Bhubaneswar, July 29: The Council of Scientific and Industrial Research – Institute of Minerals and Materials Technology (CSIR-IMMT) inaugurated its Advanced E-Learning Centre on July 27, 2026, under the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative, marking a significant step towards promoting digital education, capacity building and skill development.
The programme began with a tree plantation drive led by Dr. Vinay Kumar, Scientist-G and Nodal Scientist for the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative at the CSIR-Human Resource Development Centre. The Advanced E-Learning Centre was formally inaugurated by Dr. Vinay Kumar in the presence of Dr. Ramanuj Narayan, Director of CSIR-IMMT.
Following the inauguration, a Skill Development Meeting was held at S.S. Bhatnagar Hall, attended by scientists, research scholars, students and staff members of the institute.
Welcoming the gathering, Dr. Ramanuj Narayan highlighted CSIR-IMMT’s commitment to strengthening digital education, innovation and skill development through modern learning infrastructure. He said the newly established centre would expand access to quality learning resources and enhance the professional capabilities of students, researchers and industry professionals.
Dr. Santosh Kumar Behera, Scientist-F and Skill Development Coordinator at CSIR-IMMT, presented an overview of the institute’s initiatives under the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative. He highlighted the successful implementation of various training programmes, industry-oriented courses and capacity-building activities that have benefited students, professionals and researchers across the country.
Dr. Trupti Das, Scientist-G, Chief Scientist and Head (Human Resources), stressed the importance of technology-enabled education, human resource development and continuous learning in preparing a skilled workforce capable of addressing emerging industrial and research challenges.
Dr. L.D. Besra, Scientist-G and Head at CSIR-IMMT, underscored the importance of skill development programmes in improving employability, fostering innovation and bridging the gap between academic learning and industry requirements. He noted that continuous skill upgradation is essential for building a future-ready workforce.
In his keynote address, Dr. Vinay Kumar emphasized the vision of the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative, which aims to create a national ecosystem for technology-enabled education, digital learning and industry-oriented skill development. He appreciated CSIR-IMMT’s efforts in establishing the Advanced E-Learning Centre and expressed confidence that it would become an important platform for online training, blended learning programmes, webinars, workshops and collaborative knowledge-sharing activities.
The vote of thanks was delivered by Dr. Manish Kumar, Scientist-F.
The newly inaugurated Advanced E-Learning Centre, equipped with modern digital infrastructure, is expected to significantly strengthen CSIR-IMMT’s efforts in delivering high-quality online education and training programmes under the CSIR Integrated Skill Initiative, contributing to the development of a future-ready skilled workforce.
