Dhanbad: The 92nd foundation day of IIT(ISM), Dhanbad, was celebrated in a unique way with the institute opening its gates for over 500 students of nearby schools who were allowed to visit the laboratories and geological museum and interact with the faculty.

Students of De Nobili School CMRI, De Nobili School, Bhuli, Carmel School and Delhi Public School in Dhanbad, DAV Public School in Koylanagar and Doon Public School in Dhanbad were invited to the event and were overwhelmed by the experience.

Sumit Kumar Singh, a ninth grader at De Nobili School, Bhuli, who arrived at the institute along with 77 of his classmates, said, "I am visiting the institute for the first time. The multi-storeyed hostels, academic complexes, state-of-the-art equipment in the laboratories and the rare fossils in the geological museum are very impressive."

Sumit's classmate Shruti Ritolia said though she was interested in a career in biotechnology, she was impressed with the chemisty and physics laboratories at IIT(ISM).

"I spent the maximum time at the geological museum pondering over the rare fossils."

The students were accompanied by their sports teacher Kalol Samanta and English Teacher Asha Kumari.

Khusi Singh, a ninth grader at Doon Public School in Dhanbad, who arrived with 70 students and four teachers, said, "Besides the magnificent buildings housing the hostels, classrooms and laboratories, the IIT(ISM) campus has a lot of open space and greenery that are used by the students to organise sports and other events. I would love to get admission here."

In a separate function organised for the students of the engineering and research institute, coal secretary Sushil Kumar, who was the chief guest, gave the keynote speech in the presence of director Durga Charan Panigrahi and Dean of Student Welfare J. Mannan.

"The students during these days have a host of career opportunities available in wide range or areas. Instead of following others, they should establish new landmarks to be followed by others," he said.

Talking to the reporters about the fate of Dhanbad-Chandrapura rail line, on the sidelines of the function, he said, "No existing technique can douse the fire raging beneath the railway tracks without removing them."