In a move towards fostering agri-innovation and sustainability, IIT Ropar’s iHub AWaDH  hosted the PRAGATI Outreach event, a collaborative initiative by IIT Ropar Technology Innovation Foundation (AWaDH) and Puri Oil Mills Limited (CSR Initiative) at ACIC GIET University Foundation, Gunupur, Odisha (supported by Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog).

Organized on the occasion of National Science Day under the theme Empowering Indian Youth for Global Leadership in Science & Innovation for Viksit Bharat, the two-day event sought to empower over 200 tribal innovators and students by providing insights into startup creation, funding opportunities, and advanced agricultural solutions. More than 20 startups and student-led innovations were also showcased, reflecting the theme of the National Science Day.

 

Through this initiative, AWaDH, Puri Oil Mills, and ACIC GIET University Foundation reaffirmed their commitment to empowering tribal communities and accelerating sustainable innovation in the agri-tech sector. On the occasion, a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between IIT Ropar and ACIC GIET University Foundation to strengthen collaboration in agricultural research and innovation.

Further, as part of Ideathon (SAMRIDHI4.0), IIT Ropar has selected 14 Institutions from 9 States to conduct CPS training program, and ACIC GIET University Foundation being one among them was given certification with a grant of Rs. 1 lakh to host the program for 2 days.

The event was attended by Chief Innovation Officer at IIT Ropar AWaDH, Dr. Mukesh Chandra Kestwal as the Chief Guest; alongside Vice-Chancellor of GIET University, Prof. AVNL Sharma; Dean (R&D), Prof. (Dr.) V.S. Devadas; Associate Dean, School of Agriculture, Mr. Ashok Kumar Mishra; and CEO of ACIC GIET University Foundation, Mr. Ravindra Yadav. They welcomed participants and highlighted ACIC’s mission to foster grassroots innovations. They emphasized the role of agri-innovation in economic growth, urging students to integrate modern technology with traditional farming for sustainability and resilience. Discussions also explored opportunities in precision farming, smart irrigation, and sustainable crop management, inspiring students to embrace problem-solving approaches in agriculture.

In his keynote address, Chief Innovation Officer at IIT Ropar AWaDH, Dr. Mukesh highlighted the importance of deep-tech interventions in agriculture. He elaborated on various funding, incubation, and mentorship opportunities provided by IIT Ropar AWaDH, encouraging young minds to leverage these resources to develop transformative solutions, particularly for tribal and rural communities.

The program concluded with a field visit, where Dr. Mukesh engaged with students and innovators, gaining insights into their field experiences. This initiative underscores Government of India’s vision and IIT Ropar’s mission to bridge academia and industry while nurturing next-generation innovators in the agricultural and sustainability sectors.

IIT Ropar’s Technology and Innovation Foundation – AWaDH is a deep-tech hub established under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) by the Department of Science & Technology (DST), Government of India, also supported by Startup India (SISFS), Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (GENESIS), HDFC (Parivartan) and DST (NIDHI SSS).

PRAGATI (Puri Oil Mills and AWaDH Research for Agriculture Growth and Acceleration towards Transforming Innovation) is a Micro-Accelerator Program jointly driven by IIT Ropar and Puri Oil Mills. It offers funding support of up to ₹25 Lakhs, along with mentorship, industry connections, and strategic guidance to scale impactful solutions in agriculture and sustainability. This outreach event provided a unique platform for innovators, entrepreneurs, and researchers to explore how PRAGATI can help transform their ideas into market-ready solutions and their scale up.

Since its inception in 2020, IIT Ropar AWaDH under the leadership of Prof. Rajeev Ahuja (Director - IIT Ropar) and Prof. Pushpendra P. Singh (Project Director - iHub AWaDH & Dean R&D - IIT Ropar), AWaDH has incubated over 114 startups, Developed 80+ technologies and enabling the startup ecosystem.

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PIB CHANDIGARH | Dheep

(Release ID: 2107346)