The IIT Alumni Center, Chennai (IITAC), a network of IIT alumni and faculty, has come up with a new venture — Touchstone, an initiative for professors and those who want to pursue their research in different areas.
The objective of Touchstone is to offer support in joint research projects, exchange of research fellows, joint guidance for Ph. D scholars, attracting promising young overseas faculty to research and teach in India and engaging Indian scholars overseas with progress and developments in India. Touchstone has tied up with 79 institutions, including IITs, NITs, IIITs and IISERs. 20 areas have being identified, including aeronautics, space, water, agriculture, transportation and environment.
Each sector will be spearheaded by volunteer champions.
“The volunteer champions are business leaders who understand the respective domain and have agreed to volunteer 4-8 hours every week,” said R. Gopalakrishnan, CEO at The Mindworks and formerly Director, Tata Sons Limited and Vice-Chairman of the Board at Hindustan Unilever, who inaugurated Touchstone.
\earch fellows, joint guidance for Ph. D scholars, attracting promising young overseas faculty to research and teach in India
