Centenary, Commitment and Public Good
Marking 100 years since its founding, IIT (ISM) Dhanbad has evolved from a regional mining school into a national centre for earth-science expertise. Dr Mishra described the centenary as “a reminder of what sustained commitment can achieve when knowledge is used as a public good” and praised the institute’s long-term partnerships with national bodies such as Coal India, ONGC, GSI, CMPDI and NTPC that have helped set industry standards in mine safety and mineral exploration.
Driving the Viksit Bharat 2047 Agenda
Invoking the Prime Minister’s vision for 2047, Dr Mishra asked IIT Dhanbad to contribute to a future India that balances development with culture and nature, is self-reliant across sectors, and ensures inclusive growth led by women and youth. He outlined the administration’s broader approach competitiveness, technology, global engagement and last-mile delivery as core guiding principles that institutions must support through research, skill-building and ethical leadership.
Economic Resilience and Innovation
Reflecting on recent economic challenges, Dr Mishra noted India’s resilience in the face of global turbulence, citing robust GDP performance and an innovation-driven growth trajectory. He highlighted India’s startup ecosystem more than two lakh startups and over 100 unicorns and pointed to flagship investments like the Anusandhan National Research Fund, IndiaAI Mission and the Deep Tech Fund of Funds as crucial steps toward building a future-ready innovation ecosystem.
Critical Minerals and National Security
Central to his address was the role IIT Dhanbad can play in shaping India’s critical mineral strategy. Dr Mishra emphasised the institute’s Centre of Excellence status under the National Critical Mineral Mission and urged focused research on mineral beneficiation, recycling, and sustainable extraction technologies to reduce strategic vulnerabilities in supply chains. The National Critical Mineral Mission has designated several institutions as CoEs to strengthen domestic capabilities in exploration and processing.
Technology, Teams and Values
Dr Mishra stressed that technical skill must be complemented by the right attitude teamwork, humility and ethics. He encouraged students and faculty to leverage modern labs, supercomputing resources and seismic observatories to address climate, energy transition and advanced manufacturing challenges. He called for interdisciplinary research that bridges basic science with real-world applications for public benefit.
Flagship Programs and Frontier Achievements
The Principal Secretary cited national-level achievements that set the context for academic ambition: the National Quantum Mission, Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1 space milestones, renewable energy expansion and investments in green hydrogen. These, he said, provide both opportunity and responsibility for academic institutions to translate capability into societal impact.
From Lab to Field: Incubation and Industry Links
Noting IIT Dhanbad’s growing incubation ecosystem, Dr Mishra urged the institute to accelerate partnerships with industry and government agencies for technology transfer, startups and commercialisation of research outcomes. He pointed to ongoing collaborations national and international that position the institute to lead on critical minerals, materials science and advanced manufacturing.
Closing Charge to Students and Faculty
Concluding his address, Dr Mishra told the audience that IIT Dhanbad’s second century begins with clear national direction and the institutional capacity to follow it. He thanked Director Prof. Sukumar Mishra and the organising team, and urged faculty, students and alumni to harness research, ethics and teamwork to help build a more capable, equitable and proud India by 2047.
