Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (ANK) 

Mangaluru, Aug 5: National Institute of Technology Karnataka, Suratkal will celebrate the 60th institute foundation day and inauguration of diamond jubilee celebration on August 6, informed NITK director Prof K Umamaheshwar Rao. 

Addressing the media here on Monday, August 5, Prof Umamaheshwar Rao said, "Chancellor of central university of Karnataka Prof N R Shetty will be the chief guest and chairperson, board of governors NITK, Prof K Balaveera Reddy will grace the occasion. We do not feel that we are 60 years old. In the last 60 years we have achieved a lot and created milestones.” 

Prof Umamaheshwar also said, "NITK will come up with central research facility for which we have taken Rs 80 crore loan with Higher Education Funding Agency (HEFA) to help the research demand of institution. Rs 80 crore is for equipment. Rs 48 crore will be spent for separate central research facility building, which will come up in two years and Rs 22 crore will be spent for the second phase of equipments.”“NITK has secured 21st rank among top engineering institutions in India as per the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) announced by the President, government of India for the year 2019. Total of 4,800 institutions are registered, out of which, NITK has secured the 21st rank,” informed Prof Umamaheswar Rao. 

“We have undertaken four imprint projects, which are ongoing under government of India. One of the projects is connected to medical, where KMC has joined hands with us and the project is about curing of cancer,” he added. 

“We are also coming up in one student one plant theme focusing on the environment, where 6,000 students will plant saplings. A total of 60 varieties of saplings will be planted mostly fruit-bearing ones,” he concluded.