It is a privilege for me to have assumed the position of Director, NIT Rourkela, on 18th February 2022. NIT Rourkela has a rich legacy of sixty dedicated years of service to the nation and is the pride of Odisha. Excellence in teaching and high-quality research are the pillars on which the Institute is built. The Institute aims to foster 21st-century skills and competencies supported by defined learning frameworks and industrial internships for the students as part of Industry 4.0. With these skillsets, our students are future-ready to make an impact at work in general and society in particular.

Long-term innovative research support systems like Center of Excellence, under the ambit of Advanced Research Centre (ARC), will aid in achieving a noticeable imprint in AI & ML, smart technology in mining & metallurgy, energy & environment, and global warming. NITR emphasizes the need to promote entrepreneurship by introducing Entrepreneurial Spirit and Startups as part of its curriculum, which will enable technology commercialization to maximize R & D outcomes. The Institute is at the crossroads where its performance is measured by its National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) position. The time is ripe for all the stakeholders to work on converged ideas to achieve the much-deserved position at the national and international levels.