Building on a strong foundation of sustainability, the institute established a dedicated Department of Environmental and Sustainability Engineering (DESE) in 2026. The department will integrate existing and new research, teaching, and outreach activities for sustainable development. The department will catalyze the integration of emerging and existing activities, enabling the institute to leverage its unique geographic location in the Thar desert by harnessing traditional knowledge and indigenous practices alongside state-of-the-art scientific and technological research, while simultaneously demonstrating meaningful, ground-level impact in surrounding communities.

Overall, the department will serve as a vibrant hub for knowledge creation, capacity building, and leadership development, nurturing the next generation of sustainability professionals and changemakers. Further, it will contribute to the development of holistic policy interventions through multi-stakeholder engagement, in alignment with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the Government of India’s sustainability initiatives.