Researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad have developed a compact, low‑cost light gas gun that can fire projectiles at speeds up to 0.8 km per second, enabling controlled high‑speed impact testing in the lab. The student‑led project, built using PVC pipes at around ₹50,000, offers a far more affordable alternative to conventional defence‑grade testing systems.
The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IIT‑Gn) hosted the Curiosity Conference 2026 on March 21 and 22, exploring the intersection of art, science, and technology through the lens of curiosity. The two‑day event aimed to reimagine learning by highlighting how curiosity drives flexible thinking, creativity, and problem‑solving across disciplines.
TEXMiN, the Technology and Innovation Mission for Mines and Minerals, along with IIT (ISM) Dhanbad and the Geological Survey of India (GSI), has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to strengthen research, technology development, and capacity building in critical mineral exploration. The partnership aims to deploy advanced technologies, including AI and machine learning, to improve mineral discovery and bolster India’s mineral security and innovation ecosystem.
IIT Madras launches Arvind Raghunathan Centre for Theoretical Computer Science (ARtCS), funded by alumnus Arvind Raghunathan (IITM EE → Berkeley PhD → Credit Suisse trader → Roc360/HouseIQ founder), featuring advisory board with MIT’s Shafi Goldwasser, Google’s Prabhakar Raghavan to advance cryptography, quantum computing, and AI privacy research.
UT administration finally rolls out Chandigarh Startup Policy 2025 after 7 years, offering grants and support to IIT Ropar and regional innovation.
A student’s gentle deer interaction at IIT Madras captures hearts online, highlighting the institute’s unique wildlife coexistence amid academic rigor.
IIT Bombay researchers Prof Ruchi Anand and Prof P I Pradeepkumar developed DNA aptamers – short synthetic nucleic acid strands – to block bacterial resistance enzymes, resensitizing drug-resistant pathogens to existing antibiotics. Unlike developing new drugs, this practical approach leverages known antibiotic safety profiles while addressing the global antimicrobial resistance crisis through stable, modifiable aptamers.
The 2026 class of CAS Future Leaders, a prestigious leadership and career‑development programme run by CAS (a division of the American Chemical Society), includes a strong contingent of Indian‑born and Indian‑origin scientists. The 31 early‑career researchers, selected from top PhD and postdoctoral programmes worldwide, will participate in an intensive training initiative culminating at the ACS Fall 2026 meeting in Chicago.
The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee successfully hosted the AHEAD2025 International Conference on Healthcare and Development, bringing together leading scholars, policymakers, economists, and practitioners from India and abroad to address critical challenges in health systems and development. The event, organised by the AHEAD Lab at IIT Roorkee, was accompanied by a five‑day capacity‑building workshop on large‑scale data analytics in health and well‑being, underscoring the institute’s role as a knowledge partner in evidence‑based policymaking.
IIT Madras has established a pioneering Centre for Advanced Research on Spirituality, Science and Society, funded by Rs. 5 crore contribution from alumnus and spiritual leader Sant Rajinder Singh Ji Maharaj. The interdisciplinary hub will explore meditation’s scientific impacts, consciousness studies, and societal well-being, integrating science, humanities, medicine, and architecture to advance global research on human health and spiritual experiences.
