Bhubaneswar: A significant milestone in industry-academia collaboration was set when Siksha ‘O’ Anusandhan (SOA) Deemed to be University here has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with global IT leader Tech Mahindra Limited on Friday for establishment of a state-of-the-art Centre of Excellence (CoE) Laboratory in the campus of Institute of Technical Education and Research (ITER), SOA’s faculty of engineering and technology.
This initiative underscores SOA’s continued commitment to academic excellence, industry-driven learning and student empowerment.
The landmark collaboration aims to bridge the gap between academic theory and practical corporate needs. It will offer undergraduate and graduate students valuable access to skill-based training, industry exposure, internships, research collaborations, certifications and high-impact upskilling programs. The training will focus heavily on niche, high-demand technologies, including Java Full Stack, Net Full Stack, Artificial Intelligence (AI), Machine Learning (ML), Cloud Computing, Data Science, Cyber Security, Internet of Things (IoT), Salesforce, SAP, DevOps, and ServiceNow.
The formal signing and inauguration ceremony was attended by prominent representatives from both organizations. The eminent corporate delegation from Tech Mahindra included Mr. Dharmaraj Nayak, Head of Global Leadership Hiring, and Mr. Michael Sudheer Yennam, Project Delivery Manager for ServiceNow Practices. The university’s leadership was represented by Vice-Chancellor Prof. Pradipta Kumar Nanda alongside Dr. P. K. Sahoo (Dean, ITER), Dr. Raj Kumar Hota (Dean, Placement) and Mr. Sumit Mitra (Head, Career Development Cell). Additionally, the heads of CSE, CSIT, AIML, Data Science, IoT, Mechanical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical Engineering, EEE and MCA Departments participated in the proceedings.
The event commenced with a formal welcome and introduction of the corporate dignitaries by the Dean of Placement Dr. Hota while Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nanda provided a comprehensive overview of SOA’s rapid academic growth and research milestones. Addressing the gathering, Mr. Dharmaraj Nayak of Tech Mahindra emphasized the mutual value of the partnership focusing on the escalating industry demand for quality and highly skilled technical manpower. The summit culminated in the formal exchange of the MoU documents between the Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Nanda and Mr. Nayak, representing Tech Mahindra, and the inauguration of the Centre of Excellence (CoE) Laboratory.