Bengal’s IIEST Shibpur set to restore colonial era heritage structures on its campus
Times of India | 5 November 2024
12 Kolkata: The Indian Institute of Engineering Science and Technology (IIEST), Shibpur (Howrah) is set to restore the historical structures on its campus, mostly bearing the imprints of colonial architecture.
One of these structures is the Madhusudan Bhavan, formerly known as the Chapel block of the Bishop's College complex. Before being shifted to its present AJC Bose Road campus, the original Bishop's College campus was located on the IIEST (erstwhile Bengal Engineering College) premises in Shibpur.
Lying in a dilapidated state, Madhusudan Bhavan is one of the earliest examples of European religious architecture in British India. It was at thisplace that Michael Madhusudan Dutt prayed, received valuable lessons in Christianity, and used some of the rooms that served as a library, reading halls, and a club.
"In 2000, the then BE College (now IIEST) decided to rename the abandoned chapel in a tribute to poet Michael Madhusudan Dutt as he was admitted to the Bishop's College in 1844 and resided there until 1847," said associate professor of architecture and planning, Subrata Kumar Paul.
"We have a plan to transform it (Madhusudan Bhavan) into a student reading room and will move a few academic departments and use it for student activities," said IIEST director, Vemavarapu MSR Murthy, adding that the institute aims to restore and conserve the heritage features of the estate as part of its campus development policy.
The institute is also planning to restore and repurposethe Slater Hall, the Heaton Hall, the Downing Hall, and the Industrial building, which are now being utilised as laboratories, workshops, staff housing, a pharmacy, a bank, and hospitals.
Paul highlighted Downing Hall, the first hostel building constructed in 1886, is an example of European eclectic architecture.
"The Slater Hall, the second students' hostel, was built in 1903 and has an impressive southern façade with a series of five four-centred Tudor arches spaced apart by projected and gabled Gothic buttresses. Heaton Hall was the third student hostel constructed in 1923 for European students. Later, it was used only for Muslim students. The design of the building is a castle-type, oblong-shaped rectangular three-storied structure with a staircase block placed in the middle. The building has a Georgian-looking elevation with arched window openings," he explained.