The Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways (MoPSW) and Ayush, Sarbananda Sonowal attended the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signing ceremony between the MoPSW and the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) to set up India’s first ‘Gati Shakti Research Chair’ in Shillong on Friday.
The Chair will spearhead high-quality academic research on multimodal logistics with a North-East focus: building knowledge on multimodal logistics development strategies and practice in the North-Eastern region, facilitate knowledge and innovation for logistical capacity building in the region.
The chair also aims to foster collaboration with global experts in creating and developing knowledge & expertise while strengthening the links between the multimodal logistics research and capacity-building activities with key stakeholders such as the logistics industry, government bodies, local authorities, and other partners and associations. The chair will also support the multimodal logistics research activities, capacity building and outputs to enable PM Gati Shakti Masterplan to power the East and North-East Region’s logistical capacity.
Speaking on the occasion, the Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal said, “Today, I feel fortunate to be amongst all my young friends from the prestigious IIM. The aura of Yuva Shakti has energised our resolve to continuously move towards achieving the goal of a Viksit Bharat by the end of Amrit Kaal. The ensuing 25 years are your Kartavya Kaal to continue on the empowerment led development of India. With the establishment of this chair at your prestigious institute, the Northeast is poised to take lead in the research & development of multimodal logistics activities, capacity building and outputs. Students fraternity will now have an opportunity to hone their skills and build their careers in the field of logistics.”
A Strategic Round Table was also organised todiscuss the multimodal logistics development strategy for connecting the North Eastern Region (NER) to the wider national and international regions to strengthen the local economy at the Dr APJ Abdul Kalam Centre for Policy Research and Analysis, Indian Institute of Management (IIM), Shillong.
The Ministry of Ports, Shipping, and Waterways, through its Gati Shakti Research Chair, reaffirms its crucial role in advancing the objectives of the Gati Shakti vision. These initiatives not only underscore the Ministry’s commitment to foster research and innovation but also underscore its recognition of the vital significance of multimodal logistics in the overall development of the NER and establish a robust institutional support.
The Ministry will also actively guide in shaping the research agenda, steering research priorities in line with the nation’s multimodal connectivity objectives, providing valuable industry insights, and facilitating collaboration among researchers, policymakers, and industry stakeholders.
The MoPSW’s participation ensures that the Gati Shakti Research Chair at IIM Shillong can effectively contribute to shaping policies, optimising logistics,and enhancing the efficiency of transportation infrastructure in the NER.
The Union Minister was also joined by the Members of IIM Shillong Board of Governors, Atul Kulkarni, Bijon Dey Saiwan, Member, IIM Shillong Board of Governors, along with Director, DP Goyal among teachers and students of the institute.