Patna: T. V. Narendran, the newly appointed chair of the Board of Governors of Indian Institute of Technology Patna, visited the institute’s campus on Friday, marking his first official engagement since assuming the role following his appointment by the Ministry of Education.
Narendran, who is also the global chief executive and managing director of Tata Steel, was received by IIT Patna director Prof T N Singh, senior faculty members and administrators. During interactions on campus, he expressed satisfaction with the institute’s academic progress, research output and infrastructure development.
A detailed review meeting followed at the institute’s board room, where senior officials outlined developments across academics, research and development, infrastructure expansion, placements, industry collaborations, memoranda of understanding and new institutional initiatives. Faculty members and administrators provided updates on how the institute is positioning itself within India’s expanding higher-education and innovation ecosystem.
Narendran commended IIT Patna’s steady growth and underscored the need to deepen support for startups and entrepreneurship. Such efforts, he said, are critical not only for institutional relevance but also for broader national development, particularly as India seeks to strengthen its innovation-led economy.
As part of the visit, the board chair toured IIT Patna’s incubation centre, where he interacted with startup teams working across technology and applied research domains. He reviewed their ideas, progress and early achievements, and discussed the importance of industry mentoring and market access for young ventures.
The visit concluded with the presentation of a memento to Narendran by the institute, acknowledging his leadership role and engagement. Officials said the interaction signalled a renewed emphasis on industry-academia collaboration as IIT Patna looks to expand its research impact and entrepreneurial footprint in the coming years.
