The prestigious Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore, is a realization of the creation of Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata, who believed at the end of the 19th century that the country’s progress depended on research in science and engineering. He saw the Institute as promoting original investigations in all branches of learning and utilizing the results for the benefit of the country.

Jamsetji Tata constituted a provisional committee to prepare a scheme for setting up the Institute. The committee came up with a proposal, which was presented to the then Viceroy-designate Lord Curzon. The Royal Society of London too was involved, which requested Nobel laureate Sir William Ramsay to help in setting up the Institute. Ramsay identified Bangalore as the ideal location. The then Maharaja of Mysore, Krishnaraja Wodeyar IV, offered 372 acres of land free of cost and promised other necessary facilities. Thus, the original scheme of Jamsetji Tata became a tripartite venture with the association of the Government of India and the Government of the Maharaja of Mysore. After the independence of the country, the state government of Karnataka had gifted lands during the golden jubilee and platinum jubilee of the Institute.

The Institute started functioning in 1911 when the first batch of students was admitted in its departments of General and Applied Chemistry and Electrotechnology.

The Institute has a unique character. It is not a national laboratory, which concentrates solely on research and applied work. It is not a conventional university running traditional courses. It is concerned with research in frontier areas and education in current technologically important areas. It has the innovative integrated Ph D programmes in biological, chemical and physical sciences.

Among its illustrious alumni are C V Raman, H J Bhabha, Vikram S Sarabhai, J C Ghosh, M S Thacker, S Bhagavantam, S Dhawan, and C N R Rao. The institute’s council confers honorary fellowships on eminent scholars and scientists and on those who have made noteworthy and lasting contributions to the cause of science and industry in India. Among the 24 recipients of this distinction are Jawaharlal Nehru, M Vishveswaraya, C V Raman, J R D Tata, Vikram S Sarabhai and C N R Rao.

In all its endeavours, the Institute strives to contribute to the scientific, academic and technological goals of the country, with a keen awareness of its noble tradition and the need for maintaining a high quality in all its activities.