Kerala: Eight Central institutions join hands for research collaboration

Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 10 (IANS) Eight of India’s leading scientific institutions in Thiruvananthapuram have signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) at the Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences and Technology (SCTIMST), aiming to strengthen interdisciplinary research, innovation, and academic exchange.

The institutions partnering in this initiative are the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology (RGCB), Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), National Centre for Earth Science Studies (NCESS), Central Tuber Crops Research Institute (CTCRI), CSIR–National Institute for Interdisciplinary Science and Technology (CSIR-NIIST), Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology (IIST), Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC), and Sree Chitra Tirunal Institute for Medical Sciences & Technology (SCTIMST).

The collaboration focuses on joint research programmes, faculty and student exchanges, and knowledge sharing to foster a robust scientific ecosystem.

It is expected to boost innovation across multiple domains and contribute to India’s national research and development goals.

The signing ceremony featured the virtual presence of Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Dr Kris Gopalakrishnan, President of SCTIMST, and Sunil Kumar, Head of DST’s Autonomous Institutions Division.

Institutional leaders who attended the landmark event included E. Magesh, Director General, C-DAC; Dr Chandrabhas Narayana, Director, RGCB; Dr J. N. Moorthy, Director, IISER; Dr N. V. Chalapathi Rao, Director, NCESS; Dr G. Byju, Director, CTCRI; Dr C. Anandharamakrishnan, Director, CSIR-NIIST; Dr Dipankar Banerjee, Director, IIST; Dr Sanjay Behari, Director, SCTIMST and Dr Harikrishna Varma P. R., Head of SCTIMST’s Biomedical Technology Wing.

The MoU represents a milestone in India’s scientific landscape, promoting collaboration across disciplines and institutions.

By pooling expertise and resources, the partnership aims to accelerate research breakthroughs, nurture talent, and advance innovation, strengthening the nation’s position in science and technology. All the above national institutes are based in the capital city and, over the years, they have developed into institutions of international repute.

--IANS

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