The Indian Institute of Technology located in Kanpur was set up in the year 1960. It has grown up into a premier technological institute in India providing education and conducting research in various subjects of engineering.

An Act of Parliament established the Institute in the year 1959. The University started functioning from December 1959, in a room in the Canteen Building of the Harcourt Butler Technological Institute at Agricultural Gardens in Kanpur. Gradually the activities of the University expanded and it became the leading institute in technology in India.

Sprawling over an area of 4.3 square kilometers, the Institute has several large research centers namely, the Advanced Centre for Material Science, a Bio-technology centre, the Advanced Centre for Electronic Systems, and the Samtel Centre for Display Technology, Centre for Mechatronics, Centre for Laser Technology, Prabhu Goel Research Centre for Computer and Internet Security, Facility for Ecological and Analytical Testing. With its ultra modern equipments and state of the art technological facilities, the Institute has produced some of the best brains in the country. The P K Kelkar library of the Institute is a storehouse of textbooks, journals and other research materials. The Institute also has its own airfield for testing flights and gliding activities.

The campus life in IIT Kanpur revolves around fests, sports meet and cultural activities. The annual cultural fest is called Antaragni, the annual science and technology festival is called Techkriti. The annual sports meet is called Udghosh. In addition to these activities the students of the Institute bring out a monthly Enewsletter called Avant Garde. The English Literary Society is one of the popular clubs in the Institute, which conducts, extempore, word games and other such activities.

The Institute has trained manpower who can take up challenges at the national and international level. It has contributed a large number of eminent personalities to the nation in the field of technology.