TAASIR :– S M HASSAN –2 AUGUST
2nd August 2024, Jodhpur (Rajasthan): IIT Jodhpur celebrated its 17th Foundation Day with a series of impactful events and announcements. The day commenced with the distribution of Research Initiation Grants totalling approximately ₹6.5 Crores to 42 faculty members. This initiative aims to encourage faculty members to establish basic research facilities and initiate activities in their key research areas.
Following the grant distribution, a tree plantation ceremony was held. The Director of IIT Jodhpur, along with dignitaries and senior faculty members, planted Neem trees on campus, symbolizing the institute’s commitment to environmental sustainability.
The event officially began with a welcome address by the Prof. Avinash Kumar Agarwal, Director, IIT Jodhpur. He offered profound insights into the vanguard of IIT Jodhpur’s legacy, reflecting on the transformative journey from IIT Rajasthan to IIT Jodhpur. He acknowledged the pivotal contributions of former directors and charted the institute’s ascent since 2015, marked by the watershed year of 2017 and the dynamic expansion phase of IIT Jodhpur 3.0. Under his leadership, the institute is now in the take-off phase of IIT Jodhpur 5.0, dedicated to the pursuit of excellence. Prof. Agarwal detailed the incubation, inception, budding, flowering, and current maturity and scale-up phase of IIT Jodhpur, highlighting administrative rationalizations, comprehensive academic revisions. He emphasized the revamping of faculty shortlisting processes, leadership nurturing, and the revision of Research Initiation Grant and international collaborations, affirming IIT Jodhpur’s identity as a matured technology institute. Noteworthy initiatives included MoUs with NITs, UG courses in Hindi, endowed student awards, faculty chairs, the Student Ombudsperson, a Quick Reaction Team, the reimagined Chanakya Complex, new infrastructure, the Green Cell, and water initiatives. Student-centric measures such as the Student Activity Center, Student Well-being Committee, Student Benevolent Fund, and enhanced hostel security were also highlighted. Looking forward, Prof. Agarwal introduced the Integrated Teacher Education Program (ITEP), the Jodhpur model of curriculum innovations, the Hydrogen Valley Initiative, the IITJ Amrit Kund initiative for constructing ponds, and the ambitious Matri Van initiative aiming to plant 20,000 trees this year., who presented a comprehensive overview of the campus and outlined the mission and vision for the next five years.
The dignitaries then released two important publications: the “Techscape” journal and the “IITJ At a Glance” Institute Brochure. These publications highlight the institute’s achievements, ongoing projects, and future aspirations..
One of the highlights of the day was the award ceremony. The Dr. Vandana Sharma Memorial Award for Teaching Innovation was presented to Dr. Akanksha Choudhary from the School of Liberal Arts for her exceptional contributions to teaching. Several faculty members were recognized with the Institute Award for Research Excellence-2024, including Prof. Ajay Agarwal, Prof. Shree Prakash Tiwari, and Dr. Nishant Kumar in the Engineering category, and Dr. Sandip Murarka and Dr. Vignesh Muralidharan in the Science category. Dr. Rachel Philip was honored with the Young Researcher Award in Humanities, Social Sciences & Management.
In recognition of high-impact publications in 2023, Prof. Sushmita Jha and Dr. Nishant Kumar received special accolades. In the Staff Meritorious Award category for 2023-24, Dr. Kshema Prakash, Deputy Librarian, was recognized in Group A. In Group B, Sh. Amit Kumar, Jr. Engineer (Electrical), and Sh. Narayan Dadhich, Jr. Superintendent, received joint awards. Group C saw joint awards for Sh. Abhinav Shukla, Jr. Technical Assistant, and Sh. Robin Singh Kaintura, Jr. Assistant.
Students were not left out, with winners of an essay-writing competition on the topic “IITJ on the Path of Nation-Building for Viksit Bharat 2047” being awarded. The competition saw Pujari Mayuri Rajesh take first place, followed by Ashwani Pratap Singh and Avinash Kumar Chauhan in second and third places, respectively.
Shri Gaurav Agrawal, IAS, District Collector, Jodhpur and Guest of Honour, emphasized the crucial role of IITs in the nation, highlighting how these institutions provide the best manpower to the country. He praised the visionary administration of IIT Jodhpur, specifically appreciating the initiative to start engineering education in the mother tongue. He encouraged the development of a robust start-up ecosystem, delivering a message of inspiration to the students. On the occasion of Foundation Day, he called upon everyone to take an oath to bring glory to IIT Jodhpur and elevate it to a center of excellence.
This was followed by the signing of Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with several NITs, including Malaviya National Institute of Technology Jaipur, National Institute of Technology Sikkim, and National Institute of Technology Meghalaya. IIT Jodhpur has now signed MoUs with a total of 11 NITs to facilitate direct admission to PhD programs for meritorious B.Tech students from these institutions, fostering collaboration in various research domains.
The event featured a Presidential Address by Shri A. S. Kiran Kumar, Chairman of the Board of Governors, IIT Jodhpur, underscored the critical adoption of science and technology to address the challenges faced by our country. He emphasized the role of IITs in equipping students with essential skill sets, enabling them to develop innovative solutions. Highlighting the tremendous contribution of IITs in producing highly skilled manpower, he expressed confidence that IIT Jodhpur will continue to emerge as an even more successful institute, driving technological advancements and excellence in education.
A keynote speech by the Chief Guest, Shri Vipin Sondhi, Chairman of the CII Mission on Technology, Innovation & Research reflected the youthful spirit of India, marking the day as one of reflection and recommitment to future goals. He acknowledged the significant milestones achieved and emphasized the importance of pushing boundaries in research and scholarship relevant to industries. Surrounded by brilliant minds, he inspired the community to bring glory to the country and contribute to a “Viksit Bharat.” Praising the dedication of faculty and the holistic campus environment, he highlighted the importance of bold vision in institution and nation-building. Sondhi stressed the need for India to become a product nation, focusing on the entire spectrum from concept R&D to marketing and sales. He called for setting new benchmarks, strengthening industry-academic collaboration, promoting inclusivity, and establishing innovation clusters. He concluded by emphasizing the importance of striving for perfection and embedding a culture of R&D and innovation, positioning IIT Jodhpur to make significant national contributions.
Prof. Sampat Raj Vadera, Distinguished Professor and Advisor to the Director, IIT Jodhpur concluded the formal proceedings with a vote of thanks. The day ended on a high note with a vibrant cultural program by the IIT Jodhpur fraternity.