Defence Ministry to tie up with IITs to encourage innovation

Tribune News Service & PTI

Dehradun, March 18

Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today expressed concern at the migration of highly qualified youths to foreign countries after taking higher education in the country.

He was speaking at the inaugural session of the three-day Cognizance-2016, a technical annual fest at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Roorkee, today.

The Defence Ministry in this regard has set the ball rolling for collaboration with IITs, NITs, IISc and other top institutions to work out a research and development paradigm that will include both “innovation and production” for the sector.

He said the Defence Research Development Organisation (DSDO) and premier educational colleges like IITs should collaborate and provide better research avenues to students, which would help the country achieve its target as envisaged by ‘Make in India’.

Parrikar said the defence sector was majorly dependent on imports but if IITians had any concept or were willing to work in this sector, under the Make in India channel, we would support them fully in making them entrepreneurs.

Parrikar went down memory lane and even recalled his days of entrepreneurship. “After finishing college, we started our own venture and later decided to enter politics. But, innovation is something the campus environment promotes and if you have great ideas then this programme fits in right there,” he said.

The 60-year-old politician graduated in 1978 and was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus Award by his alma mater for his achievements in 2001.

Referring to 168-year-old IIT, Roorkee, as the pride of India which made Roorkee an educational hub, Parrikar said such institutions had been contributing to the country in many ways.

IIT Roorkee Director Pradeepta Banerjee said more than 3,000 educational institutions were taking part in the fest.

Prof Ashok Misra, chairman, Board of Governors, IIT; Padma Vibhushan awardee Anil Kakodkar; T Suvarna Raju, CMD, Hindustan Aeronautics Limited(HAL); RK Shrawat, CMD, Mazagaon Dockyard Limited; Air Marshal PV Athawale (retd) and Colonel Ajai Shukla (retd) among others were present on the occasion.