Hyderabad: IITs can greatly help in self-reliance

Hyderabad: Institutes of eminence such as IIT-H should make use of major opportunities arising in the defence sector and help the country become a net exporter of technology to achieve Atma Nirbhar Bharat, urged Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Chairman DRDO, while participating as the chief guest at 12th foundation day celebrations of IIT-H on Sunday.

Extending his speech delivered online, Reddy said: "During the Covid-19 Pandemic, we have seen how biomedical engineering has emerged out as a savior to fight against Covid-19. India has proven its capability as a technology leader and now we have the capacity of producing indigenous products like PPEs, Ventilators and Testing Kits.

DRDO recently signed an MoU with IIT-H to establish a center of excellence for academic and research excellence. IIT-H is taking notable steps towards technological and research excellence and providing valuable support to the vision of making 'Atam Nirbhar Bharat'. I wish great success to IITH for future endeavors."

In his welcome address Prof. B S Murty, Director of IIT-H, recalled the past achievements which made IIT Hyderabad a premier and top-10 engineering institute in the country. Briefing on the contributions of IIT-H to the society during the COVID-19 crisis, he said IIT-H has undertaken over 50 research projects to fight against COVID-19 and also supported the society by distributing sanitisers, PPEs etc. It is also helping in the progress of villages adopted under Unnat Bharat Abhiyan.

"We share a special bond with Japan and I am pleased to share that we have got approval for Phase-2 of Friendship which will support academic, research and infrastructure development at IITH. To promote research and cohesiveness two new awards, Faculty Research Excellence Award and Staff Excellence have been introduced this time," he added.

Highlighting the importance of new education policy NEP-2020, Jayesh Ranjan, Principal Secretary (IT), said "Though we got NEP-2020 after 34 years, the salient take-away points from the new education policy is really in line with making India an 'Atma Nirbhar'.

Integration of science and non-science courses, practical based learning against book-based learning, internship, entrepreneurship, flexibility in the curriculum are important recommendations from NEP which need to be considered for implementation on priority.

Institute like IIT and IIM are already half-way to observe NEP-2020 and have become role-models for other states and smaller institutions." Dr D Nageshwar Reddy, chairman of Asian Institute of Gastroenterology, and diginataries also spoke.