Dharmendra Pradhan launches Centres for Nanotech & Indian Knowledge System at IIT Guwahati

Union Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan on November 21 inaugurated two new centres at IIT Guwahati. The new centres are the Centre for Nanotechnology (CNT) and the Centre for Indian Knowledge System (CIKS). The Minister also launched two hostels at the campus. Along with Union Education Minister, Assam Education Minister Ranoj Pegu and Member of Parliament Queen Oja marked their presence.

Dharmendra Pradhan took to Twitter and wrote "The Centre for Nanotechnology inaugurated at @IITGuwahati today will host a number of CoEs, incubators and state-of-the-art research laboratories for advancements in multi-disciplinary research and education in the areas of healthcare, nano-bio-materials, electronics and energy". Further speaking on IIT Guwahati, the Minister added "IIT Guwahati is one of the fastest-growing institutions globally in terms of its research capacities. I am glad that @IITGuwahati is among the academic institutions in the country under 50-years of age to consistently feature at the top of various international rankings."

IIT Guwahati's role in development

Union Minister Dharmendra Pradhan wrote on Twitter, "@IITGuwahati has to play an important role in areas like, disaster management, biodiversity-based research, green energy development, strengthening knowledge-based economy and driving entrepreneurship among the students". He further said, "During the #COVID-19 times, innovation & technology-aided us with PPE kits, helped us with development and production of vaccine and represented the resilience of this country. Institutes like @IITGuwahati have to play an important role in leveraging innovation for societal good."

Union Minister interacted with budding entrepreneurs

While interacting with students at the research & innovation exhibition at @IITGuwahati, Pradhan said that he was impressed by the creative ideas and innovative zeal of the IITG community, especially in the areas of bio-entrepreneurship, nanotechnology and primary healthcare. The Minister also got to know that IITG-Technology Incubation Centre is encouraging entrepreneurial initiatives amongst the faculty & alumni. Minister tweeted, "I am also told that many of these innovative ideas are being implemented into commercially viable products through technology start-ups"

More about CIKS & CNT

The Centre for Indian Knowledge System (CIKS) will focus on preserving, documenting and sustaining the knowledge that is unique to India, IIT Guwahati said. The top priorities include Indian classical music, Yoga, Sanskrit, traditional medicines, temple architecture, ceramic tradition and special agricultural practices of North-East India, herbal plants of north-east as health food and metalwork of Assam. Centre for Nanotechnology aims at meeting future challenges and augmenting academic partnerships with industry in Nanotechnology. The major funding for the Centre, which included Rs. 37 cr for the building, apart from equipment, was obtained from the Ministry of Education (MoE) and the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), Government of India.