Growth in Indian collaboration takes centre stage

President Alice Gast addressed the Confederation of Indian Industry in Kolkata

Imperial's openness to academic, business and innovation collaborations grabbed headlines throughout India this week.

The focus on Imperial came as President Alice Gast addressed the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) in Kolkata at a special event on industry-university collaboration.

The Times of India, Economic Times, Indian Express, Telegraph and Business Standard were among the publications highlighting Imperial’s commitment to building on its deep ties with the country.

At Kolkata’s Bengal Club, Professor Gast delivered the keynote CII speech to an audience of business leaders and media. She spoke alongside Rajive Kaul (Metallurgy 1971), past President of the CII and President of the Imperial College Alumni Association in India, Bruce Bucknell, UK Deputy High Commissioner for Kolkata, and Umesh Chowhary, Chair of CII for the Eastern Region.

Professor Gast said: “International collaboration between Britain and India is good for growth and increasing efficiency and environmental sustainability. Collaboration is the key to success. We have very strong collaborations around the world. Over 50 percent of our publications involve a co-author in another country."

Indian students are at the heart of enterprise and innovation at Imperial, she noted.

“Entrepreneurialism is growing at Imperial. We now have the Enterprise Lab for student entrepreneurs to connect with one another and receive mentorship and technical support.

"Our 300 current students from India are bright and entrepreneurial. One student, Devansh Agrawal, founded DroneSoc, a student society which has grown into London’s premier hub for aerial robotics.”  

She also cited young Imperial alumni making waves with their startups like inventor Malav Sanghavi and social network founder Kavin Mittal.

Devansh Agrawal, founder of the Imperial DroneSoc

Indian enterprise

In a series of media interviews at the CII in Kolkata, Professor Gast highlighted the ways in which Indian students at Imperial are “innovators and risk takers” in a country “that is still very open and welcoming,” after the Brexit vote.

Indian students have steadily increased at Imperial in recent years, and Professor Gast stated the College is taking a “proactive” approach to international student recruitment.

As Indian interest in Brexit remains high, Professor Gast said: “Make no mistake, European students and staff are very important to Imperial - and they should be important to you too. Many of our most successful research teams comprise British, European and other collaborators, sometimes from India.

"Our most successful entrepreneurs are most often teams of students from all around the world. It is important to us that the UK remains open and welcoming to students and staff from abroad.”

At the CII in Kolkata, Rajive Kaul said: “Innovation is gaining prominence in every sphere of economic activity. This is something which nurtures and creates the atmosphere of more jobs, economic growth, generates wealth and services.”

Professor Gast also met alumni, friends and students at special events in Kolkata and Bengaluru this week.