NIT Rourkela, Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd. Ink MoU to Drive Advanced Technology and Skill Development in Mining.
The National Institute of Technology Rourkela signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Odisha Mining Corporation Ltd. (OMC), a Government of Odisha undertaking, to collaborate on structured capacity building, technical upskilling, and managerial development of OMC professionals. The MoU supports joint research, innovation, digitisation and operational optimisation initiatives.
The MoU was signed on behalf of NIT Rourkela by Director Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao, and on behalf of OMC by Mr. Alok Kumar Pal, Director (HR). Prof. Himanshu Bhushan Sahu, Dean (Alumni, Industry and International Relations at NITR), coordinated the collaboration. Under this MoU, NIT Rourkela will support OMC professionals through its specialised departments, like the mining engineering and earth and atmospheric science. The collaboration will integrate emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, geostatistics, mine automation and digital solutions for optimisation of mining operations. This partnership aims to strengthen the technical expertise and managerial skills of OMC professionals to meet the evolving demands of the mining sector. It also focuses on collaborative research and innovation, knowledge sharing of advanced mining technologies, sustainable and safe practices, environmental management, regulatory compliance, and the effective use of emerging digital tools to enhance overall performance. The MoU provides for leadership development programmes, workshops on strategic thinking, project management, financial and operational efficiency, and customised Management Development Programmes (MDPs). It envisages joint certification courses, short-term training modules, faculty-led sessions, field-based learning and laboratory interactions to create a continuous learning ecosystem.
Coinciding with the MoU signing, a three-day Continuous Professional Development (CPD) Programme (12–14 February 2026) on “Mineral Resource Management: Technical, Regulatory and Strategic Insights” was commenced at NIT Rourkela. Organised jointly by the Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences and the Department of Mining Engineering, the CPD programme for OMC professionals was designed for intensive training that integrates technical, regulatory and strategic dimensions of mineral resource management. Prof. Sk Md Equeenuddin (Department of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences) and Prof. H. B. Sahu, Dean (Alumni, industry, and International Relations at NITR), are the coordinators of the course.
