Takdah: DHITM inaugurated with Rs 40 cr CSR support, focus on AI
Darjeeling: Once a seat of education, Darjeeling is all set to make a comeback with a historic milestone achieved in its educational journey with the inauguration of the region’s first engineering college — Darjeeling Hill Institute of Technology and Management (DHITM) — at Takdah in the Darjeeling sub-division on Wednesday.
The multi-purpose institute, affiliated with Maulana Abul Kalam Azad University of Technology (MAKAUT) and approved by the AICTE, was inaugurated in a grand ceremony hosted under the aegis of the Gorkhaland Territorial Administration (GTA).
Speaking as the chief guest, GTA Chief Executive Anit Thapa called it the biggest achievement of his political career since 2017. “Today is one of the happiest days of my life. After Darjeeling Hill University, now an engineering college has been established in Rangli-Rangliot block. This is not just a building; it is the implementation of our collective dream,” Thapa said.
He stressed that the project was the result of innovative thinking within the GTA. “My officers thought of what even the State did not. They prepared this project under the PPP model. I thank the Hon’ble Chief Minister for believing in our vision and extending support,” he added. “People often question what Anit Thapa can do — this college is the answer,” he said. Thapa urged parents to support the new institution.
The institution, set up under the Public–Private Partnership (PPP) model, is the first of its kind in West Bengal. NHPC Ltd. has invested Rs 40 crore in its construction under CSR funding, while the Odisha Child Welfare and Education Trust (OCWET) will manage operations.
Calling it a landmark, NHPC Director Uttam Lal said: “This is the first successful PPP model project in West Bengal and the first engineering college in the Darjeeling hills. Within a decade, this will be among the top ten institutes in the country.”
GTA Principal Secretary Dushyant Nariala (IAS) remarked: “A long-cherished dream of the hills has been fulfilled today. It feels like the birth of a new child in the hills.” In an online address, AI and Quantum Computing scientist Dr. Utpal Chakraborty said: “Education is not only about learning but also about research. This institute must prioritise innovation and research.” Amiyo Ranjan Barajena of OCWET described the occasion as “not merely a construction of a building but the sowing of seeds for a collective dream.”
The college will offer UG courses in Computer Science, Mechanical, Civil, and Electrical Engineering, along with a specialisation in Artificial Intelligence. It will also provide courses in Hotel Management and Culinary Arts. “The institute will be providing 100 per cent placement opportunities,” stated Sonam Bhutia, Executive Director, GTA.
