The Indian Institute of Technology - Indore (IIT Indore) has inaugurated Prof. Deepak Phatak Tinkerers' Lab, a student-managed facility open 24x7 to one and all.

The facility is funded by the Maker Bhavan Foundation (MBF) and the Desai Sethi Foundation and is named after Padma Shri recipient Prof. Deepak B. Phatak, an exceptional educator and maker par excellence known for his path-breaking work on a variety of digital technology domains.

As the chief guest at the occasion, Prof. Phatak addressed the students and highlighted the value of learning by doing for an engineer: "The product prototypes students build here will not be bound by any syllabus, but only by the imaginative ideas and creative talent brought to life. The students are encouraged to work and build things with their own hands and seek advice and mentorship from elders as required. The passion that gets poured into the work done here would make the students far better practical problem-solvers in life. Their accomplishments here may constitute tiny steps taken towards becoming successful entrepreneurs."

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Suhas Joshi, Director of IIT Indore, said, "The inauguration of Tinkerers' Lab is a momentous occasion for IIT Indore, marking our commitment towards nurturing the next generation of engineers who are adept at practical problem-solving, besides being well-versed in theory. It reflects IIT Indore's commitment to providing a holistic ambience to its students and preparing them to make a real impact in the world."

This remarkable addition to the IIT Indore campus was made with the support of two principal donors, Dr Hemant Kanakia, Chairman and Founder of Maker Bhavan Foundation, and Bharat Desai, Chairman and Co-Founder, Syntel, Inc., through the Desai Sethi Foundation. The goal was to encourage real-world problem-solving and ignite the spirit of innovation and entrepreneurship among students.