Global Education

Prior to independence, tanning activity in India was limited and controlled by a few British managed tanneries. First World War was indirectly responsible for the emergence of institutions for training of technicians needed for the supervision of the leather production needed by army in India. The first tanning school was established at Madras in 1914. Then came other schools at Kanpur, Kolkata, Jalandhar etc. These tanning schools provided vocational training. The need for a professional degree in leather technology was recognized, just prior to the dawn of independence. With the munificent donation of Rs.5,00,000 ( in 1940s) from the great philanthropist Dr. Alagappa Chettiar, the university of Madras established Alagappa Chettiar College of Technology in 1944, to offer different courses in technology. Courses in Leather and Textile technologies were introduced from 1945 in the University of Madras. These programs of two years duration after bachelor’s level education in basic science led to B.Sc (tech) degree. In the same year, the then Vice Chancellor of University of Madras suggested that Central Leather Research Institute be founded in Madras as a constituent laboratory of Council of scientific and industrial research(CSIR). CSIR, New Delhi supported the institution of Central Leather Research Institute (CLRI) by offering a block grant of Rs.60,000 from 1945 onwards. Twin objective of education and research were combined in one body, Central Leather Research Institute.