Srinagar : The five-day long 8th edition of biennial International Conference on Nanotechnology for Better Living (NBL-23) concluded on Monday at National Institute of Technology, Srinagar.
According to a statement issued from Public Relations Office NIT Srinagar, the international was organized in collaboration with IIT BHU and in association with Parul University, Gujarat, SKUAST, Kashmir, and Department of Education under the aegis of Materials Research Society of India (MRSI).
The valedictory session of the conference was presided over by Director NIT Srinagar Prof. (Dr.) Sudhakar Yedla, while Professor Venugopal Achanta, Director CSIR-National Physical Laboratory, New Delhi was Chief Guest’ on the occasion.
Ex-Director NIT Srinagar, Prof A M Wani, Registrar Prof. Syed Kaiser Bukhari, Dean AIA, Prof. Nazir Ahmad Sheikh and Dr. MA Shah, Chairman shared the dais.
In his presidential address, Chief Guest Prof. Venugopal Achanta said collaborations in research are essential for advancing knowledge, driving innovation, and addressing complex challenges.
“By fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, researchers can tap into diverse expertise, enhance research quality, access more resources, accelerate progress, expand professional networks, and achieve meaningful societal impact,” he said.
Prof. Achanta said NBL 2023 has been a good experience and there is a need for practical projects rather than focusing on publishing papers and it is an important aspect of any research.
He said in future both NIT Srinagar and CSIR-NBL can collaborate on many projects including in NBL summits.
“NIT Srinagar is making its presence at national and international levels. Students should also focus on innovative technologies and bridge the gap between technology and innovations,” he said.
On the occasion, Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. (Dr.) Sudhakar Yedla appreciated Prof Shah and his team for organizing this conference on a relevant theme and stated that such conferences are extremely important for research and joint collaboration.
He said NIT Srinagar is committed to support such kind of conferences in future. Our faculty members need to focus on quality not quantity of research papers, for which we need collaborations, Prof. Yedla said.
“At policy level also, we will ensure that faculty don’t go by the number of publications alone unless they have a quality publication from some top society,” he said.
Prof. Yedla said they (faculty members) need to reach out, interact with people to come in for partnerships. I strongly believe that conferences like NBL open up for such collaborations,” he said.
Prof. Yedla congratulated Head Physics Dr. MA Shah and his entire team for organizing such a wonderful event. It is not easy to organize such a mega event both by number of participants and number of days, he said.
He also thanked collaborators SKAUST-K, University of Kashmir, Parul University and other sponsors for joining hands in making the event successful. I look forward to NBL 2025 in which IIT Hyderabad will be our generous partner.
“NIT Srinagar is open for collaborations, research projects and joint publications. We are committed to expand our research domain, not only by reaching out but also by the attitude. We would want to make our research felt in research areas,” Prof. Yedla added.
Ex-Director NIT Srinagar, Prof A M Wani also said that over the past several years NIT Srinagar has achieved many milestones at national and international levels.
“In future also, I hope this institution will make its place among the top engineering campuses in the country,” he said.
In his message, Registrar Prof Syed Kaiser Bukhari said the scientific community provided a vibrant platform to participants from across the globe and they discussed path-breaking research ideas about nanotechnology and its relevance.
He also lauded the role of Dr. Shah and his entire team for conducting a five-day conference successfully. We will host more such conferences in the future,” Prof. Bukhari said.
Chairman of NBL 2023 and HOD Physics, Dr.MA Shah said the conference provided a vibrant platform to present and discuss path breaking research ideas in nanotechnologies. It acted as an interface between academia and industries, he said.
Shah made it clear that among the dreams, the credibility of NBL series shall be a priority and the awards shall only go to the deserving candidates Words fail to express gratitude to our Post Graduate students and staff.
“There were dedicated sessions on, “Seeding Nano-science to Young Minds” and “Nurturing minds for a better world” held at the conference,” he said.
During the event, dignitaries also released the banner of 9th edition of the International Conference on NBL 2025 that will be jointly organized by NIT Srinagar and IIT Hyderabad in 2025.
The event was attended by a large number of school students who had come from many parts of the valley.
The opening and welcome addresses of valedictory session were delivered by Dr Harkirat Singh and Prof P A Ganaie. It was followed by a feedback session by guests including Dr. Gulzar Ahmad (CIRI, KU), Farooq Ahmad,(SCERT Kashmir), Assistant Director MSME, Saheel Alaqband IEDS shared their expertise and knowledge with the participants.
They lauded the role of Convener Dr. M. A. Shah, for bringing together eminent scientists across India and abroad and termed as remarkable and appreciable.
Both speakers and resource persons were felicitated by the organizers for demonstrating exemplary knowledge, passion, and dedication in their respective areas of expertise.
Prof. Seemin Rubab presented a formal vote of thanks to all the dignitaries from both NIT Srinagar and other institutions for making the event successful.
Memorial lectures to honour of Padmashri Prof Kasturi Lal Chopra and Prof A R Chesti were also held to pay homage to their remarkable contributions and indelible legacies.
