Suman Chakraborty became the Director of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur on that day. This news brought immense joy to the scientific world. He was already an famous professor in the Mechanical Engineering department. He spent many years inside this great institution. His mission was always clear. He wanted to bring science to common people. He worked hard every single day. Today, many people call him a true hero of low-cost healthcare.
Early Days
Suman Chakraborty was born on August 8, 1973, in West Bengal. He was a very bright student from his childhood days. He loved to solve difficult mathematical problems. In 1992, he cleared his Higher Secondary examination with top rank. After that, he went to Jadavpur University in Kolkata. He studied mechanical engineering there. He passed out in 1996. He secured the second position in his class. But his dream was bigger. He wanted to learn more about science and machines.
Next, he took the famous GATE exam in 1997. He secured All India Rank 1. This was a massive success for him. Then he joined the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) in Bangalore. He completed his Master’s degree with a gold medal. He stayed there for his Ph.D. degree too. His doctoral thesis won the best thesis award globally. Many foreign universities invited him. But he decided to stay in India. He wanted to build world-class research labs in his own country.
Suman Chakraborty IIT Kgp Biography
| Category | Details |
| Full Name | Dr. Suman Chakraborty |
| Date of Birth / Age | August 8, 1973 (~53 years old as of 2026) |
| Place of Birth | West Bengal, India |
| Current Role | Director, IIT Kharagpur (Assumed office on June 19, 2025) |
| Primary Field of Expertise | Mechanical Engineering, Microfluidics, Nanofluidics, and Low-Cost Medical Diagnostics |
| Academic Qualifications | • B.E. (Mechanical): Jadavpur University (1996, 2nd Rank) • M.E. (Mechanical): IISc Bangalore (1999, Gold Medalist & Rank 1) • Ph.D. (Mechanical): IISc Bangalore (2002, Best Thesis Award) |
| Key Competitive Achievement | All India Rank 1 in GATE Exam (1997) |
| Academic Progression | • Lecturer, Jadavpur University (1999–2002) • Assistant Professor, IIT Kharagpur (2002–2008) • Professor, IIT Kharagpur (2008–Present) • Dean of Research & Development, IIT Kharagpur |
| Major Innovations & Technologies | • Paper-and-Pencil Microfluidics: Ultra-low-cost paper strips for point-of-care testing • COVIRAP: Portable, low-cost molecular diagnostic test kit for infectious diseases • HemoQR: Handheld diagnostic tool for non-invasive blood/anaemia testing • Oroscreen: Portable optical device for early detection of oral pre-cancer and cancer |
| Notable Awards & Honors | • Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize (2013) • Infosys Prize in Engineering and Computer Science (2022) • G. D. Birla Award for Scientific Research (2020) • J. C. Bose National Fellowship (2018) • Listed among Top 75 Scientists in India under age 50 (DST, Govt. of India) |
| Fellowships | • Fellow, American Physical Society (APS) • Fellow, Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) |
Life at IIT Kharagpur
In 2002, he joined IIT Kharagpur as a faculty member. He was very young at that time. Soon, he became a full professor in 2008 because of his hard work. He established India's first state-of-the-art microfluidics laboratory. Microfluidics is a special branch of science. It deals with tiny amounts of fluids like blood drops. He studied how blood moves inside tiny channels. He used this science to create tiny medical devices.
He taught thousands of young students over two decades. He guided more than 50 Ph.D. scholars. Students love his teaching style because he explains complex topics with simple examples. He wrote more than 500 research papers in top journals. He also holds more than 25 patents. Despite his high achievements, he always stayed polite and simple.
Medical Inventions for Poor People
The main aim of Suman Chakraborty is frugal engineering. Frugal engineering means making low-cost items that work efficiently. Poor people in rural villages cannot afford expensive blood test laboratories. So, he invented cheap paper diagnostic strips. He calls this invention "Paper and Pencil Microfluidics". A person can test their health using a simple strip of paper.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, he created a device called COVIRAP. COVIRAP was a portable testing kit. It gave accurate results like RT-PCR tests at a low cost. The device earned a official U.S. patent. He also created a kit called HemoQR. It tests anaemia without complex machinery. Another invention is PrepapQR. It helps women check vaginal health easily. He even created a small handheld device called Oroscreen. It helps detect oral cancer in early stages. These tools bring clinical labs directly to small Indian villages.
Awards and Global Recognition
Suman Chakraborty received many national and international honors for his work. In 2013, he received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar Prize. This is one of the highest scientific awards given by the Indian Government. In 2022, he won the famous Infosys Prize. In March 2025, UNESCO awarded him the 2026 TWAS Award in Engineering Sciences.
Department of Science and Technology listed him among the top 75 scientists in India under age 50. He is also a fellow of top academies like the Royal Society of Chemistry and American Physical Society. Stanford University listed him among the top globally ranked scientists. He visited Stanford University as a guest professor too. Yet, his heart always remains rooted in India.
Life Vision And Legacy
Professor Suman Chakraborty believes that science must serve humanity. Publishing research papers in books is not enough. Science must reach the last person standing in the village queue. When he became the Director of IIT Kharagpur in June 2025, he promised to increase innovation and healthcare research. He continues to inspire thousands of young engineers across India. His life proves that with dedication, local ideas can solve world-level problems. He is truly a pride of West Bengal and the whole nation.