The theme of this event was ‘Technology for Defence.’

Director of IIT Mandi

Prof. Laxmidhar Behera, Director, IIT Mandi, said there is a need of engaging Academia, R&D Institutions, Industries, Startups and Armed Forces to come in active dialogue mode – where free and frank exchange of innovative ideas can germinate.

‘I acknowledge my heartfelt gratitude to all the guests and participants.’ We look forward to a vibrant simulating session on technology for defence and IIT Mandi aims to contribute to the cause of defence which is paramount for our great nation, said IIT Mandi director.

PKH Sinha speaking at the event at IIT Mandi said the four pillars of Defence sector are ‘Academia’, that researches in the niche and critical emerging technologies, ‘Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO)’, that customize these technologies and hands it over to the industry for mass production, ‘Industry’, that makes it robust for the use of our troops, air warriors and sailors, and the ‘Defence Forces’ that finally use these innovations and technologies.

Chairman

Speaking during the event at IIT Mandi, Dr Vikas Kumar, Chairman, Aeronautics Research & Development Board, DRDO, said, “With technological developments, Sustainability is the most important pillar for growth.

There was a time when we used to equip our forces with world-class technologies developed by other countries, now, we are leading multiple projects on indigenizing the technologies for the world, he said during the program at IIT Mandi.

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‘The need of the day is for the Defence services to formulae and constitute a task force and I look forward to our inspiring researchers to come forward and collaborate with DRDO to achieve the goal of Atmanirbhar Bharat.’

Other key talks

The other key talks at this event at IIT Mandi were:

# Detonics, Shock, Blast & Impact: Research Opportunities in Terminal Ballistics Towards Atmanirbharta by Dr Prateek Kishore, Director, TBRL

# Mountain Hazard Management in Indian Himalaya, An Overview, Challenges and Technological Requirements by Dr. Pramod K. Satyawali, Director, DGRE

# Chem-Biodefence and DRDE by Dr BN Acharya, Head Tech Cord, DRDE

# Roles and Responsibilities of Bharat Electronics Limited by Smt. Deepa Bajpayee, AGM, BEL – Panchkula

This technology can be used on window or glass panels of stealth vehicles and covert establishments due to its optical transparent nature.

It has potential applications for RCS reduction and absorption of unwanted radiation leakages.

Apart from this, IIT Mandi in collaboration with IAF’s Headquarters Maintenance Command (HQ MC) Nagpur have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for collaboration for research projects, and technology development, in the areas of artificial intelligence, machine learning, human-computer interaction, and decision support systems.

With its continuous efforts, IIT Mandi aims to support the Government of India’s goal to make India ‘Atmanirbhar’ in this Amritkal.

The Centers are Advanced Materials Research Centre (AMRC), Centre for Design and Fabrication of Electrical Devices (C4DFED), BioX Centre, Indian Knowledge System and Mental Health Applications Centre (IKSMHA Centre) and Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Robotics.

This collaboration agreement seeks to capitalize on the strengths of both institutions, broadening the learning experience for students enrolled in the Bachelor of Science (BS) programs at IIT Madras and undergraduate programs at IIT Palakkad.

To date, over 30,000 students are actively participating in this program, fostering a vibrant and interactive learning community, say sources from IIT Palakkad.

Director of IIT Madras

Welcoming this collaboration, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said IIT Madras is committed to reach quality education to every deserving student in our country. This initiative with IIT Palakkad is a very significant step towards reaching the goals.

We are enthusiastic about mentoring these bright minds. Our courses and internships have a strong emphasis on hands-on learning and innovation, said director of IIT Palakkad.

This collaboration with IIT Madras will build a robust foundation that equips students with the skills, insights, and networks they need to excel, he said.

Key features

The key features of this collaboration include:

Ø Credit Transfer from IITPkd Courses: IIT Madras BS (Data Science and Applications) students who meet the eligibility criteria can fulfil their credit requirements by taking courses at IIT Palakkad, promoting an exchange of academic resources and expertise.

Ø Access to IIT Madras Courses for IIT Palakkad Students: The MoU allows undergraduate students at IIT Palakkad to enrol in courses on Data Science and Programming from the IIT Madras BS program, ensuring equitable access to these cutting-edge skills.

Ø Support for Additional Initiatives: The collaboration will also facilitate student exchange programs, internship opportunities, and other joint initiatives.

Commitment

This collaboration between IIT Madras and IITPkd highlights the commitment of both institutions to enrich student experiences through cross-disciplinary exposure, practical learning, and research opportunities.

It aims to create a robust academic ecosystem that utilizes the expertise and infrastructure of both IITs.

Collaboration

IIT Madras has been collaborating with other leading institutions in the country to provide in-person learning opportunities for final-year students in the BS program.

IIT Gandhinagar, IIIT Hyderabad, and Chennai Mathematical Institute (CMI) have already made their campus courses available to eligible students from the IIT Madras BS (Data Science) degree program.

About IIT Palakkad

Established in 2015, the Indian Institute of Technology, Palakkad is dedicated to creating an environment that enables students and faculty to engage in the pursuit of knowledge, to dream, think, and innovate thereby becoming change agents for a better world.

Having begun with just 120 students in July 2015, IIT Palakkad has since grown into an establishment that is about a thousand students strong and with the best manpower in key positions.

IITPkd aims to become a multi-disciplinary institution with 5000 students by its 10th year. The Institute recognizes collective growth, in collaboration with industry and other academic institutions, as the need of the time and emphasizes blue-sky research and directed research as two essential pillars of technology development.

The Institute embraces a vision to be a leader in cross-disciplinary inquiries, and to contribute to the potential that India’s demographic dividend represents for the country and the world, which is embodied in the motto of the institute “Nurturing minds for a better world”.

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