Kanpur, February 7, 2026: IIT Kanpur recently held the Building Bharat Sampaark Innovation Boot Camp in Civil Engineering. Conceived and led by the Association of Infrastructure Industry (India), the initiative was organised in partnership with the JSW Group and supported by the Office of the Principal Scientific Adviser to the Government of India under the Manthan platform, in collaboration with the National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) and the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE). IIT Kanpur was the Academic Partner for the programme.

This edition at IIT Kanpur marks the second chapter of the Building Bharat Sampaark series, following its inaugural programme at IIT Gandhinagar. The Boot Camp is dedicated to strengthening innovation capacity among civil engineering students through structured industry–academia collaboration.

The three-day immersive programme brought together over 300 civil engineering students from leading institutions across India, along with distinguished faculty members and senior industry professionals. Structured around interactive sessions, panel discussions, mentorship engagements, and a Hackathon-cum-Start-up Contest, the Boot Camp enabled students to ideate and prototype solutions to pressing infrastructure challenges, reinforcing its role as a focused platform for applied learning and innovation in civil engineering.

The scale and seriousness of the IIT Kanpur edition reflect the growing national relevance of the platform. A defining highlight of the programme was the strong participation of women civil engineering students, signalling a more inclusive and confident generation stepping forward to shape India’s infrastructure future.

Speaking on the intent behind the initiative, Dr. Rajaneesh Dasgupta, Trustee & Director General, Association of Infrastructure Industry (India), and National Director, Building Bharat Sampaark, said, “Building Bharat Sampaark is envisioned as a national movement to redefine how civil engineers are prepared for India’s future. It is not about isolated events, but about building a sustained platform that shapes thinking, strengthens capability, and instills a deep sense of responsibility towards the nation. What we see today is a generation of young engineers eager to contribute with purpose and conviction—and this initiative exists to convert that intent into meaningful, long-term impact for Bharat.”

Highlighting the importance of academia–industry collaboration and IIT Kanpur’s role as a platform bridging this gap, Professor Manindra Agrawal, Director, IIT Kanpur, said, “Civil engineering is fundamental to nation-building, and preparing future engineers requires exposure that extends well beyond classroom learning. IIT Kanpur is proud to host platforms like the Building Bharat Sampaark Innovation Boot Camp, which create meaningful engagement between students, academia, and industry. Such initiatives help young engineers develop critical thinking, practical judgment, and the ability to innovate responsibly at scale.”

Professor Sudhir Misra, who led the IIT Kanpur edition of Building Bharat Sampaark, emphasised the programme’s focus on real problem identification and mentorship as key to shaping responsible, practice-ready civil engineers.

Industry participation formed a cornerstone of the programme, with senior professionals guiding students through problem identification, feasibility assessment, and solution refinement.

The JSW Group has been at the forefront of partnerships with academia spanning diverse domains and specialities. The group’s aim is to create a high-impact "collaborative ecosystem" that bridges the gap between academic research and industrial application.

By partnering with India’s premier educational institutions, JSW transforms traditional R&D into a multi-disciplinary engine for growth, sustainability, and legal evolution. Through its strategic alliances, JSW is working to actively shape the technology of tomorrow. This symbiotic relationship ensures that academic breakthroughs are rapidly scaled into industrial solutions, cementing JSW’s position as a leader in purposeful innovation.

Mr. Nilesh Narwekar, Chief Executive Officer, JSW Cement, one of India's leading green cement producers and part of the highly diversified JSW Group, the presenting partner, said, “At JSW, we believe that the foundation of a 'Viksit Bharat' lies not just in strong materials, but in the innovative minds that use them. India’s infrastructure sector is at a pivotal juncture where innovation must meet execution, and the energy we witnessed at IIT Kanpur demonstrates that the next generation of civil engineers is ready to move beyond textbooks to solve real-world problems. Partnering with the Building Bharat Sampaark aligns perfectly with our vision of fostering a sustainable and resilient infrastructure ecosystem. We are proud to back an initiative that encourages students to think boldly about innovation, quality, and resilience—qualities that define the ethos of our company and are essential to empowering the builders of tomorrow.”

With the successful conclusion of its IIT Kanpur edition, Building Bharat Sampaark Innovation Boot Camp in Civil Engineering continues to evolve as a national movement—bridging academia and industry, encouraging inclusive participation, and fostering innovation anchored in purpose. As the series moves forward to future institutions across India, it remains firmly committed to enabling young civil engineers to contribute meaningfully to the vision of Viksit Bharat.

Building on this momentum, the Association of Infrastructure Industry (India) announced its intent to continue the Building Bharat Sampaark Innovation Boot Camp series, with the next edition planned at IIT Madras in April 2026.

About Building Bharat Sampaark

Building Bharat Sampaark Innovation Boot Camp in Civil Engineering is a transformational initiative designed to nurture the next generation of civil engineers who will build India’s future. By combining industry expertise, academic guidance, and innovation-led learning experiences, it equips young talent with the knowledge and platforms needed to address the country’s most pressing infrastructure challenges and advance the mission of Viksit Bharat 2047.

About the Association of Infrastructure Industry (India)

The Association of Infrastructure Industry (India) is a national body representing key stakeholders across the infrastructure sector. It serves as a nodal platform that brings together government, industry, and academia to drive dialogue, share insights, and strengthen India’s infrastructure ecosystem. Guided by its principles of Missionary, Versatile, and Institutionalised Excellence, the Association works to advance national priorities through capacity building, collaboration, and actionable industry intelligence.

About JSW Cement

JSW Cement is part of the US$23 billion JSW Group - one of the fastest growing conglomerates in India with its businesses spanning across multiple sectors, including steel, energy, infrastructure, cement, paints, defence, automobiles, e-commerce, sports, realty, and venture capital. Over the past three decades, JSW Steel – the flagship company of the Group - has grown from a single manufacturing unit to become India's leading integrated steel company with consolidated crude steel capacity of 35.7 MTPA, including 1.5 MTPA in the US.

JSW Cement became the fourth listed Company of the Group, successfully listing on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) and Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on August 14^th, 2025.

As part of the JSW Group, JSW Cement benefits from synergies with the long-established “JSW” brand. It started its operations in 2009 through a single grinding unit in Vijayanagar, in the southern Indian state of Karnataka.

As per a CRISIL report, JSW Cement is among the top three fastest-growing cement manufacturing companies in India in terms of increase in installed grinding capacity and sales volume from Fiscal 2015 to Fiscal 2025 (among the peers in terms of installed capacity and sales volume). It is also among the top-10 cement companies in India in terms of installed capacity and sales volume as of March 31, 2025. The Company is India’s largest manufacturer of ground granulated blast furnace slag (GGBS), an eco-friendly product produced entirely from blast furnace slag (a by-product of the steel manufacturing process), with a market share in terms of GGBS sales of 84.00% in Fiscal 2025.

JSW Cement operates seven manufacturing plants in India, which comprise one integrated unit, one clinker unit, and five grinding units across the states of Andhra Pradesh (Nandyal), Karnataka (Vijayanagar), Tamil Nadu (Salem), Maharashtra (Dolvi), West Bengal (Salboni), Odisha (Jajpur and our majority-owned Shiva Cement Limited clinker unit). The Company’s product portfolio consists of blended cement (including PSC, PCC, and PPC), GGBS, ordinary portland cement (OPC), clinker, and a range of allied cementitious products such as ready-mix concrete (RMC), screened slag, construction chemicals, and waterproofing compounds.

JSW Cement has the lowest carbon dioxide emission intensity among its peer cement manufacturing companies in India and globally, according to the CRISIL report. The Company sells its products through a well-connected distribution network. As of March 31, 2025, it had a network of 4,653 dealers, 8,844 sub-dealers, and 158 warehouses.

About IIT Kanpur

The Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur, established in 1959, is recognized as an Institute of National Importance by the Government of India. Renowned for excellence in science, engineering, and interdisciplinary education, IIT Kanpur spans a 1,050-acre lush green campus and comprises 20 departments, 27 centres, three interdisciplinary programmes, and three specialized schools. With over 570 faculty members and more than 9,500 students, the institute continues to lead in innovation, research, and holistic development.

For more information, please visit: www.iitk.ac.in.