G. Kishan Reddy Inaugurates Seven Centres of Excellence at NIT Raipur

Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy (centre) cuts the ribbon to inaugurate seven Centres of Excellence at NIT Raipur as Raipur MP Brijmohan Agrawal (left) looks on, on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo: primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

The centres will support research in artificial intelligence, critical minerals, space exploration and tribal health, while giving students more opportunities to work with industry and develop start-ups

Key Highlights

• Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated seven research centres at the National Institute of Technology Raipur.
• The centres also cover aerospace and autonomous technologies, computational mechanics, nanoscience and sustainable energy.
• Reddy called for research on critical minerals to support clean energy, electric mobility and advanced manufacturing.
• The rural and tribal health centre will focus on innovations that could improve access to healthcare in remote communities.

Raipur: Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated seven Centres of Excellence at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. The centres will give students and researchers in Chhattisgarh access to advanced facilities and bring them together with scientists, industry teams and start-ups to work on practical problems.

Speaking at the inauguration, Reddy said India was moving towards global leadership in artificial intelligence, advanced technology and innovation under Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He said science and technology would play a decisive role in building a developed India and urged young researchers to help develop new technologies and turn their findings into practical solutions.

AI and Critical Minerals Among Research Priorities

Reddy pointed to the growing use of AI in education, healthcare, industry, agriculture and public administration. He said students need access to advanced research facilities and opportunities to apply what they learn in these fields.

India is moving towards a leading role in developing new technologies and research-based solutions. Young researchers will be central to that effort.
— G. Kishan Reddy, Union Coal and Mines Minister

The Union minister highlighted Chhattisgarh’s mineral resources and called for research into how critical minerals can be used more efficiently. He said demand for these minerals was rising as industries adopt clean energy, electric mobility and advanced technologies. Research into their scientific use and processing, he added, could strengthen India’s technological and economic self-reliance.

Research Partnerships and Healthcare in Remote Areas

Inaugural plaques for the new research centres are displayed at NIT Raipur, where Union Coal and Mines Minister G. Kishan Reddy inaugurated seven Centres of Excellence on Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Photo: primelookindia.com via CG/DPR

Reddy said the centres would give students, researchers, scientists and industry teams a shared platform to develop and test technologies. Closer collaboration between higher education institutions and industry, he said, could help researchers address practical problems and turn promising ideas into start-ups.

Research and technology can help improve access to healthcare in remote areas. That makes innovation in rural and tribal health especially important for Chhattisgarh.
— G. Kishan Reddy, Union Coal and Mines Minister

The centres will also give students opportunities to work in fields such as space science, aerospace, nanoscience and sustainable energy. Reddy urged students and young researchers to pursue scientific inquiry and entrepreneurship, and said he expected the centres to contribute to Chhattisgarh’s technological and industrial development.

The Seven Centres

1. MeitY IndiaAI Chhattisgarh Centre of Excellence in Artificial Intelligence
2. Centre of Excellence on Critical Minerals
3. Centre of Space and Interplanetary Exploration
4. Centre of Excellence for Aerospace and Autonomous Technologies
5. MAIRAL Centre for Innovation in Rural and Tribal Health
6. Centre of Excellence in Computational Mechanics
7. Centre for Nanoscience and Sustainable Energy Technologies

Raipur MP Brijmohan Agrawal, Council of Scientific and Industrial Research Director General Dr Nallathamby Kalaiselvi, Chairperson Dr Suresh Haware and NIT Raipur Director Dr N. V. Ramana Rao attended the inauguration, along with representatives of start-ups and other institutions, researchers and students.