Tyndall National Institute, based at University College Cork, recently hosted Akhilesh Mishra, India’s ambassador to Ireland, in a significant visit to celebrate Tyndall’s vibrant Indian community and to promote meaningful research collaboration between Ireland and India.
L-R: Dr Brendan O'Flynn, researcher Nadeem Rather, with Indian ambassador Akhilesh Mishra.
Following words of welcome from UCC president Professor John O’Halloran, Ambassador Akhilesh was presented with an overview of Tyndall’s ongoing collaborations with Indian researchers and institutes, how Tyndall and UCC can continue to strengthen existing relationships, and further build on the Tyndall-India programme.
The ambassador also virtually met with Tyndall alumnus, Professor Shubhadeep Bhattacharjee, who credited his faculty role at IIT Hyderabad, to his time as a postdoc researcher at Tyndall, emphasising the role Tyndall had in shaping his academic journey.
Addressing societal challenges through deep-tech innovation
During a tour of Tyndall, the ambassador gained insight into Tyndall’s groundbreaking research in the areas of biophotonics, wearable sensors, and agri-sensors, showcasing Tyndall’s research excellence and commitment to addressing societal challenges through deep-tech innovation.
The visit also provided an opportunity for the Ambassador to engage with Tyndall’s vibrant Indian diaspora, comprising more than 100 individuals from diverse backgrounds and areas of expertise.
Tyndall has a strong connection with India, with Memorandums of Understanding (MoU) in place with three Institutes in India: Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Indian Institute of Science, Bengaluru, and Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad. These MoUs enable joint research projects in fields of mutual interest, exchange of faculty and students, joint publications and reports, and joint or co-supervision of PhD students.
India has invested heavily in the semiconductor sector in recent years, and these MoUs are critical in helping build a roadmap of the research ecosystem between Ireland and India and establishing partnerships that will leverage expertise and resources from both countries.
Tyndall senior researcher, Dr Rekha Gautam, with Indian ambassador Akhilesh Mishra.
Ambassador Mishra said: “I am fascinated by the tremendous energy, vibrancy, and passion in the researchers of Tyndall, driven by the ethos of making a difference to the larger community. The value-based partnership between India and Ireland has enormous opportunities in which the innovative spirit of Tyndall could be a big catalyst.”
Professor Cian Ó Mathúna, research programme director, Integrated Power and Energy Systems, at Tyndall, said: “We were delighted to present to the Indian Ambassador the progress we have made in developing the Tyndall-India programme which we refer to as 'The TynDIA Programme'.
'Scale-up of the activities between the two nations'
"This programme was initiated in January 2023 with a Tyndall delegation visiting IISc, the foremost Indian Institute of Science in Bangalore. The programme has enabled the recruitment of graduate students and researchers from premier institutes across India and also welcomes visiting faculty throughout the year. The visit will, I believe, provide a unique opportunity to explore the scale-up of the activities between the two nations and build a larger research eco-system.”
L-R: Tyndall's Prof Cian Ó Mathúna, and Dr Veda Sandeep Nagaraja, Akhilesh Mishraan, and UCC president, Prof John O'Halloran.
Dr Veda Sandeep Nagaraja, programme manager, EU Programme Office, Tyndall, said: “When I joined Tyndall in 2020, it was immediately evident to me that there were common research interests between leading institutes in India and Tyndall, UCC. With the help of the UCC International Office, we have succeeded in establishing strategic collaborations with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in both Hyderabad and Madras and with IISc Bangalore.
"Following this visit, I believe we now have a great opportunity to enhance the relationship between the two countries and look towards building a roadmap for research collaboration between Tyndall, UCC and Institutes of eminence in India.”
Ambassador Akhilesh Mishra arrived in Dublin in October 2021. He studied mechanical engineering before pursuing a career in diplomacy, with over three decades of experience covering political, security and geo-strategic affairs; economic & commercial, investment & technology issues; education, research & innovation; and cultural engagement.