HAL to set up faculty chair at IIT Kanpur

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd today signed an agreement with IIT Kanpur for setting up a faculty chair at the Institute's campus.

"This is being done to promote R&D and academic work in new and emerging technologies in aerospace industry," HAL Chairman R K Tyagi said in a statement.

Faculty chair is a position that will be created in agreement between the company and Indian Institute of Tecnology Kanpur (IITK). Indranil Manna, Director, IITK, said the institute will appoint a distinguished academic as a professor to the HAL Chair.

"We are proud to be associated with HAL and the relationship has distinct relevance," he added.

HAL and IIT, Kanpur, will hold annual conference jointly and serve as a platform to the defence industries and encourage new ideas, innovations and new technologies in aviation sector.

The MoU documents were signed by Z A Asif, General Manager, HAL and Prabhat Munshi, Dean, Resources and Alumni IIT Kanpur in the presence of Gukul Chandra Pati, Secretary (Defence Production), the Bangalore-headquartered defence PSU said.

"The MoU will facilitate development of training programmes and training modules for capacity building of HAL personnel. We welcome the contribution of IIT faculty and students who can play their role in breaching the technology gap", Tyagi added.

An Advisory Committee of HAL and IIT (K) representatives will oversee the functioning of HAL Chair and periodically review the functioning.

HAL had signed a similar MoU with IIT, Roorkee recently.

In the recent past HAL signed MoUs with IIT, Madras, to undertake joint research in the field of transmission system for the helicopter and engine programmes and with IISc, Bangalore, for development of micro UAV and development of active control and health monitoring techniques by application of smart materials to helicopter dynamic system.