IIT Kanpur and JK Cement has inked a pact to work together on a Super Specialty Hospital at the campus as part of the Institution’s ambitious initiative to establish School of Medical Research and Technology (SMRT).

IIT Kanpur and JK Cement, India's cement company, today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to collaborate in the area of setting up a Super Specialty Hospital. JKCL has consented to support the initiative with funding of Rs. 60 Crore as part of its CSR.

The MoU is part of the IIT Kanpur’s endeavor to bring about a paradigm shift in approach towards medical research and innovation in the country. IIT-K proposes to establish School of Medical Research and Technology (SMRT). It also proposes to establish Centers of Excellence (CoE) on futuristic medicines and a Super Specialty Hospital as part of SMRT. 

The MoU was signed between Prof Abhay Karandikar, Director IIT-K and Dr Raghavpat Singhania, Managing Director JK Cement, Sushila Singhania, Chairperson of JK Cement and mother of Yadupati Singhania, Nidhipati Singhania (Vice President, JK Organisation & Director JK Cement Ltd), Madhavkrishna Singhania (Dy Managing Director & CEO, JK Cement Ltd), Ajay Kumar Saraogi (Dy Managing Director & CFO, JK Cement) and other senior management persons of JK Cement Ltd were present. From IIT-K, Professor S Ganesh (Dy Director), Professor Jayant Singh (Dean,  Resources and Alumni), Kapil Kaul (CEO, IITK Development Foundation) were also present.

The proposed hospital has been named as 'Yadupati Singhania Memorial Super Specialty Hospital' to honor the contribution of Yadupati Singhania, a 1975 BTech Civil Engineering alumnus of IIT Kanpur and a business leader par excellence with contributions to the growth of business in Kanpur and India. Under his stewardship, JKCL has grown to be one of the leading cement manufacturing company with a capacity of 15 million tons in the country with a market capitalization of over 3 billion dollars and giving employment to several thousands across the country.

Prof Abhay Karandikar, Director, IIT-K said “We are extremely grateful for the generous contributions of JKCL towards establishing a super specialty hospital which will benefit both the residents of Kanpur as well as those from other parts of the country. The proposed hospital will be associated with the School of Medical Research and Technology and will play an important role in driving IIT Kanpur’s innovations in medical research and technology.”

The hospital component of the SMRT would be operated by a section 8 company named as 'Foundation of Medical Research and Technology (FMRT)' registered under Companies Act, 2013.  

The SMRT project will be completed in two phases.  The Phase I of the project will include setting up of a 400 bed Super Specialty Hospital, Academic Block, Residential/Hostel and Service Block with a total built-up area of approximately 7,00,000 sqft. The Phase I of SMRT will also set up Centers of Excellence (CoE) for pursuing R&D activities in futuristic medicine. The Phase I of the project is tentatively planned to be completed over the next 3-5 years. The Phase II of the SMRT project will see the hospital capacity grow to 1000 beds, expansion in clinical departments/centers, research areas, inclusion of paramedical disciplines, alternative medicine, hospital management, sport medicine and public health programs. The Phase II of the SMRT project is planned to be completed over a period of 7- 10 years.