International Workshops on Sustainable Energy and AI at IIT Gandhinagar

High-Profile Workshops at IIT Gandhinagar

Kangra

IIT Gandhinagar recently organized two significant international workshops led by Dr. Akshai Runchal, a retired professor from IIT Kanpur and the University of California, as well as the founder of the ACRi Group.

The first event, titled Sustainable Energy, Power and Propulsion, took place from January 7 to 9, followed by another workshop on Artificial Intelligence Driven Computational Fluid Dynamics from January 12 to 14. These gatherings attracted top experts from India and various countries, showcasing participation from nearly a dozen nations.

The primary goal of these workshops was to promote collaborative research and development initiatives, along with academic exchanges involving courses, students, and faculty between Indian institutions and their international counterparts. Since their launch in 2004, this series has led to over 30 joint R&D projects and numerous exchanges of faculty and students.

Dr. Runchal emphasized the significance of the topics discussed, stating that artificial intelligence is revolutionizing numerous sectors of society and industry, while sustainable energy is essential for future advancements.

The inaugural workshop featured Padma Shri awardee Dr. Prahlada Ramarao as the Chief Guest, while Dr. Debanik Roy from the Bhabha Atomic Research Center was the Chief Guest for the second workshop. Prof. Rajat Moona, the Director of IIT Gandhinagar, welcomed the attendees, and Dr. Runchal provided the opening remarks, outlining the workshops' objectives.

The Ministry of Education, Government of India, along with national media, extensively covered these events, highlighting their importance in enhancing India's academic collaborations on a global scale.

Dr. Runchal, a Fellow of both the American Society of Thermal and Fluid Engineers (ASTFE) and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), is a globally recognized expert in computational fluid and thermal sciences. With over sixty years of teaching and consulting experience, he has worked in Kanpur, London, Nice, and Los Angeles.

Currently residing in McLeod Ganj, Himachal Pradesh, Dr. Runchal is also actively involved in cultural preservation through the Kangra Arts Promotion Society (KAPS), an NGO dedicated to reviving the endangered art of Kangra miniature paintings.