SUBHASH MISHRA
Dhanbad, Sept 22: IIT (ISM) Dhanbad on Monday organized a national workshop on “Indigenous Technologies for Critical Minerals Exploration and Smart Mining” under the ANRF–PAIR Category B Project on Development of Innovative and Cutting-Edge Indigenous Technologies.
The project is being executed in collaboration with NIT Durgapur, NIT Jamshedpur, Patna University, MMMUT Gorakhpur, and Vinoba Bhave University, Hazaribagh, with the aim of building complete indigenous technology packages for India’s mining and mineral sector. More than 150 faculty members from the hub-and-spoke institutions participated in the workshop.
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Focus on Urgency of Indigenous Innovation
Prof. Raja V. Ramani, Emeritus Professor at Pennsylvania State University, USA, was the chief guest. He stressed the urgency of advancing homegrown technologies in critical mineral exploration and smart mining.
He noted that such innovations are vital for clean energy transitions, electric mobility, electronics manufacturing, and defense applications, emphasizing that India’s leadership in this domain is essential for resource security and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Prof. Sukumar Mishra, Director of IIT (ISM), addressed the gathering in online mode, highlighting the importance of collaborative research to deliver end-to-end technology solutions capable of meeting both national and global needs.
Institutional Commitment and Collaborative Approach
In his welcome address, Prof. Dheeraj Kumar, Deputy Director of IIT (ISM) and Project Director, reiterated the institute’s commitment to pioneering innovation in mining technologies. Prof. Ejaz Ahmad serves as the project coordinator, while Prof. Parthsarathi Das, Dean (R&D), underlined the importance of institutional partnerships in driving impactful outcomes.
An IIT (ISM) official described the ANRF–PAIR programme as a flagship initiative that strengthens research capacity across India through its hub-and-spoke model. By focusing on critical minerals and sustainable mining, the programme positions IIT (ISM) Dhanbad at the center of efforts to address issues of national strategic importance.
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Building Technology for the Future
The project underscores the role of critical minerals as the backbone of future technologies — from renewable energy systems to advanced manufacturing. By developing indigenous technology packages, the initiative aims to boost India’s global competitiveness while ensuring resource independence and strengthening the vision of self-reliance in the mining sector.
