IIT-Bhilai signs 2 MoUs with govt to boost heritage research & sustainable tourism

Raipur: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bhilai has signed two Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) with the Chhattisgarh govt to incubate socially relevant research for the holistic development of the state. The MoUs were signed with the directorate of archaeology, archives and museums, govt of Chhattisgarh, and the Chhattisgarh tourism board.The ceremony took place in the auditorium of the Mahant Ghasidas Memorial Museum at Raipur, on the first day of a three-day national seminar titled The Future of Museums in Rapidly Changing Communities, organised by the govt.The MoU with the directorate of archaeology envisions documentation of protected and unprotected historical sites and monuments in Chhattisgarh. It also includes building a knowledge repository in the form of a library and XR museum highlighting Chhattisgarh's history and heritage at IIT Bhilai, and establishing a faculty chair in heritage studies at IIT Bhilai to attract top global talent.The MoU with the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board envisages incubation of research on augmenting Chhattisgarh's tourism potential in line with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This includes the development of destination management plans for tourist destinations in Chhattisgarh and performing impact assessments to understand the potential effects of tourism on the local communities, ecosystems, and cultural heritage sites in the states.The MoUs were signed by Vivek Acharya, IFS, Director of the Directorate of Archaeology, Archives, and Museums, and managing director of the Chhattisgarh Tourism Board, and Prof Santosh Biswas, dean, R&D, IIT Bhilai, in the presence of Prof Rajiv Prakash, director, IIT Bhilai.Speaking on the occasion, Prof Prakash said that IIT Bhilai is proud to strengthen its ties with the Chhattisgarh govt towards realising the shared aim of Viksit Bharat 2047. He informed that an interdisciplinary research centre, the Centre for Culture, Language, and Traditions, has been established at IIT Bhilai to catalyse research in cultural heritage, janjatiya knowledge, and indigenous livelihood. The Centre is working to take forward the institutes mandate of action-oriented research for the benefit of the people of Chhattisgarh.Acharya affirmed that the Chhattisgarh government is happy to have IIT Bhilai as a committed stakeholder in the development of Chhattisgarh, noting the synergies between history, culture, and technology.