Latest news with #UniversityInstituteofTechnology
Time of India
18-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Gondwana Varsity To Fulfil Engineering Dreams Of Gadchiroli Tribals
1 2 3 4 5 6 Nagpur: Gondwana University has launched the University Institute of Technology (UIT) in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra's tribal heartland, with full financial support from Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd. The institute will offer free diploma-level technical education to tribal students from some of the district's most remote and Maoist-affected areas. President Droupadi Murmu laid the foundation stone of the institute on July 5, 2023. "Admissions are through the Common Admission Procedure (CAP) conducted by the Maharashtra State Board of Technical Education (MSBTE). So far, 60 students have confirmed their seats, including 40 from Hedri and surrounding villages who have never stepped outside their area — some will be visiting Gadchiroli city for the first time," said vice-chancellor Dr Prashant Bokare. The institute is expected to be a boon for talented students in backward areas long haunted by violence, where access to quality education often requires traveling long distances. UIT will operate from a refurbished building on a newly allotted 170-acre government campus near Adapalli, where Lloyds is funding the complete renovation. "The old structure is being converted into a modern facility with classrooms, labs, a library, and a computer center," said Prashant Mohite, a member of the university's management council. Registrar Anil Hirekhan said awareness campaigns are underway to encourage more tribal youth to apply. "We're hopeful of more aspirants in the upcoming CAP rounds. Many bright students in this region drop out due to financial hardship or their families' reluctance to send them to other cities. They are often advised to work with their parents in the fields," he said. The diploma programmes being offered include mining, metallurgy, manufacturing, and computer science — fields aligned with regional industry demands and local employment potential. Lloyds Metals' ₹25 Crore CSR Push To Fully Sponsor Tribal Students Lloyds Metals, which has transformed the landscape of Gadchiroli with major investments in the mining sector, will fully fund the first batch of 120 tribal students enrolled at the University Institute of Technology (UIT). The mining giant will invest ₹25 crore in the first year under a public-private partnership (PPP) model to cover tuition fees, food, hostel accommodation, and overseas training. The company also plans to recruit deserving candidates, giving a strong start to their careers. "The company will sponsor each student at an annual cost of around ₹2 lakh and has guaranteed jobs in its upcoming plants in Gadchiroli, with a monthly salary of ₹40,000," vice-chancellor Dr Prashant Bokare told TOI. He added that this initiative is part of a broader ₹200 crore development plan focused on education and infrastructure in the Naxal-affected region. Bokare also confirmed that Gondwana University has partnered with Curtin University in Perth, Australia — ranked second globally in mining education — to offer six-month international training to the students. "This global exposure will ensure our graduates are equipped with both technical knowledge and industry-ready skills," he said. To oversee operations, Manish Uttarwar, director of innovation and incubation at Gondwana University, has been appointed as the in-charge director of UIT. Registrar Anil Hirekhan said academic operations will commence from September 1. "We are in the process of appointing teaching and non-teaching staff. Separate hostels for boys and girls will be constructed with company support. Until then, students will be accommodated in rented private buildings, and Lloyds will bear the full cost," he said. UIT to Launch BTech, MTech Courses from Next Year The University Institute of Technology (UIT) will introduce full-time BTech and MTech programmes from the next academic session (2026–27), expanding beyond diploma courses in line with regional industry demands. Undergraduate (UG) and postgraduate (PG) degrees will be offered in mining, metallurgy, manufacturing, and computer science. Gondwana University aims to establish UIT as a premier destination for higher education in the region. "UIT is not just another technical institute. We are developing it along the lines of IITs and IIMs, with world-class infrastructure and global academic partnerships," said vice-chancellor Dr Prashant Bokare. The institute is currently upgrading its campus at Adapalli on the Nagpur-Gadchiroli road, with tenders for refurbishment already completed. Planned facilities include modern laboratories and sports infrastructure such as dedicated volleyball and basketball courts. At the foundation stone ceremony held on July 5, 2023, then deputy chief minister of Maharashtra Devendra Fadnavis announced a ₹20,000 crore investment in the steel sector in Gadchiroli and assured continued government support for skill-based education. "We're also working to start an airport here. The government will provide sufficient funds to make Gondwana University one of the best in the state," Fadnavis had said. Then Maharashtra governor and chancellor of state universities, Ramesh Bais, also endorsed the idea of recognising Gondwana University as a tribal university. "The campus is being developed on 170 acres, and the state plans to invest ₹1,500 crore in the coming years. GU has made remarkable progress over 12 years in a district where 39% of the population is tribal," he had said.
Time of India
19-06-2025
- General
- Time of India
Wetlands shrinking rapidly in Kerala, fallout can be terrible
1 2 Kochi: Wetlands in Kerala shrank from 2.35 lakh hectares in 1990 to 1.6 lakh ha by 2011, notes S Girija Kumari, head of the University Institute of Technology, Kayamkulam, in the Feb edition of forest department's magazine Aaranyam. She cited unchecked urbanisation, relentless consumerism and an ever-growing appetite for luxury as the reasons for its rapid depletion. With paddy giving way to commercial crops, wetlands' fabric also altered significantly, the report notes. Scientists say, as with the new Aranmula project, wetlands will shrink further, sometimes with the dilution of laws. "Paddy is supposed to be a wetland crop controlling hydrology in an area," said State Wetland Authority (SWA) former member K K Ramachandran. "Unfortunately, Wetlands (Conservation and Management) Rules was reissued in 2017 which changed its definition in effect excluding paddy fields from that purview. We don't have a database to gauge the extent of wetlands reclaimed in each timeline. Kerala govt initially decided to classify wetlands of 2.5ha and above. However, it was found that a large number fall under that classification. But I understand that the govt asked to identify only the largest 40 wetlands. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Esse novo alarme com câmera é quase gratuito em São Paulo (consulte o preço) Alarmes Undo The govt is delaying the process of notifying the wetlands' inventory. It seems they are set to notify 20 wetlands first. However, I'm doubtful since SWA is not serious about enforcement of powers," he said. National Centre for Earth Science Studies ex-scientist K V Thomas said Kerala Conservation of Paddy Land and Wetland Act was largely diluted, benefiting both politicians and businessmen mutually. "Earlier, the act allowed reclaiming wetland and paddy fields by a poor family to construct a house. With the extent of area increased, anyone can reclaim the land. The Act's dilution happened twice in the last eight years. Similar dilutions happened in the CRZ Act too, where Pokkali fields' definition was removed from it. It resulted in a large wetland network being excluded from the protection of CRZ notification. Wetlands and paddy fields are flood plains. When an ecosystem's continuity is lost through reclamation, flooding — whether downstream/upstream — will be a threat. Groundwater recharge will be affected and temperature will rise due to construction," warned Thomas. State Biodiversity Board chairman N Anil Kumar said. "Reclamation of ecologically important places will affect fish breeding grounds. Wetlands attract migratory birds which fly thousands of kilometres for breeding. If there is no healthy system for its breeding, it will further impact their population. The local conversion has a global impact. Ramsar sites are declared for that purpose. It's important to declare more wetlands as Ramsar sites," he said.
The Hindu
28-05-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
This Thiruvananthapuram-based food stall serves popular Spanish dessert churros
A mild dampness takes over the air in Kuravankonam, Thiruvananthapuram following a lash of monsoon evening showers. The crowd around food trucks and kiosks here are missing, a rare sight in the area known for its street food spots. However, amidst the blaring horns and engines revving, it is a welcome surprise to hear the sizzle and the whiff of churros being fried at Moffles, a momo and churros stall located near the University Institute of Technology, Kuravankonam. While the name Moffles, a portmanteau of momos and waffles, might be confusing to customers, one of the owners, Akshay Krishna, has an explanation for it. 'When we decided to join the food industry in 2024, we wanted to start with momos and add waffles as a second product. It was difficult for us to set up an electricity connection to run the waffle iron here. By that time, we had already started business in December. In February, we added churros, a Spanish fried dessert, to our menu. Now it is our primary product,' says Akshay, who runs the business with his wife, Gowri Krishna. 'The dish is prepared by combining dry ingredients such as refined wheat flour, vanilla powder, skimmed milk powder, corn flour, and baking powder with butter, water, and vanilla essence,' explains Akshay. The dough is added to a custom-made metal canister, which is used to make idiyappam or string hopper. A star-shaped mould is used, and the dough is pushed through it into the oil, giving the churros its characteristic shape. It is crisp on the outside and has a soft cakey texture inside. 'People were hesitant to try it at first. For a month, we gave them churros to try. Even if they came to buy momos, we would give them churros as free samples. These people later became our repeat customers,' says Akshay, who discovered the sweet dish during one of his work trips to Thailand. 'Even though I came for momos, I tried the churros here. Normally, I am not into desserts, but I tried this because it was new and not sold at many places in the city,' says Sreenath SJ, a customer. The kiosk serves a variety of churros such as cinnamon churros, cheese churros and chocolate churros. It also offers varieties with dips such as choco hazelnut churros, white chocolate churros, orion pistachio churros and mixed chocolate churros. The prices start from ₹80. A special red velvet churro variety served with different dips is available at Moffles with a price starting from ₹100. Each plate has five churros, each 10 centimetres long. The churros can be customised too. 'I asked my sister in the USA what flavours of churros are available there and she told me about maple syrup and sugar. However, we didn't know whether those flavours would be accepted here so we started with milk chocolate, white chocolate, pistachios and hazelnut,' says Akshay. Their most popular item is the loaded strawberry churros, served in a bowl. The churro bites coated in cinnamon sugar are placed on a bed of chocolate sponge. This is further topped with strawberries and smothered in milk chocolate and hazelnut chocolate sauces. You will find bits of white chocolate in it too. The warm churros complement the rest of the items in the bowl in flavour and temperature. The hot churros with warm sauces and slightly cold slices of strawberries, offer combinations of flavours . It is also available with robusta bananas instead of strawberries. Moffles also serve a variety of momos and mojitos starting from ₹90 and ₹80 respectively. The eatery is going to open a second branch in Bengaluru in August. Moffles located near University Institute of Technology, Kowdiar- Pattom Road, Kuravankonam is open on all days from 6 pm to 12 midnight.
