V-P Naidu says IITS should start major research projects to help rural India

nNEW DELHI: Vice President Venkaiah Naidu , during a virtual address at the diamond jubilee celebrations of Indian Institute of Technology-delhi on Monday, said IITS should pay attention to problems of rural India and start major research programmes to boost the rural economy.

Naidu also said higher education institutions should focus on finding solutions to problems faced by mankind. “With more than 50% of our population still dependent on agriculture, it is important for IITS to start major research programmes to boost the rural economy through the development of sustainable technologies...indian institutions will be counted among the world’s best only when they start impacting societies around them by developing optimal and sustainable solutions to the problems faced by the nation,” he said.

Calling for greater investment in research and development projects that focus on finding solutions to societal problems, he urged the private sector to collaborate with academia in identifying such projects and fund them liberally.

“Higher education institutions should not work in silos, and should form a symbiotic relationship with the industry to develop cutting-edge technology. The industry experts in various areas should act as mentors in guiding researchers. This type of collaboration will help in fast-tracking projects and produce quicker results,” he added.

Union human resource development (HRD) minister Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’, who also attended the online event, lauded IIT-D for its contribution in the nation’s fight against Covid-19.

“From developing the world’s cheapest Rt-pcr-based Covid-19 diagnostic kit to supplying over 40 lakh PPES..., the institute’s researchers have done a remarkable job,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, IIT-D director V Ramgopal Rao said the institute is on its next phase of growth.

“In the next phase, the target is to touch a billion lives through IIT-D technologies,” he said.