On Friday, Doon University and IIT Madras jointly organized a two-day National Workshop on the Convergence of Artificial Intelligence, Material Science and Cyber Security for Smart Manufacturing in Industry 4.0 under the Partnership for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) programme of the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Government of India. The workshop aims to train participants on the applications and potential uses of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in smart manufacturing, materials, sensors, and Industry 4.0. 

Apart from Doon University and IIT Madras, six other institutions are participating in the workshop, including the Indian Institute of Information Technology (IIIT) Tiruchirappalli, Central University of Tamil Nadu, National Institute of Technology (NIT) Puducherry, NIT Mizoram, Bharathiar University Coimbatore, and Cochin University of Science and Technology.

Vice-Chancellor of Doon University, Professor Surekha Dangwal, stated that under the prestigious ANRF scheme, Doon University was inducted into IIT Madras’ “Partnership for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR)” network in February 2025. She thanked IIT Madras Director Professor V. Kamakoti for including the university in the network. Professor Dangwal explained that the partnership aims to promote interdisciplinary collaboration and innovation in research in line with the vision of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020.

Dr. Charu Dwivedi, Faculty Member in the Department of Chemistry at Doon University and Chief Coordinator of the PAIR Programme for the university, informed that the ANRF-PAIR Programme was launched by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation in November 2024. She said that experts from IIT Madras and industry would conduct various sessions during the workshop. Key resource persons include three professors from IIT Madras—Professor John Augustine, Professor G.L. Samuel, and Dr. Charchit Kumar; Dr. Bhupesh Janoti from the Data Security Council of India; Dr. Anand Phadnis from Siemens Industry; and Dr. Mayank Swarnkar from IIT-BHU.

The workshop features sessions on important topics such as Robust and Secure Multi-Agent Systems, Role of AI and Metrology in Smart Manufacturing, Advanced Sensors for Smart Manufacturing Systems, Security for Industry 5.0 AI-Native Communication, and Building Cyber-Physical Resilience in Industry 4.0.

Professor Dangwal also noted that the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) was established under the ANRF Act, 2023, passed by the Parliament of India. In line with the Prime Minister’s vision, ANRF aims to promote, develop, and nurture a culture of research and innovation in universities, colleges, research institutions, and R&D laboratories across the country.

In accordance with the recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP), ANRF has begun functioning as the apex body for providing strategic direction to scientific research in the country. It is fostering collaboration among industry, academia, government departments, and research institutions while creating an interface mechanism to facilitate participation and contributions from industries, state governments, and scientific ministries. The objective is to unlock the research potential of India’s academic landscape through strategic partnerships between leading institutions and their partner institutions.

Professor Dangwal further stated that researchers and faculty members at Doon University are engaged in research under the PAIR Network in critical areas such as Smart Manufacturing, Clean Energy, Advanced Materials, and Industry 4.0. IIT Madras is playing a mentoring role in these research initiatives. The partnership is expected to strengthen Doon University’s research capabilities, providing faculty members and students with opportunities to engage in cutting-edge research projects. Through collaboration with IIT Madras, Doon University can leverage the expertise and resources available at this premier institution.

(रिलीज़ आईडी: 2269469) आगंतुक पटल : 179