National Sugar Institute has a very old history lying its root in way back in 1920. The climatic Condition and the area under cultivation encouraged the British Indian Government to promote the Sugar Industry in India which further resulted in the formation of Indian Sugar Committee. The said committee recommended for an All India Institute for research in the field of Sugarcane and Sugar production in 1920 which was further commended by the Royal Commission in 1928 & tariff board in 1930. On the basis of the above recommendations, the Government of India took over the Sugar Section of the HARCOURT BUTLER TECHNICAL INSTITUTE, Kanpur and established the IMPERIAL INSTITUTE OF SUGAR TECHNOLOGY, Kanpur in October, 1936. The Imperial Institute of Sugar Technology was placed under the administrative control of the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research located in the campus of HBTI, Kanpur. Upon the formation of Indian Central Sugarcane Committee in 1944 the administrative control of the Imperial Institute of Sugar Technology was transferred to the said Committee. Consequent upon India's attaining independence in 1947, the name of the institute was changed from Imperial Institute of Sugar Technology to Indian Institute of Sugar Technology. With the formation of the Development Council for Sugar Industry under the provisions of the Industries Act, 1951, the functions of the Indian Central Sugarcane Committee were abridged with effect from 1 January 1954 and the administrative control of the Institute was transferred to the Government of India, under Ministry of Food & Agriculture. In April, 1957, the name of the Institute was again changed to National Sugar Institute. The Institute shifted from the campus of HBTI, Kanpur to its own campus at Kalyanpur, Kanpur in 1963 and as of now it is only sugar institute in Asia.
Courses
The institute offers postgraduate diploma courses in sugar technology, sugar engineering and in industrial fermentation and alcohol technology. In addition post diploma course in sugar engineering is offered. Sugar boiling and pre-harvest cane maturity survey are available. Refresher courses are conducted for the benefit of in service industry personnel.
Library
The institute has a very well equipped and fully air conditioned library. It is the largest and most comprehensive collection of sugar literature in India and the world.