Man gets 20-yr jail for minor's rape

The Additional district Judge-cum-Special judge (POCSO), Kendrapara sentenced a 29-year-old man to 20 years of imprisonment on Thursday for raping a five-year-old minor girl of a village under Pattamundai Rural police station in the district five years back.

- STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE

The National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela) is the only institute among all NITs' and in entire eastern India to be selected for the prestigious Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research (PAIR) Programme, launched by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF).

As part of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, the PAIR initiative is a transformative step toward fostering a collaborative, inclusive, and high-impact research ecosystem across Indian higher education institutions and enhance the research capabilities.

Of the 30 proposals evaluated nationally, only seven were selected for funding in the first phase, which included Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), one National Institute of Technology (NIT), the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and two Central Universities. Following a rigorous review process NIT Rourkela emerged as the only amongst the NITs. The presentation was led Prof. K. Umamaheshwar Rao, Director, NIT Rourkela, and other senior faculties.

Each PAIR comprises one Hub and a network of seven Spoke institutions, promoting interdisciplinary collaboration on nationally relevant research themes that aim to deliver tangible and measurable outcomes.

Prof. Rao, Director, NIT Rourkela, said, "This recognition is a testament to the collective dedication, research excellence, and collaborative ethos that define NIT Rourkela. The PAIR grant will play a transformative role in expanding our research network and strengthening our capacity to mentor emerging institutions. Through this initiative, we aim to uplift and empower our partner (spoke) institutions and contribute meaningfully to India's vision of a robust, inclusive, and innovation-driven research ecosystem."