HARCOURT BUTLER TECHNICAL UNIVERSITY

Harcourt Butler Technical University (HBTU), earlier known as Harcourt Butler Technological Institute (HBTI), is a long-established public technical university located in Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh, India. Established in 1921, it ranks among India's oldest engineering institutions, was India's second institute for industry-oriented applied science, and was the country's first technological institute for higher research in technical chemistry. The institution is named after Sir Spencer Harcourt Butler, a British ICS officer and Governor who championed technical education in India. Historically, HBTI hosted several important scientific bodies, including the National Sugar Institute (1936–1963), the Central Control Laboratory for Ghee, Edible Oils, and Vanaspati (from 1937), ICAR's Sugar Technologist office (1930–36), and provincial offices for Glass Technology (1942–91) and Alcohol Technology (from 1953). It also assisted in establishing three state government engineering colleges: Rajkiya Engineering College Bijnor, Kannauj, and Mainpuri. Additionally, when IIT Kanpur was founded in 1959, its first classes were conducted at HBTI's campus before IIT Kanpur developed its own facilities. The institute's origins trace back to early 20th-century industrial conferences advocating for a technological institute in Cawnpore, culminating in the launch of the Government Research Institute in 1920 and the start of formal teaching in 1921.