A significant milestone in sustainable innovation was achieved with the inauguration of Vatika, the biophilic studio at the IIT Kharagpur Research Park. The event was graced by Dr Amit Patra, Director of IIT Kharagpur, along with Dr Rintu Banerjee, Deputy Director, and Dr Khanindra Pathak, Professor-in-Charge of the Research Park. This inauguration marked the first biophilic studio of its kind in the country, ushering in a new era of biophilic design principles within academic and innovation ecosystems.
“Our Kharagpur campus faces a challenge as it isn’t located in a metro city. This research park in New Town is a bridge between the campus and industry,” said Dr Patra, appreciating the eco-friendly theme of the studio. “Our education system teaches that which is outside but we must also learn that which is within. And this is something we can do by strengthening our bond with nature”, he added.
According to Dr Pathak, the research park is meant to generate new ideas. “We want our engineers to create a biophilic world, not concrete jungles. We may even develop biophilic accommodation for research scholars here,” he said.