Minister Interacts with Students of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad; Discusses Innovation and Sustainability

G Kishan Reddy, who is on a two day visit to Jharkhand, today inaugurated the Center of Excellence under National Critical Minerals Mission hosted in IIT (ISM) Dhanbad. Minister Shri Reddy also inaugurated the Virtual Reality Mine Simulator (VRMS). Shri Reddy interacted with the students of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, which turned into a candid exchange of ideas.

The CoE inaugurated by the minister will act as a national anchor for research and industry scale solutions in critical minerals, focusing in areas of exploration, extraction, processing, recycling, reuse and waste-to-wealth for critical minerals. The CoE will partner with industry leaders and international universities such as University of Cambridge & St Petersburg University and will receive infrastructure support from IIT Gandhinagar, IIT BHU and CPI(UK).

Developed by IIT (ISM) Dhanbad, in collaboration with Coal India Limited and its subsidiaries Northern Coalfields Limited and Eastern Coalfields Limited, VRMS is India’s first VR based mine simulator for coal mining safety and productivity. Equipped with a 360-degree immersive virtual reality theatre, the VRMS uses real mine data and provides more than 20 training modules covering heavy equipment operation and critical safety SOPs. The VRMS will provide scenario based assessment and certification for all levels of employees, from operators to senior managers and is expected to cut training time by half, while ensuring improved safety preparedness.

In a warm and informal interaction, the Minister spent time with students and young researchers of IIT (ISM) Dhanbad at RD Chowk, a popular and age-old meeting point for students that has long been part of campus life and culture.

Over a cup of tea, the interaction moved beyond formalities, creating an open environment for candid conversations and free exchange of ideas.

Students shared their academic journeys, research interests and career aspirations, while discussions touched upon the evolving role of technology and innovation in mining, opportunities in critical minerals, sustainability and clean energy, and the need for research-driven, indigenous solutions.