E-Paper
MNNIT bags Rs 5 cr DST project
IN A major breakthrough in its endeavour to undertake advanced researches in the field of nanotechnology and biotechnology, the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) has bagged a Rs 5 crore project from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under its Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology (FIST) programme.
IN A major breakthrough in its endeavour to undertake advanced researches in the field of nanotechnology and biotechnology, the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT) has bagged a Rs 5 crore project from the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under its Fund for Improvement of Science and Technology (FIST) programme.
Under the project, the MNNIT will construct a state-of-art high-end laboratory embellished with high-performing equipment to carry out cutting edge researches in the emerging fields of nanotechnology and biotechnology and also improve its Applied Mechanics, Civil Engineering and Electrical Engineering Departments' infrastructure.
MNNIT Director Prof Arun Baran Samaddar said that it was a result of combined efforts of MNNIT staff and faculty members. "We have been sanctioned Rs 5 crore for the project. Under this, DST has granted us Rs 2.5 crore for the Applied Mechanics department and Rs 1.25 crore each for Civil Engineering and Electrical Engineering Departments respectively for upgradation of their research infrastructure," he said. Prof Samaddar said that under the initiative, the MNNIT would construct a computer simulation lab for advanced digital data analysis too.
"The project will facilitate carrying out advanced researches at the institute itself for which our students and faculty members had to visit institutes like IIT-Kanpur, IT-BHU (Varanasi), CGCRI (Kolkata) among others for Fabrication and Characterisation works, earlier," he said. He said that the MNNIT would ensure proper and timely utilisation of the sanctioned funds and translate it into results and achievements.
"The simulation lab will have Internet connectivity, server, UPS, modem, several PCs and all other necessary gadgets that our experts and students may need for the researches," he added.
Prof Samaddar said that the proposed lab would serve the objectives set by the MNNIT for MTech course in Material Science and Bio-Medical Engineering that the Deemed University planned to start in the coming years.
"The lab will act as a facilitator for research in the uncovered fields like mechatronics, virtual reality and robotics too," added Prof Samaddar.
Head of Applied Mechanics Department Prof Trilokinath said that in connection with developing the lab, a team of DST, including Indranil Chakarborty (DST) and Prof Amitav Ghosh (Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur), visited MNNIT premises to make on-the-spot inspection of existing infrastructure and required infrastructure recently in August 2006.
He said the MNNIT's Department of Applied Mechanics was selected for developing the lab after screening of proposals sent by many a department of various institutes of the country.
