Good Morning, Everyone! A warm
and heartfelt welcome to all respected dignitaries, esteemed faculties,
dedicated organizers, and our enthusiastic participants joining us online from
across India. It is a indeed privilege
to address you today as the Guest of Honour for this inspiring Refresher Course
on Electronics and Communication Engineering with a focus on Artificial
Intelligence. Allow me to begin by acknowledging the distinguished dignitaries
on the dais: Prof H K Mishra, Chairman and Director of the UGC-Malviya Mission
Teacher Traning Centre, Prof. Md. Iftekhar Hussain, our Chief Guest and Dean of
the School of Technology, Dr. Jaydeep Swarnakr, Dr. Juwesh Binong, Dr. Q. Kharbuli, Dr.
Kuheli Das and technical staff of UGC-MMTTC-NEHU. Your presence makes this
occasion very special and I thank you all for being here.
Today, I feel like the
realization of a vision nurtured by our Department. On February 7 , 2027, we
convened a departmental meeting to select a coordinator for this refresher course.
We unanimously chose Dr. Juwesh Binong, and he has done an exceptional
job. He submitted the proposal by
February 11, secured its approval, and brought us to this moment. Dr. Binong, on behalf of the Department of
ECE, I extend our deepest gratitude for your outstanding dedication.
Our department aspires to be a
leading center of excellence in engineering education and research, particularly
for the North-East. Our mission is to
provide quality education, advance research in fields like AI, Wireless
Communication, Signal Processing, Electronic-Photonic IC Design and foster
strong industry partnerships. Since our
inception, we have trained over 700 BTech graduates, more than 100 M.Tech
graduates, and around 15 Ph.D scholars with 11 faculty members. We have secured research projects worth around
5 crores in speech signal processing, Silicon Photonics, fintech, Chip-to-Start-up,
etc and we hold patents also. Our
innovative courses such as PCB Design and Silicon Photonic Chip Design and our
collaboration with Amtron for 5G training, keep us at the forefront of
Technology.
This refresher course reflects
our commitment to using Technology for societal good. Over the next two weeks, you will explore
transformative topics like machine learning, AI in education, Climate change, smart
farming, and AI ethics. These sessions
are not just about learning, they are about reimagining how we teach and serve
our communities. AI is reshaping the
world, and you as educators are central to this transformation. I say to all participants joining online,
dive in with enthusiasm! You come from diverse states and fields, and that
diversity is our strength. Whether you
are mastering Python or exploring AI for social sciences, bring your ideas and
curiosity. Ask questions, connect with
peers, and make this platform a space for growth and collaboration. Let us build a network that endure beyond
these two weeks. AI holds immense
potential, but we must use it responsibly.
This refresher course will address inclusivity, helping people with
disabilities, preserving our languages and cultures, and tackling challenges
like climate change. In our department,
we are working on projects like agre-electronics, and regional language
technologies and I hope you will find inspiration to pursue similar
initiatives. Let us make these two weeks
meaningful. The knowledge you gain can
illuminate your classrooms, inspire your students, and contribute to a stronger
India. I am immensely proud of the UGC-Malviya
Mission Teacher Training Center, NEHU for organizing this forward-thinking
programme. I thank you, Prof. Mishra,
Prof. Hussain, and the entire team for your vision. I also thank you all participants for your
passion for learning. Let us commence
this journey with excitement and purpose.
Here is to learning, growing, and shaping a brighter future
together. Thank you and all the very
best.
Subhash Arya,
NEHU Shillong
