Industry-Academia Meet 2025 Drives Innovation, Sustainability & Curriculum Transformation at IIT Roorkee

Roorkee, April 28, 2025: The Department of Water Resources Development and Management (WRD&M), Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee, hosted the Industry-Academia Meet 2025 with great enthusiasm and collaboration. The event served as a vibrant platform for dialogue between academia and industry, paving the way for transformative innovation in water resource management, sustainability, and engineering education.
 
The event began with a ceremonial inaugural session near the department lawn. Prof. Thanga Raj Chelliah, Head of WRD&M, delivered the welcome address, followed by a program overview by Prof. Idhaya Chandhiran I., Program Coordinator. The highlight was the keynote address by Prof. K. K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, who inaugurated the event with thought-provoking reflections on sustainability and the circular economy.
 
“There are a lot of challenges we need to address—from treating and recycling industrial wastewater to designing low-cost solutions for small-scale industries. Science, technology, engineering, mathematics, management, and marketing—all are vital to achieving the 17 interconnected Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). At IIT Roorkee, we encourage research that connects to society or industry, because only then can our knowledge be truly transformational,” said Prof. Pant. He urged young researchers to consider how their work could support reverse migration, local livelihoods, energy efficiency, and innovative technologies for the Himalayan region.
 
Following the group photo session and a vibrant Tech Expo visit, participants joined two concurrent technical sessions.
 
In the Round Table Discussion, chaired by Prof. Thanga Raj Chelliah, with curriculum presentation by Prof. K.S. Kasiviswanathan, and moderated by Prof. Idhaya Chandhiran I, academic and industry experts collectively emphasized the urgent need to revamp the WRD&M curriculum. Discussions centered on:
 
•    Enhancing understanding of structural and hydraulic design through specialized coursework,
•    Incorporating Indian standard codes in teaching,
•    Embedding practical field components and post-visit report presentations in every course,
•    Including advanced technologies and practical insights into underground structures like hydropower tunnels and powerhouses.
 
Meanwhile, the Industry Talks session on “Instruments and Technologies for Sustainable Innovations in Water & Agriculture” was opened by Prof. Ellora Padhi, Session Manager, moderated by Dr. Swetasree Nag. The session included talks from five leading organizations and emphasized time-bound, focused discussions.
 
Participating organizations included:
•    TIDES, IIT Roorkee – The institute’s deep-tech and sustainability-focused startup incubator,
•    3S Instrument Pvt. Ltd. – A pioneer in gas detection and environmental monitoring in India,
•    Bhoomicam – A firm blending AI and satellite tech to empower farmers,
•    Unite Trades and Technologies (UTNT) – A leader in scientific instrumentation and IoT systems,
•    Trimble – A global provider of GNSS, laser scanning, and geospatial solutions.
 
Other participating entities included a dynamic mix of emerging startups, advanced research laboratories, and technology solution providers, such as Crystal Vision, Ballice Smart Devices, Teqbot Innovations, Sustainico Technologies, and Perovskite Innovation Pvt. Ltd., alongside premier academic labs from IIT Roorkee like the Hydropower Simulation Lab, PEHEM Lab, Advanced Membrane Research Lab, Waste Water Treatment Lab, Reservoir Simulation Lab, and the Greenhouse Gas Emission and Nutrients Lab, all contributing next-generation technologies across domains of water management, energy systems, and environmental sustainability.
 
The mid-day Open Discussion Forum, chaired by Prof. Deepak Khare (Dean, Finance & Planning), acknowledged the organizing team's efforts in fostering collaborations between industry and academia. Speakers such as Er. Hridesh Baindail (Former ED, IOCL), Mr. Saurabh Tiwari (Director, BIS Dehradun), and former WRD&M heads—Prof. Nayan Sharma and Prof. Ram Pal Singh—shared seasoned perspectives on translational research, patent development, student placements, and startup incubation. The discussion further emphasized aligning academic programs with real-world challenges, incorporating practical exposure to standardization, promoting climate-resilient infrastructure retrofitting, and advancing industry-aligned innovation in line with the Sustainable Development Goals.
 
The event closed with remarks from Prof. Khare and a vote of thanks by Prof. Thanga Raj Chelliah, appreciating the valuable contributions of faculty, researchers, and industry partners.

Following a networking lunch in the department garden, the afternoon was dedicated to Stall Exhibitions and Interactions, offering a rich platform for students to present their research prototypes and engage directly with industry delegates from across sectors including instrumentation, hydropower, renewable energy, and sustainability solutions.