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ugc.gov.in/universitydetails/university?type=LZ1FUMk6U2JWGNLvhWfVSA== |title=UGC Universities |publisher=UGC, GoI |access-date=11 September 2024 |archive-date=26 June 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240626131419/https://www.ugc.gov.in/universitydetails/university?type=LZ1FUMk6U2JWGNLvhWfVSA== |url-status=dead }}</ref> and is approved by the [[All India Council for Technical Education|AICTE]] for STEM programmes.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://facilities.aicte-india.org/dashboard/pages/angulardashboard.php#!/approved |title=AICTE approved dashboard |publisher=AICTE |access-date=10 September 2024 |archive-date=15 June 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200615132003/https://facilities.aicte-india.org/dashboard/pages/angulardashboard.php#!/approved |url-status=dead }}</ref> HBTU holds the [[National Assessment and Accreditation Council|NAAC]] A+ Grade, and the courses are accredited by the [[National Board of Accreditation|NBA]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://assessmentonline.naac.gov.in/public/index.php/hei_dashboard |title=NAAC A&A Dashboard |publisher=NAAC |access-date=11 September 2024 |archive-date=7 February 2023 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230207161457/https://assessmentonline.naac.gov.in/public/index.php/hei_dashboard |url-status=dead }}</ref> It received funding from the [[World Bank]]'s [[International Development Association|IDA]] in [[Technical Education Quality Improvement Programme|TEQIP]] Phase-I (2004–2009),<ref>{{cite news |title=IITK Director to be HBTI's mentor |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/lucknow/iit-k-director-to-be-hbtis-mentor/articleshow/1276518.cms |date=27 October 2005 |work=The Times of India |access-date=29 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:23192770~menuPK:141310~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html |title=News & Broadcast – India Technical and Engineering Education |website=web.worldbank.org}}</ref> and later more under [[Rashtriya Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan|RUSA]], TEQIP-II, and TEQIP-III.<ref>{{cite web |title=Minutes of the 8th Meeting of Project Approval Board (PAB) of RUSA |url=https://dhte.py.gov.in/sites/default/files/minutes8pab020920151.pdf |page=52 |publisher=GoI |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iitg.ac.in/cet/teqip/teqip_mapped_institute.pdf|title=IIT Guwahati - List of TEQIP-II Mapped Institutions |publisher=IIT Guwahati}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.iitg.ac.in/cet/teqip3.html |title=IIT Guwahati - CET - TEQIP-III |access-date=2024-08-03}}</ref> {{Quote box |quote = "In England the epoch-making report of Sir [[J. J. Thomson]]'s committee has pealed the bells of a new era. On every side one hears the cry for more and more applied science. The day of the specialist has dawned at last. Chemistry ...is the foundation of all modern civilized activities. India's great need to-day is the application of chemistry to agriculture and industry." |source = — Sir Harcourt Butler<ref name="SHB SCS AU">{{cite book |title=Speeches Made by His Excellency Sir Harcourt Butler |chapter=Convocation of Allahabad University on 25 Jan 1919 |editor=S.C. Sen |date=1921 |pages=7 |url=https://www.indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/speeches-made-his-excellency-sir-harcourt-butler |publisher=The Pioneer Press |location=Allahabad |access-date=20 June 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200313000000/https://www.indianculture.gov.in/rarebooks/speeches-made-his-excellency-sir-harcourt-butler |archive-date=13 March 2020}} [https://archive.org/details/dli.csl.8179 Alt URL]</ref> |width = 25% |align = right }}

===Research=== The college takes up R&D schemes sponsored by various entities, like [[Department of Science and Technology (India)|DST]], [[Science and Engineering Research Board|SERB]], [[Indian Council of Agricultural Research|ICAR]], [[Defence Research and Development Organisation|DRDO]], [[Central Pollution Control Board|CPCB]], [[Bhabha Atomic Research Centre|BARC]], [[Canadian International Development Agency|CIDA]] (via [[Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute|SICI]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://atrium.lib.uoguelph.ca/server/api/core/bitstreams/a05e993e-3b25-408c-86e1-5d2f188b9630/content |title=Univ of Guelph - The Atrium |publisher=Univ. of Guelph, Canada}}</ref>), [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research|CSIR]], [[Department of Atomic Energy|DAE]], [[Indian Council of Medical Research|ICMR]], [[Ministry of Food Processing Industries|MoFPI]], [[Department of Biotechnology|DBT]], etc.<ref>{{cite report |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/naac/annual-report-2021-22.pdf |title=ANNUAL PROGRESS REPORT FOR ACADEMIC YEAR 2021-22 |year=2022 |publisher=HBTU Kanpur}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/wp-content/uploads/2024/10/Research-projects.xlsx |title=HBTU Research Projects |website=hbtu.ac.in |access-date=22 June 2025}}</ref> There are research MoUs with [[Bureau of Indian Standards|BIS]], [[King George's Medical University|KGMU]], LSSC ([https://www.leatherssc.org/ url]), ACME Group ([https://www.acme.in/ url]), etc.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.dailypioneer.com/2019/vivacity/bis-signs-2-mous.html |title=BIS signs 2 MoUs |date=2019-05-16 |work=The Pioneer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/lssc-and-hbtu-to-boost-skill-development-in-leather-sector/articleshow/124217945.cms |title=LSSC & HBTU To Boost Skill Development In Leather Sector |date=2025-09-25 |work=The Times of India}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/kgmu-hbtu-sign-mou-to-promote-research-101625761645405.html |title=KGMU, HBTU sign MoU to promote research |date=2021-07-21 |work=Hindustan Times}}</ref> HBTU is also an S&T partner in the ''Rural Technology Action Group'' (RuTAG) initiative of IITK.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://home.iitk.ac.in/~vyas/rutagweb/hbti_knp.html |title=RuTAG Partner: HBTI Kanpur |author= |year=2013 |publisher=RuTAG, IIT Kanpur |location=[[Kanpur]] |access-date=10 June 2025}}</ref>

HBTU has two [[Center of excellence|Centres of Excellence]] - in [[Lipid]]s and [[Paint]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.amarujala.com/video/uttar-pradesh/kanpur/video-training-program-will-be-run-in-june-at-center-of-excellence-of-paint-technology-department-of-hbtu-2025-05-12 |title=एचबीटीयू के पेंट टेक्नोलॉजी विभाग के सेंटर ऑफ एक्सीलेंस में जून में चलाया जाएगा ट्रेनिंग प्रोग्राम |date=12 May 2025 |work=Amar Ujala |language=Hindi |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref> In 2025, the IIT Alumni Council selected HBTU as an academic partner for the ''Novel Materials Research Centre'' (NMRC) near [[Noida International Airport]] in the [[National Capital Region (India)|NCR]].<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.business-standard.com/content/press-releases-ani/hbtu-and-iit-alumni-council-join-forces-to-position-india-as-a-global-leader-in-novel-materials-125092200837_1.html |title=HBTU and IIT Alumni Council Join Forces to Position India as a Global Leader in Novel Materials |date=2023-09-23 |work=Business Standard}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://theprint.in/ani-press-releases/hbtu-and-iit-alumni-council-join-forces-to-position-india-as-a-global-leader-in-novel-materials/2748461/ |title=HBTU and IIT Alumni Council Join Forces to Position India as a Global Leader in Novel Materials |date=2025-09-22 |work=ThePrint}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/business/hbtu-and-iit-alumni-council-join-forces-to-position-india-as-a-global-leader-in-novel-materials/ |title=HBTU and IIT Alumni Council Join Forces to Position India as a Global Leader in Novel Materials |date=2025-09-22 |work=The Tribune}}</ref> In 2009, [[Current Science]] ranked it #17 in top 30 Indian engg-tech institutes for their research performance, and #25 in 67 institutes based on number of papers published, using the [[Scopus]] database for the period 1999-2008.<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.currentscience.ac.in/Downloads/download_pdf.php?titleid=id_097_03_0304_0306_0 |last1=Prathap |first1=Gagan |last2=Gupta |first2=B.M. |title=Ranking of Indian engineering and technological institutes for their research performance during 1999–2008 |journal=Current Science |date=2009-08-10 |volume=97 |issue=3 |pages=304–306 |jstor=24111992 |publisher=Current Science Association, and Indian Academy of Sciences (JSTOR)}}</ref>

===Programmes=== HBTU offers [[Bachelor's degree|bachelor's]], [[Master's degree|master's]], and [[Doctorate|doctoral]] programmes in [[engineering]], and [[technology]]; as well as master's and doctoral programmes in [[mathematics]], [[natural science]]s, and [[business administration]]. It confers the degrees of [[Bachelor of Technology|B.Tech.]], [[Master of Technology|M.Tech.]], [[Master of Computer Applications|MCA]], [[Master of Business Administration|MBA]], [[Master of Science|M.Sc.]], and [[Doctor of Philosophy|Ph.D.]] on successful completion of these courses.

{| style="float:right; font-size:85%; font-size:85%; margin:auto;" class="wikitable" |+ Engg-Tech Depts. of HBTU |- ! Department !! Estd. |- | Oil Technology || 1921 |- | Chemical Engineering || 1954 |- | Food Technology || 1964 |- | Plastic Technology || 1964 |- | Mechanical Engineering || 1964 |- | Biochemical Engineering || 1964 |- | Electrical Engineering || 1965 |- | Civil Engineering || 1966 |- | Leather Technology || 1978 |- | Computer Sci. & Engg. || 1984 |- | Electronics Engineering || 1990 |- | Paint Technology || 1991 |} B.Tech. courses are offered in 13 fields of engineering & technology by their respective departments (plus IT by CSE dept.). Admissions to the full-time four-year B.Tech. programmes are through the [[National Testing Agency|NTA]] [[Joint Entrance Examination – Main|JEE Main]] exam since 2017 (previously, [[SEE-UPTU]] from 2001 to 2016, and CEE from 1979 to 2000), and to the three-year B.Tech. (Lateral Entry) are done via the [[Common University Entrance Test|CUET-UG]] exam.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thedailyjagran.com/uttar-pradesh/kanpur-news-hbtu-opens-cuet-based-admissions-for-these-courses-bba-registrations-open-till-july17-10252740 |title=Kanpur News: HBTU Opens CUET-Based Admissions For THESE Courses |author=Kamakshi Bishnoi |date=25 July 2025 |work=The Daily Jagran |publisher=Jagran Prakashan Ltd. |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://hbtu.admissions.nic.in/programs/ |title=HBTU Programs |publisher=UP Technical Education Department, GoUP |access-date=28 August 2025}}</ref>

Full-time two-year M.Tech., MBA, MCA, and M.Sc. programmes are offered at the masters level. M.Tech. is offered in 11 of the aforementioned 13 branches (except IT, and Leather Technology), while M.Sc. is offered in [[Physics]], [[Chemistry]], and [[Mathematics]]. A four-year [[Dual degree|BS-MS]] course is also offered in Mathematics & [[Data Science]]. Admissions are done to the M.Tech. programmes via the [[Graduate Aptitude Test in Engineering|GATE]] & [[Common University Entrance Test|CUET-PG]] scores, the M.Sc. programmes via the [[Joint Admission Test for Masters|JAM]] & [[Common University Entrance Test|CUET-PG]] exams, the MCA programme through the [[NIT MCA Common Entrance Test|NIMCET]] exam, and the MBA programme through multiple exams ([[Common Admission Test|CAT]], [[Common Management Admission Test|CMAT]], [[Management Aptitude Test|AIMA-MAT]], etc.). Admissions to the doctoral programmes (Ph.D.) are via the [[UGC–NET]] test.<ref>{{cite news |title=NIT MCA CET 2023 Results Shortly |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/education/news/nit-mca-common-entrance-test-2023-results-to-be-declared-today-at-nimcet-in/articleshow/101273873.cms |date=26 June 2023 |author=Sanjay Sharma |work=The Times of India |access-date=13 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/uttar-pradesh/kanpur/story-hbtu-mba-admission-process-begins-for-240-seats-with-cat-cmat-scores-201743688316826.html |title=एचबीटीयू में एमबीए में प्रवेश कैट, सीमैट, एआईएमए-एमएटी और सीयूईटी (पीजी) के स्कोर के आधार पर |date=3 April 2025 |location=Kanpur |language=Hindi |work=Hindustan |publisher=HT Digital Streams Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://hbtu.admissions.nic.in/programs/ |title=HBTU Programs |website=hbtu.admissions.nic.in |publisher=UP Technical Education Department, GoUP}}</ref>

===Reputation and rankings=== HBTU was a nationally reputed engineering college in India in the 20th century.<ref>{{cite press release |title=Address by the Hon'ble President of India Shri Ram Nath Kovind on the Occasion of Inauguration of 'ICRACCIT 2019' |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1594375 |editor=President's Secretariat |date=30 November 2019 |publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]], GoI |access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Kanpur: where politics is now a joke |url=https://www.governancenow.com/news/change-india/kanpur-where-politics-now-joke |author=Ajay Singh |date=3 March 2014 |work=GovernanceNow |publisher=SABGROUP Publishing Division |access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref> Initially, it was affected by the industrial decline of Kanpur post 1980, a city once called ''Manchester of the East''.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/economy/story/19861015-kanpur-seems-to-be-in-a-state-of-terminal-decline-problems-seem-endemic-and-unsolvable-801323-1986-10-14 |title=Kanpur: Industrial Graveyard |date=15 October 1986 |magazine=[[India Today]] |publisher=[[Living Media India]] d.b.a. India Today Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/kanpur-decline-of-an-industrial-hub-112021400057_1.html |title=Kanpur: Decline of an industrial hub |date=21 January 2013 |last=Chowdhury |first=Kavita |work=Business Standard |publisher=Business Standard Pvt. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thecitizen.in/index.php/en/NewsDetail/index/9/8244/Kanpur:-The-Slow-Decline-of-a-Historic-Legacy |title=Kanpur: The Slow Decline of a Historic Legacy |date=18 July 2016 |last=Sharma |first=Devika |work=TheCitizen.in |publisher=GSA Azadi Media Pvt. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://theprint.in/opinion/uttar-pradesh-began-declining-after-1980s-old-industrial-cities-played-big-role/710784/ |title=UP began declining after the 1980s. Old industrial cities played a big role |last=Kumar |first=Vikas |date=7 August 2021 |work=ThePrint |publisher=Printline Media Pvt. Ltd.}}</ref> By 2000s, HBTI suffered infrastructure deterioration, and faculty insufficiency.<ref>{{cite journal |title=A Model to Evaluate Teaching and Institutional Performance in Higher Education — A Case Study of HBTI, Kanpur |url=https://www.niepa.ac.in/download/Publications/JEPA_(15%20years)/JEPA%202015_Vol-29%20(1-4)/JEPA_JUL-2015-VOL29_3%20Final.pdf |author1=K.M. Mohapatra |author2=R.P. Singh |author3=J.S.P. Rai |volume=XXIX |issue=3 |date=3 July 2015 |pages=266–267 |journal=Journal of Educational Planning and Administration |publisher=[[National Institute of Educational Planning and Administration]]}}</ref> Moreover, HBTU struggled for prestige after the central institutes ([[Indian Institutes of Technology|IITs]], [[Indian Institutes of Information Technology|IIITs]], and [[National Institutes of Technology (India)|NITs]]) were expanded in number by the Indian government. Some old ranking reports are given below: * Ranked #25 by [[Outlook India]] (2006) and [[India Today]] (2007) in their India's best engineering colleges lists.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://trak.in/tags/business/2007/07/14/top-100-engineering-technology-colleges-institutes-india/ |title=Top 100 Engineering colleges in India |publisher=Trak.in |last=Prabhudesai |first=Arun |work=Trak.in - Indian Business of Tech, Mobile & Startups |date=2007}}</ref> * Ranked #21 and #23 by [[Outlook India]] in their Top Govt. Engg. Colleges list in 2007 and 2008 respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://admissionsource.wordpress.com/2007/08/02/outlook-top-50-govt-engineering-colleges/ |title='Outlook' Ranking of Top Govt. Engineering Colleges-India |publisher=admissionsource.wordpress.com |date=2007-08-02}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://worldranking.blogspot.com/2009/04/top-government-engineering-colleges-in.html |title=Top Government Engineering Colleges in India |publisher=worldranking.blogspot.com |last=Yuen |first=Kelvin Wong Loke}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.outlookindia.com/articlefullwidth.aspx?234822 |title=Cover Story: Top 50 Govt Engineering Colleges |date=11 June 2007 |magazine=Outlook India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100730090341/http://www.outlookindia.com/articlefullwidth.aspx?234822 |archive-date=30 July 2010}}</ref> * Ranked #21, #21, #32, and #48 by [[Dataquest]]'s DQ-CMR T-Schools Survey 2005, 2006, 2011, and 2012 respectively.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://dqindia.ciol.com/content/top_stories/2005/105052301.asp |title=The Complete Scorecard |date=23 May 2005 |website=ciol.com |publisher=Cyber Media (India) Ltd |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080610071623/http://dqindia.ciol.com/content/top_stories/2005/105052301.asp |archive-date=10 June 2008}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dqindia.com/images06/Complete%20Score%20Card.pdf |title=DQ IDC Complete Score Card |publisher=DQ India}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.dqindia.com/dataquest/specials/154885/dq-cmr-t-schools-survey-2012-nurturing-indias-top-tech-talent |title=DQ-CMR T-School Survey 2012 |date=15 December 2012 |publisher=DQ India |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130125000222/https://www.dqindia.com/dataquest/specials/154885/dq-cmr-t-schools-survey-2012-nurturing-indias-top-tech-talent |archive-date=25 January 2013}}</ref> * Ranked #26, and #31 in [[Mint (newspaper)|Mint]]'s Top 50 Government Engineering Colleges of 2008,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.livemint.com/r/LiveMint/Period1/oldpdf/22eafcc9-0ae8-4d10-8efa-6cb64d3ff467.pdf |title=Top 50 Govt Engg Colleges 2008 PDF |work=Mint |last=Koshy |first=Jacob P. |date=12 June 2008}}</ref> and 2009<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.livemint.com/r/LiveMint/Period1/oldpdf/c44412de-5599-4286-935b-420729bdfc69.pdf |title=Top 50 Govt Engg Colleges 2009 PDF |work=Mint |last=Shah |first=Gouri |date=23 June 2009}}</ref> respectively. * Ranked #26, #24, and #25 in [[Outlook India]]'s Survey of Top Engineering Colleges of 2011,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/article/Top-Engineering-Colleges-/281299 |title=Top Engg Colleges |work=Outlook India}}</ref> 2012,<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.outlookindia.com/article/Top-Engineering-Colleges/286302 |title=Top Engg Colleges |work=Outlook India}}</ref> and 2013<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.myengg.com/engg/info/23184/outlook-india-survey-2013-top-75-engineering-colleges-in-india/ |title=Top 75 Engg Colleges |work=Outlook India}}</ref> respectively. * Ranked #39 nationally by Career360 in 2012 in their engineering colleges list.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.engineering.careers360.com/colleges/ranking/2012?tid=All&term_node_tid_depth=All&field_entrance_exam_target_id=All&page=1 |title=Engg Colleges Ranking 2012 |website=Careers360.com}}</ref> * Ranked #25 in Best Engineering College of India in the EDU-[[Rand Corporation|Rand]] survey in 2015.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://pickacollege.digit.in/best-engineering-colleges |title=Best engineering colleges in India |work=digit.in}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.edu-leaders.com/news/1003796/edu-rand-rankings-for-the-best-engineering-colleges-is-out |title=Edu-Rand Rankings 2015 |website=edu-leaders.com}}</ref>

==Entrepreneurship== HBTU's Technology Business Incubation Foundation (TBIF) was incorporated in 2022, and runs the ''Atal Incubation Hub'' on campus to support new ventures and entrepreneurs. It replaced the erstwhile ''Gen-X Innovation Incubation and Entrepreneurship Cell'' (GIIEC) of college. It has signed up with [[TiE]] and SIIC (IITK) for nurturing start-ups. In 2022, it collaborated with Start-in-UP initiative of Govt of UP, with support from [[Romesh Wadhwani|Wadhwani Foundation]], iCreate ([https://icreate.org.in/ url]), Xscale ([https://xscaleglobal.com/ url]), and others, to organise ''Aarambh-22'' entrepreneurship conclave.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://startinup.up.gov.in/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/AARAMBH-report-1-Combined.pdf |title=Aarambh-22 |publisher=GoUP}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://startinup.up.gov.in/crm/assets/event_brochure_images/AARAMBH_22_0201.pdf |title=Aarambh-22 |publisher=GoUP}}</ref>

==Centenary== [[File:HBTU Centenary Stamp.jpg|thumb|HBTU Centenary Stamp]] HBTU successfully completed a [[century]] of its establishment as a teaching institution in the year 2021. It also celebrated the 100th [[anniversary]] of its ''[[Cornerstone|Foundation-Stone]] Laying [[Ceremony]]'' on 25 November 2021. The [[centennial]] occasion was officially recognised and commemorated in the ''Centenary Year Function'' organised on the very date of anniversary under the Vice-Chancellor Dr. Samsher.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/centenary-year/ |title=HBTU Centenary Year |publisher=HBTU Kanpur}}</ref> The function was attended by the then [[President of India]], [[Ram Nath Kovind]], and the [[Governor of Uttar Pradesh]], [[Anandiben Patel]].<ref>{{cite press release |title=Institutions like HBTU should inculcate spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship in their students: President Kovind |url=https://www.pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1774975 |editor=President's Secretariat |date=25 November 2021 |publisher=[[Press Information Bureau]], GoI |access-date=10 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=President of India Graces the Centenary Celebrations of HBTU Kanpur |url=https://ramnathkovind.nic.in/pr251121.html |editor=Office of Shri Ram Nath Kovind |publisher=Rashtrapati Bhavan |date=25 November 2021 |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Kovind says new education policy will strengthen regional languages |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/kovind-says-new-education-policy-will-strengthen-regional-languages-101637867852306.html |date=26 November 2021 |work=Hindustan Times |publisher=HT Media |access-date=31 July 2025}}</ref>

[[File:HBTU Centenary Coin.jpg|thumb|HBTU Centenary Coin]] The following commemorative actions were performed as part of the centenary celebrations: * A dual-cell 400 Kg [[time capsule]] filled with historically significant artifacts buried 10m deep below the specially constructed 60-ft high ''Shatabdi Stambh (Centenary Tower)'' in front of the ''Main Building''.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.amarujala.com/uttar-pradesh/kanpur/history-of-hbtu-will-be-kept-in-400-kg-capsule |title=यूपी: 400 किलो के कैप्सूल में रखा जाएगा एचबीटीयू का इतिहास, 60 फीट ऊंचे शताब्दी स्तंभ में किया जाएगा सुरक्षित |work=Amar Ujala |language=Hindi |location=Kanpur |last=Pandey |first=Shikha |date=23 November 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.bhaskar.com/local/uttar-pradesh/kanpur/news/golden-history-of-100-years-was-kept-in-400-kg-capsule-after-csa-and-iit-kanpur-hbtu-will-be-safe-hbtu-president-ram-nath-covind-csa-iit-kanpur-time-capsule-hbtu-shatabdi-samaroh-nitrogen-gas-129151891.html |title=Golden History Of 100 Years Was Kept In 400 Kg Capsule |work=Dainik Bhaskar |language=Hindi |date=November 2021 |location=Kanpur}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/kanpur-city-president-of-india-in-kanpur-hbtu-hundred-years-of-history-will-be-preserved-in-the-form-of-a-capsule-in-the-centenary-pillar-22228764.html |title=कानपुर: टाइम कैप्सूल में सुरक्षित होगा HBTU का इतिहास, राष्ट्रपति रिमोट का बटन दबाकर करेंगे जमींदोज |work=Jagran |language=Hindi |last=Agnihotri |first=Abhishek |date=2021-11-22 |location=Kanpur}}</ref> * Launch of the book titled ''The History Book: HBTU'', a collaborative effort of university administration, students, and alumni. * Issue of the HBTU Centenary [[commemorative stamp]] of INR 5 [[face value]] by the [[India Post]] under the ''My Stamp'' branded personalised series made available in sheets. It is a [[Color printing|multicolour]] stamp featuring the image of the ''Main Building'', and comes attached with an informative [[Label (philately)|label]] mentioning the centennial occasion.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.livehindustan.com/uttar-pradesh/kanpur/story-history-of-hbtu-will-be-visible-on-the-postage-stamp-of-rs-4385405.html |title=History of HBTU will be visible on the postage stamp of Rs. 5 |work=Hindustan |language=Hindi |location=Kanpur |date=18 August 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/kanpur-city-hbtu-students-and-teachers-will-be-able-to-buy-memorial-coin-and-postage-stamp-22238513.html |title=HBTU के छात्र व शिक्षक खरीद सकेंगे स्मारक सिक्का और डाक टिकट, जानिए खासियत और कैसे हाेगा हासिल |work=Jagran |language=Hindi |last=Agnihotri |first=Abhishek |date=25 November 2021 |location=Kanpur}}</ref> * Release of the HBTU Centenary [[commemorative coin]] of INR 100 [[Denomination (currency)|denomination]]. It is produced by [[Security Printing and Minting Corporation of India|SPMCIL]] at the [[India Government Mint, Kolkata]]. It is made of the quaternary [[metal]]lic [[alloy]] of [[Silver]], [[Copper]], [[Nickel]], and [[Zinc]] in the proportion 10:8:1:1. The [[Obverse and reverse|reverse]] face of the coin (''tails'' or ''back-side'') bears the name of the event (in [[Hindi]] and English), the image of HBTU's ''Main Building'' along with the years of commemoration (1921-2021). It is available for order in two variants: the ''[[Uncirculated coin|Uncirculated Coin]]'' (''UNC''), and the ''[[Proof coinage|Proof Coin]]''.<ref>{{cite web |title=New Commemorative Coin: HBTU, Kanpur |url=https://numismaticscollections.blogspot.com/2021/11/new-commemorative-coin-hbtu-kanpur.html |publisher=Numismatics Collections |author=S Navaneethan Ramanujam |date=21 November 2021 |access-date=20 June 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://old.spmcil.com/Interface/product-in-Detail.aspx?sell=201 |title=HBTU Centenary Celebrations Commemorative Coin |publisher=SPMCIL, GoI}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.jagran.com/uttar-pradesh/kanpur-city-hundred-rupees-special-coin-will-be-seen-in-hbtu-century-ceremony-in-kanpur-22223335.html |title=एचबीटीयू में शताब्दी समारोह में देखने को मिलेगा 100 रुपये का सिक्का, जानिए- क्यों होगा ये खास |work=Jagran |language=Hindi |last=Agnihotri |first=Abhishek |date=20 November 2021 |location=Kanpur}}</ref>

==Career Assistance==

The Dean (PRG) is in-charge of the ''Training and Placement (T&P) Cell'' which is responsible for assisting students in acquiring industrial training and availing job opportunities. It consists of admin-staff and student-members from all branches. It aids in the making and verification of CVs. It also coordinates with interested organisations, and facilitates the campus placement process.

==Student life==

===Activity council=== For extra-curricular activities, there are several officially recognised ''Sub-Councils'' (informally called ''Clubs''). They are governed by an apex body called the '''University Students Activity Council''' (USAC) which is headed by a ''Chairman''. All sub-councils have an administrative ''Convener'', and are primarily run by their respective student-members.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/students-activities-csa/ |title=SAC - Student Activities |publisher=HBTU Kanpur}}</ref>

The student-bodies can be categories based on their primary function: * a college-unit of [[National Service Scheme|National Service Scheme (NSS)]] * a college-unit of [[National Cadet Corps (India)|National Cadet Corps (NCC)]] * clubs assisting ancillary work (Technical, [[Culture|Cultural]], Community of Emerging Technologies (ComET), Print-n-Social [[Media (communication)|Media]]) * clubs for pursuing personal interests ([[Sport]]s, [[Literature|Literary]], [[Hobby]], [[Photography]], [[Yoga]]) * a Personality Development Program (PDP) to organize corresponding activities

===Associations=== The various departments of engineering and technology also have their own ''Associations'' of engineers and technologists, e.g., ''ACE'', ''AOFT'', ''AME'', etc. These associations coordinate among their faculty, students, and alumni for various co-curricular and extra-curricular activities as they deem important, including but not limited to intra-department or inter-college events. The associations have their own intra-departmental conveners, and student-members.

===Events=== The college organizes several annual events open to all students. ''Adhyaay'' is the annual cultural open festival, previously called ''Odyssey'', while ''Taal'' is the intra-college cultural competition. The annual technical event is ''Technika'' (earlier, ''Zest''), and ''Aagaz'' is the inter-college sports meet.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/hbti-cultural-fest-begins/story-WIu11JBhhAD9CZ3rEtvuVM.html |title=HBTI cultural fest begins |date=24 November 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/all-sway-to-taal-at-hbti/articleshow/16858894.cms |title=All sway to Taal at HBTI |date=18 October 2012 |work=The Times of India |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/india-inspired-first-online-essay-contest/story-wtazQPAEXkvXZzzf0Lv8mN.html |title=India Inspired: First online essay contest |date=19 February 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/fun-and-frolic-reach-peak-at-odyssey-2014/articleshow/45014823.cms |title=Fun and frolic reach peak at 'Odyssey 2014' |date=3 November 2014 |work=The Times of India |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>

Separate events have been organised by different departments and clubs in the past decades. Departmental associations have organised ''Nirmaan'' (civil), ''Mecharnival'' (mechanical), ''Incord'' (computer science), ''Resonance'' (electrical), ''Anuvartan'' (electronics), ''Tech Era'' (jointly by E/E), etc.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india/tech-era-2006-set-to-start-today/story-OOl0ugXy8Si0oRG5Gm8jVL.html |title=Tech Era 2006 set to start |date=4 March 2006 |work=Hindustan Times |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/hbti-set-to-organise-tech-fest/articleshow/4151700.cms |title=HBTI set to organise tech fest |date=18 February 2009 |work=The Times of India |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/resonance-comes-to-ends-with-engrossing-events/articleshow/7681593.cms |title=Resonance comes to end |date=11 March 2011 |work=The Times of India |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/2-day-fest-begins-at-hbti/articleshow/7649384.cms |title=2 day fest begins at HBTI |date=7 March 2011 |work=The Times of India |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref> There was also a ''Lit Fest'' by cultural and literary clubs, and ''Udbhav'' by STEP-HBTI.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/hartcourt-butler-technological-institute-lit-fest-ends-with-model-un/articleshow/18788264.cms |title=HBTI Lit Fest ends with model UN |date=4 March 2013 |work=the Times of India |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/2-day-fest-at-HBTI/articleshow/10362916.cms |title=2-day fest at HBTI |date=15 October 2011 |work=The Times of India |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/udbhav-the-annual-cultural-fest-begins-at-hbti/articleshow/49957018.cms |title='Udbhav' begins at HBTI |date=28 November 2015 |work=The Times of India |access-date=30 August 2025}}</ref>

== Alumni ==

HBTU alumni are popularly known as ''Harcourtians''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Harcourtians Recall Good Old Days at HBTI |date=2012-11-27 |author=TNN |work=[[The Times of India]] |publisher=Bennett Coleman and Company Limited (BCCL) d/b/a [[The Times Group]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/ex-harcourtians-recall-good-old-days-at-hartcourt-butler-technological-institute/articleshow/17381448.cms |access-date=2025-04-27}}</ref> They have been known so for a long time, are fond of the legacy of their alma mater, and mutually share a strong identity.

The alumni have considerable representation in the cadres of central government services ([[Union Public Service Commission|UPSC]], [[Staff Selection Commission|SSC]], etc.), [[Public Sector Undertakings in India|PSUs]], banks, [[Council of Scientific and Industrial Research|CSIR]] institutes, state-government services ([[Uttar Pradesh Public Service Commission|UPPSC]], [[Uttarakhand Public Service Commission|UKPSC]], etc.), and provincial [[corporation]]s like [[Public Works Department (India)|state-PWDs]], [[Rapid transit|metro-rail]] corps ([[Delhi Metro Rail Corporation|DMRC]], [[Uttar Pradesh Metro Rail Corporation|UPMRC]], etc.), utility corps ([[Uttar Pradesh Power Corporation Limited|UPPCL]], UPJN, etc.), development units ([[Delhi Development Authority|DDA]], [[Uttar Pradesh State Industrial Development Corporation|UPSIDC]], etc.), and many more. They are also successfully working in the private sector firms, including all prominent [[Multinational corporation|MNCs]].<ref>{{cite news |title=Harcourtians Return It With Love |date=2003-08-15 |last=Kumar |first=Abhineet |work=[[The Times of India]] |publisher=Bennett Coleman and Company Limited (BCCL) d/b/a [[The Times Group]] |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/harcourtians-return-it-with-love/articleshow/131922.cms |access-date=2025-04-27}}</ref>

Many alumni also go to IITs, IIMs, IISc, or foreign colleges for further education. Alumni of batches till 1990 often worked and settled abroad.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/nostalgia-and-ecstasy-mark-hbti-alumni-get-together/articleshow/45323816.cms |title=Nostalgia and Ecstasy Mark HBTI Alumni Get-Together |author=Kritika Agrawal |date=2014-11-30 |location=Kanpur |work=The Times of India |publisher=B.C.C.L. dba The Times Group |access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref> There is also a ''HBTU Alumni Association North America'' (HANA), a [[Nonprofit organization|non-profit]] registered in [[New Jersey]].<ref>{{cite web |title=India Covid Relief Fundraiser by HANA |date=7 May 2021 |url=https://iipfoundationindia.org/hana/ |publisher=IIP Foundation |access-date=14 August 2025}}</ref>

===OBA=== ''Old Boys' Association'' was the first alumni association of HBTI, founded in the early 1930s, and referred to as "OBA, HBTI". In 1936, the sugar section was separated as an institute named IIST, but the association kept representing both. After IIST was renamed NSI in 1957, the joint alumni association was renamed "OBA, HBTI & NSI" to reflect the change. When NSI moved to its own campus in 1963, the association still carried on its activities across both campuses. The [[Business magnate|industrialist]] [[Gujarmal Modi]] used to be one of the patrons of OBA. However, the joint association was ultimately broken in 1971, and was again called "HBTI OBA". The association's activities declined after late 1970s.<ref name="HBHB"/>

===Alumni association=== The currently active ''Alumni Association, HBTU'' (originally as ''AA HBTI'') was founded after the OBA went defunct. It was informally referred to as the ''Harcourtian's Association'', and was officially registered in 1996. The association has chapters in major Indian cities. It organised the first '''International Alumni Meet''' in 2005, and does so every year.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/alumni-meet-of-hbti-today/articleshow/7001707.cms |title=Alumni Meet of HBTI Today |date=2010-11-27 |work=The Times of India |publisher=Bennett Coleman and Company Limited d/b/a The Times Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/articleshow/7002326.cms |title=HBTI's Sixth International Alumni Meet |author=Abhinav Malhotra |date=2010-11-27 |work=The Times of India |publisher=B.C.C.L. dba The Times Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/hbti-alumni-meet-ends-with-call-to-make-future-better/articleshow/45328295.cms |title=HBTI Alumni Meet Ends with Calls to Make Future Better |date=2014-12-01 |work=The Times of India |publisher=B.C.C.L. d.b.a. (o/a) The Times Group}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=HBTI alumni met begins |url=https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kanpur/harcourt-butler-technological-institute-alumni-meet-begins/articleshow/26281875.cms |date=24 November 2013 |work=The Times of India |access-date=29 August 2025}}</ref>

===Alumni Cell=== HBTU's ''Alumni Cell'' is headed by the Dean (PRG) as ex-officio Chairman. The Associate Dean (PRG) is the ex-officio Member-Secretary in-charge of the alumni affairs, and there are three other rotating members - two from faculty, and one from students.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://hbtu.ac.in/alumni-cell-2/ |title=Alumni Cell |publisher=HBTU Kanpur}}</ref>

===Notable alumni===

* [[Keshav Dev Malviya|K.D. Malviya]], known as "Father of the Indian Hydrocarbon Industry",<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.thehindubusinessline.com/specials/india-file/kd-malviya-father-of-indias-hydrocarbon-industry/article64577557.ece |title=K.D. Malviya: Father of India's Hydrocarbon Industry |work=The Hindu Business Line |date=9 October 2017}}</ref> UP Minister of Industries,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.datais.info/loksabha/members/Malaviya+%2C+Shri+Keshav+Dev/9d9d09ebf62f62ead1ac3452d18a314c/ |title=Malviya, Shri Keshav Dev |work=Data is Info }}</ref> GoI Minister of: Natural Resources ([[Second Nehru ministry|1954-57]]), Mines & Oil ([[Third Nehru ministry|1957-62]]), Mines & Fuel ([[Fourth Nehru ministry|1962-64]]), Steel ([[Third Indira Gandhi ministry|1974]]), Petroleum & Chemicals ([[Third Indira Gandhi ministry|1974-75]]), and Petroleum ([[Third Indira Gandhi ministry|1975-77]])<ref>{{cite journal |url=https://www.geosocindia.com/index.php/jgsi/article/view/65057 |title=K. D. Malaviya(1903-1981) |last=Rao |first=M.B.R. |date=1981-07-01 |journal=Journal of Geological Society of India |volume=22 |issue=7 |pages=354–355 |access-date=2024-10-12}}</ref> * Dr. Devendra Kumar, [[Organizational founder|Founder]] of ''Centre of Science for Villages'', initiator of pan-India [[artisan]] movement ''Karigar Panchayat'',<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.csvtech.org.in/ |title=CSV - About Us |publisher=Centre of Science for Villages}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://home.gandhifootprints.org/ |title=Genesis - Magan Sanghralaya |publisher=Magan Sanghralaya Samiti}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.sourcewatch.org/index.php?title=Devendra_Kumar |title=Devendra Kumar |date=25 December 2019 |work=Source Watch |publisher=Centre for Media and Democracy}}</ref> Vice-Chancellor (1986-89) of [[Gandhigram Rural Institute]], and 1998 [[Jamnalal Bajaj Award]] recipient<ref>{{cite web |url=https://thebetterindia.com/107275/dr-devendra-kumar-jamnalal-bajaj-foundation/ |title=Making Gobar Gas Plants to Working Under Mrs Gandhi, Late Dr. Devendra Kumar Was a Humble Giant |editor=Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation |publisher=[[The Better India]] |date=3 July 2017 |access-date=30 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.jamnalalbajajfoundation.org/Media/pdf/JBA_1998_Bio_Devendra_Kumar.pdf |title=JBA 1998: Dr. Devendra Kumar Biography |publisher=Jamnalal Bajaj Foundation |date=1998 |access-date=30 July 2025}}</ref> * Anil Khandelwal, Ex-[[Chairman]]-&-[[Chief executive officer|MD]] of [[Bank of Baroda]],<ref>{{cite web|url=https://businesstoday.intoday.in/story/anil-k.-khandelwal-book-dare-to-lead-review/1/17512.html|title=Bank of Baroda's ex-chief Anil K. Khandelwal's book is riveting|website=businesstoday.intoday.in|date=2 August 2011 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news-topic/bank-of-baroda-cmd-anil-khandelwal/|title=MoneyControl - BoB CMD Anil Khandelwal|website=Moneycontrol}}</ref> and recipient of the 2007 ''[[L. William Seidman|William “Bill” Seidman]] Award for [[List of lifetime achievement awards|Lifetime Achievement]] in Leadership in the [[Financial services|Financial Services Industry]]'' from [[The Asian Banker]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.asianbankerawards.com/leadership/winners.php |title=TAB Leadership Achievement Awards: Winner 2007 |website=asianbankerawards.com |publisher=the Asian Banker |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://asianbankerawards.com/leadership/gallery-2008.php |title=TAB Leadership Achievement Awards: Photo Gallery 2008 |website=asianbankerawards.com |publisher=the Asian Banker |access-date=4 August 2025}}</ref> * [[Ajay Agarwal (technology innovator)|Ajay Agarwal]], Managing Director of [[Servosys Solutions]], an Indian enterprise software company focused on [[Business process management|low-code BPM]], [[Document management system|enterprise document management]], and workflow automation solutions for the [[Banking, financial services and insurance|BFSI]] sector. A post-graduate in Computer Applications from [[Harcourt Butler Technical University]],<ref>{{cite web |title=Ajay Agarwal |url=https://www.linkedin.com/in/ajay-agarwal-8665554/ |website=LinkedIn |access-date=27 December 2025}}</ref> * [[Alakh Pandey]], Founder of [[Physics Wallah]] (India's first [[Educational technology|Edtech]] [[Unicorn (finance)|Unicorn]])<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-08-16 |title=Meet PhysicsWallah founder Alakh Pandey: I am like an unstable atom, hum hain toh insaan |url=https://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/companies/meet-physicswallah-founder-alakh-pandey-i-am-like-an-unstable-atom-hum-hain-toh-insaan-9033891.html |access-date=2023-07-04 |website=Moneycontrol |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.outlookbusiness.com/news/physicswallah-turns-101th-indian-unicorn-with-100-million-fundraise-news-200854 |title=PW Turns 101th Indian Unicorn With $100m Fundraise |author=Press Trust of India |date=7 June 2022 |work=Outlook Business |publisher=Outlook Publishing (India) Pvt. Ltd.}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=https://insider.finology.in/entrepreneurship/physics-wallah-become-a-unicorn |title=How Physics Wallah Became a Unicorn in India's Ed-Tech Industry |author=Akshatraj Gupta |date=6 July 2022 |work=Finology Insider |publisher=Finology Ventures Pvt. Ltd. |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Physics Wallah's journey from YouTube to unicorn: IPO, expansion, and what's next |url=https://www.thehindu.com/education/physics-wallahs-journey-from-youtube-to-unicorn-ipo-expansion-and-whats-next/article69710249.ece |date=21 July 2025 |author=R. Chandra Mouli |work=The Hindu |access-date=12 August 2025}}</ref> * [[Dinesh Agarwal]], [[Organizational founder|Founder]] & [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] of [[IndiaMART]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://corporate.indiamart.com/board-members/|title=IndiaMART Corporate - Board Members |date=19 August 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://dineshagarwal.com/ |title=Dinesh Agarwal: About Me |last=Agarwal |first=Dinesh |access-date=1 July 2025}}</ref> (India's largest [[B2B e-commerce|B2B marketplace]])<ref>{{cite web |title=G2B and B2B Portals |url=https://www.eoiparis.gov.in/page/g2b-and-b2b-portals/ |website=eoiparis.gov.in |publisher=Embassy of India, GoI |access-date=1 July 2025}}</ref> * Dr. Kamal Kishore Pant, Director of [[IIT Roorkee]], Petrotech Chair (FIPI) Professor at [[IIT Delhi]], Fellow of [[Royal Society of Chemistry|RSC]], Fellow of [[National Academy of Sciences, India|NASI]], Fellow of [[Indian National Academy of Engineering|INAE]], Winner of ''Herdillia'' Award by [[Indian Institute of Chemical Engineers|IIChE]], Winner (twice) of ''Gandhian Young Technological Innovation'' (GYTI) Award, and Winner of [[Holkar Science College|Holkar]]'s ''Dr. S.S. Deshpande Award'' (2013)<ref>{{cite web |url=https://web.iitd.ac.in/~kkpant/biosketch.html |title=K.K. Pant Biosketch |publisher=IIT Delhi |access-date=23 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.educationcongress.org/kk-pant.php |title=Our Speakers - Prof. K.K. Pant |publisher=India Education Awards 2024 |access-date=23 August 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.lms.holkar.org/images/Despande%20Award_2025_Advt.pdf |title=DR. S. S. DESHPANDE NATIONAL AWARD |publisher=Govt Holkar Science College |location=Indore |access-date=23 August 2025}}</ref> * [[Anu Garg]], Founder of ''A.Word.A.Day'' (AWAD) site Wordsmith.org<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wordsmith.org/awad/about.html |title=A.Word.A.Day - About |website=wordsmith.org |publisher=Anu Garg}}</ref> (labelled "...the most welcomed, most enduring piece of daily mass e-mail in cyberspace [sic]" by [[The New York Times]]),<ref>{{cite web |title=The Philomath Speaks: An Interview with Anu Garg |url=https://www.nas.org/blogs/article/the_philomath_speaks_an_interview_with_anu_garg |last=Wood |first=Peter |date=15 December 2009 |publisher=[[National Association of Scholars]] |access-date=1 July 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=A Word of the Day Keeps Banality at Bay |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2002/11/28/technology/a-word-of-the-day-keeps-banality-at-bay.html |last=Hafner |first=Katie |date=28 November 2002 |work=NYT |publisher=The New York Times Company |access-date=1 July 2025}}</ref> Author of two books,<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wordsmith.org/awad/books.html |title=Books by Anu Garg |publisher=Anu Garg}}</ref> and Columnist for - [[Microsoft]] [[Encarta]], [[Mental Floss]], and [[Weekly Reader]]<ref>{{cite web |url=https://wordsmith.org/anu/ |title=Anu Gargs's Home on the Web |publisher=Anu Garg}}</ref>

== Notes == {{NoteFoot |refs= {{NoteTag |name=TechChem |Technical Chemistry focuses on applying chemical principles to design materials or processes in industrial or technological areas.}} {{NoteTag |name=ABS |Alexander Blake Shakespear was Manager, and then Director, at the managing agency Begg, Sutherland & Co., Cawnpore ([https://www.reubique.com/SHAKESPEAR%20J.H.C..htm Shakespear Family]). }} {{NoteTag |name=CTACMdeS |One such industrialist was Charles Turner Allen, CIE, the Co-Founder of [[The Pioneer (India)|The Pioneer]] newspaper, and son of the Co-Founder of Cooper, Allen & Co., Cawnpore ([https://myjacobfamily.com/favershamjacobs/georgeallen.htm Jacob Family]). The list of keen professionals included Caetano Mariie de Souza who was the Director of Premier Oil Mills, shareholder of Oberoi hotels, and owner of Dwyer Limestone ([https://gray-ons.org/secondsite/g0/p849.htm Gray-ons]). }} {{NoteTag |name=HRCH |Hammett Reginald Clode Hailey was an [[Indian Civil Service|ICS Officer]], and Director of Land Records and Agriculture (LR&A) in UPA&O in 1912-20 ([http://anthony.sogang.ac.kr/CotesFamilyStory.html Cotes Family], and [https://www.thegazette.co.uk/Edinburgh/issue/13547/page/27/data.pdf The Gazette UK]). }} {{NoteTag |name=HEA |Dr. Harold Edward Annett was also Member of [[Wye College|South Eastern Agricultural College]] (M.S.E.A.C.), a famous college of agricultural sciences in 18th-19th centuries ([https://bahs.org.uk/AGHR/ARTICLES/36n2a5.pdf BAHS article]). }} {{NoteTag |name=GSDP |A reference to GSDP (estd. 1914) can be found in an old [[The Tribune (India)|The Tribune]] newspaper [https://www.tribuneindia.com/news/archive/this-day-that-year/government-school-of-dyeing-and-printing-cawnpore-418137 article]. }} {{NoteTag |name=GLI |Government Leather Institute (GLI) was founded in 1941, taking over from Government Leather Working School (GLWS) of 1916 ([https://glikanpur.com/history.php GLI History]). }} {{NoteTag |name=HDHD |Dr. H.D.H. Drane was Research Engineer at Thermal Syndicate Ltd in [[Wallsend]] (UK), the manufacturers of Vitreosil® branded [[Fused quartz|fused silica]] products ([https://www.gracesguide.co.uk/Thermal_Syndicate Grace's Guide]). In 1930s, he lived in the ''Brooksland House'', a [[Georgian architecture|Georgian]] [[Regency era]] Grade II [[listed building]] in [[Greenwich]] ([https://britishlistedbuildings.co.uk/101212911-brooklands-house-middle-park-and-sutcliffe-ward BLB]). Also, he retired from [[British Army]] as Honorary Major in April 1945. He was Second Lieutenant in [[Royal Engineers]], and War Substantive Captain in the Regular Army WW2 Emergency Commissions ([https://www.thegazette.co.uk/London/issue/37016/supplement/1834/data.pdf The Gazette UK], [https://www.fold3.com/record/745673056/drane-h-d-h-uk-army-list-april-1944 Fold3]). }} {{NoteTag |name=JAHD |Dr. Joseph Algernon "Algie" Hare Duke later became the Deputy Director of Industries (UPA&O), and was also awarded the 1935 [[King George V Silver Jubilee Medal]] ([https://uk.forceswarrecords.com/record/729169520/duke-mr-joseph-algernon-hare-uk-king-george-v-silver-jubilee-medal-roll-1935 Forces War Record]). }} }}

==See also== * [[National Sugar Institute|National Sugar Institute (formerly IIST)]] * [[Indian Institute of Science|IISc Bangalore]], [[IIT Kanpur]] and [[Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology, Prayagraj|NIT Allahabad]] * [[Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Technical University|UP Technical University (AKTU, formerly GBTU)]] * [[Uttar Pradesh Textile Technology Institute|UP Textile Technology Institute (formerly GCTI)]] * [[Education in India]] and [[Higher education in India]]

== External links == * [http://www.hbtu.ac.in HBTU official website] * HBTU Centenary Coin: [https://www.indiagovtmint.in/en/product/harcourt-butler-technical-university-kanpur-centen-unsc/ UNC], and [https://www.indiagovtmint.in/en/product/harcourt-butler-technical-university-kanpur-harcourt-butler-technical-university-kanpur-centenary-celebrations-proof/ Proof] * HBTU Official Accounts: [https://www.twitter.com/hbtukanpur Twitter (X)], [https://www.instagram.com/hbtuofficial/ Instagram], [https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTjOa_N11IF5iYJ0m4vFdtw YouTube] * [[National Portrait Gallery, London|NPG]] Portraits: [https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp56192/sir-spencer-harcourt-butler Sir S.H. Butler], [https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp80233/sir-john-prescott-hewett Sir J.P. Hewett], [https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp86451/nawab-sir-muhammad-ahmad-said-khan-chhatari Sir M.A.S. Khan], [https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp102881/sir-edwin-henry-de-vere-atkinson Sir E.H.deV. Atkinson], [https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp126763/sir-claude-fraser-de-la-fosse Sir C.F. De La Fosse], [https://www.npg.org.uk/collections/search/person/mp60398/sir-robert-woodburn-gillan Sir R.W. Gillan]

== References == {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Harcourt Butler Technical University}} [[Category:Universities and colleges in Kanpur]] [[Category:Engineering colleges in Uttar Pradesh]] [[Category:Government universities and colleges in India]] [[Category:State universities in India]] [[Category:Universities in Uttar Pradesh]] [[Category:Universities and colleges in Uttar Pradesh]] [[Category:Universities and colleges established in 1921]] [[Category:1921 establishments in India]] [[Category:Schools in Colonial India]]