Defence Minister Addresses DIAT Convocation

While addressing the 8th convocation of Defence Institute of Advanced Technology (DIAT) Defence minister Manohar Parrikar urged top academic institutes like Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) to engage alumni in their present activities so that the pride of the institute is enhanced.

"The prestige of an Institute is interlinked with the performance of its students. Better the performance of the students, greater the pride of an institute. Ex-students can contribute a lot towards Institute by money, matter and time ." said Parrikar.

DIAT is a deemed university provides postgraduate education and training in engineering and applied sciences vis-a-vis defence technology, to armed forces officers, defence research and development organisation (DRDO) scientists, ordnance factory technical officials, public sector undertakings as well as civilians. The Unversity also offers 25 specializations under eight generic MTech programmes.

“IITs get their strength more from the contribution of their ex-students than from the government's money,” said the Minister.

He lauded DIAT for complementing the DRDO laboratories by carrying out fundamental and exploratory research leading to the development of new science and technology.

Before that secretary to defence research and development S Christopher and present director general of DRDO, said, “The production value of systems based on DRDO technologies that have been inducted or approved for induction into services has crossed Rs 2 lakh crore and this year, we have targeted to achieve Rs 2.5 lakh crore,

” From the academic year 2016-17, four new specialisations- on unmanned aerial vehicles, design and software engineering would be introduced along with a PG diploma in fire engineering and integrated safety management studies. Similarly, the number of intakes of MTech at DIAT this year would also be increased to 200," he added further.

Parrikar also released a compendium on the patents which have been granted or are in the process getting of approval after being filed by DIAT researchers and released a special kit developed by a DRDO lab for testing milk.