The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT-Madras) will celebrate the Research Scholars Day in the virtual mode. The annual research festival is going to be held online for the first time in history due to Covid-19 pandemic, IIT Madras said.

The festival with its theme ‘Shunya’ will be held between April 2 and 4 to bring together minds while encouraging the free exchange of ideas and research interests. “Shunya has been a cornerstone for several scientific advancements. It also symbolizes the pursuit of a sustainable future and a positive beginning. From Nanosciences to cosmic exploration, the endless pursuit of knowledge continues through Research Scholars Day (RSD 2021),” the institute mentioned.

A total of 570 faculty members, more than 3,000 MS and PhD research scholars in addition to around 800 project staff and undergraduates are pursuing research at the institute.

Prof. Ashok Kumar Mishra, Dean (Academic Research), IIT Madras, said, “It gives me immense pleasure and excitement to be a part of Research Scholars Day (RSD) 2021. Research at IIT Madras is continuously nurturing by researchers and RSD has been a platform for sharing the knowledge among research scholars, academicians, industrialists, entrepreneurs, and practitioners of various specialisations.”

Research Scholars Day was started in 2012 with a vision to spread awareness and celebrate academic research and innovation.