Hindustan Aeronautics sets up faculty chair at IIT Kharagpur

Bangalore: Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has entered into collaboration with IIT Kharagpur to set up a Faculty Chair to give thrust on R&D and academic work in new and emerging technologies in the aerospace industry,
This initiative is to conduct applied research and tackle multi-disciplinary problems in the field of aerospace technology and its applications.
The Chair will be set up at the Department of Aerospace Engineering.
R&D promotion
“Our intention is to promote R&D and academic work in new and emerging technologies in aerospace industry focusing in the field of radar, electronic warfare, avionics and aerospace systems. A strong research base already exists at IIT, Kharagpur, in the areas of direct relevance to the future programmes of HAL and this tie-up will be mutually beneficial,” said Dr RK Tyagi, Chairman, HAL.
The MoU was signed by Dr Pratha Pratim Chakrabarti, Director, IIT Kharagpur, and S Thenmozhi, General Manager, HAL. The HAL Chair will be responsible for carrying out research in various areas related to aerospace technologies, facilitating technical consultancy, training programmes and addressing other mutually agreed activities relevant to the HAL.
IIT-KGP will appoint a distinguished academician from the relevant branch of engineering as the Chair Professor for a period of three years.
Training programmes
The HAL Chair will also initiate new academic/ training programmes, identify and initiate specific research and development at IIT-KGP in the specific technical areas, provide technical consultancy to HAL, facilitate development of training programmes and training modules including mentoring/ coaching of HAL personnel for knowledge updating and capacity building.
The chair will conceptualise and facilitate annual conference of defence-related industries to provide platform to air new ideas, innovations, technologies, etc.