MNIT Jaipur had the pleasure of hosting Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani for an invited lecture on Research to Innovation: Bridging the Gap in Indian Higher Educational Institutes as part of the Institute Lecture Series. Prof. Rao spoke about the three main responsibilities of a teacher – teaching, research, and innovation. However, he highlighted that research implementation is a challenge, but necessary to improve practical solutions for society. With his inspiring presentation, he emphasized the urgent need for Indian research to be more useful and applicable, and produce practical outcomes.
Prof. Rao shared his personal experiences and witty anecdotes on interdisciplinary research, patent filing, and start-ups that can revolutionize the current education system. He stressed the importance of selecting research topics that originate from practical problems rather than the library. He also emphasized the need for closer collaboration between industry and academia to set new benchmarks for every institution.
During the question-and-answer session, Prof. Rao answered several queries from the audience. The Director of MNIT Jaipur gifted him a memento as a token of remembrance, and Prof. ML Mittal conveyed a formal vote of thanks to Prof. Rao.
In conclusion, Prof. Rao’s lecture highlighted the importance of practical implementation of research, interdisciplinary research, and collaborations between industry and academia which are necessary for India to be at the forefront of innovation.
