I want to thank and congratulate each one of you for your contribution and support to IIT
Indore since its inception. I firmly believe that the Institute has certainly carved a niche
for itself and is poised to scale even greater heights in the near future.
On the research front, I complement IIT Indore for excelling very well. At the same time,
I urge you to spare some time to look into the difficulties faced by the country, local
people, workers and farmers, the ones at the bottom of the pyramid, especially in and
around the city of Indore and the state of Madhya Pradesh, where we are situated.
Some of the areas which need R&D are health-care system, climate change, energy
and natural resources management. Most of the problems in this domain are multi-
disciplinary in nature and require collaborative efforts among the teams of diverse
expertise. With our excellent research potential, we have an opportunity to contribute to
these causes and make a national impact.
As the Institute is located in a geographically advantageous location, I would urge you
to look into the possibilities of establishing Industry-Academia connectivity (consortia
approach) with the industries in the vicinity to understand their needs and provide
technological solutions. At the same time, a similar consortia-type approach is needed
to collaborate with the country-wide industries.
On the academic front, National Education Policy 2020 advocates holistic and
multidisciplinary education to our students. Offering courses in liberal studies in addition
to humanities, social sciences and STEM courses, would help broaden students’
knowledge further. Also, providing opportunities to pursue joint degrees and minors, and
offering open, field and small-credit courses, with an academic credit bank, help
enhance students’ interest in academics. Experiential learning approaches like Do-It-
Yourself through Makers Spaces, industrial and rural immersion are necessary to help
students broaden their outlook.
On the outreach front, we need to establish a network of alumni, corporates and
philanthropists, making them partners in the growth of the Institute. Such partnerships
not only bring resources but also facilitate new ideas making our education and
research more relevant. Engaging experts from diverse fields in advisory roles would
benefit various programs in the Institute, through their rich experience and wisdom.
In summary, my vision is to create an ambience in the Institute, where thousands
blossom and benefit people of India.
Wishing you and your family members great health, and success in your every
endeavour.