Manipur University opens international conference showcasing northeast’s innovation potential

The Manipur Institute of Technology (MIT) under Manipur University (MU) inaugurated the Northeast India International Conference on Innovation in Science and Technology today. The three-day event, scheduled from December 9 to 11, 2025, is being held at the Court Hall of the Vice-Chancellor’s Secretariat at Manipur University.

The inaugural ceremony was presided over by Prof. Th. Suresh Singh, Principal of MIT, and graced by Prof. N. Lokendra Singh, Vice-Chancellor of Manipur University, as the Chief Guest. Guests of Honour included Prof. N. Basanta Singh, Dean of the School of Engineering; Prof. N.C. Shivaprakash (Retd.) of IISc Bengaluru; and Prof. R.K. Hemokumar Singh, former Dean of the School of Engineering, MU.

In his address, Vice-Chancellor Prof. N. Lokendra Singh underlined the Northeast’s emergence as a rising technological hub and highlighted the role of academic collaboration, interdisciplinary research, and innovation-led problem solving in shaping the region’s future. He reaffirmed the university’s commitment to fostering strong partnerships between academia and industry.

Delivering the keynote lecture, Prof. N.C. Shivaprakash stressed the critical role of inter-institutional cooperation in accelerating innovation. He noted that the conference offers a robust platform for research presentation, networking, and knowledge exchange. Reflecting on global technological trends and his four decades of experience, he discussed the growing impact of Artificial Intelligence (AI), describing it as a multidisciplinary field intersecting psychology, linguistics, computer science, and engineering. He also highlighted advancements influencing rural and urban development, challenges in wireless connectivity, and innovations across automobiles, aerospace, healthcare, biotechnology, nanotechnology, and renewable energy.

Prof. N. Basanta Singh outlined the central objective of the conference—to encourage a spirit of inquiry and develop AI-driven solutions tailored to Northeast India’s unique needs. He expressed his gratitude to the North Eastern Council (NEC), Shillong, for sponsoring the programme.

In his presidential remarks, Prof. Th. Suresh Singh thanked NEC for its support and announced that the conference had accepted 125 research papers across eight technical sessions. These sessions will cover disaster-resilient infrastructure, smart city development, artificial intelligence applications, green energy technologies, and a wide range of engineering domains.

Dr. K. Rambha Devi, Convenor of the conference, delivered the welcome address, while Dr. Rajeev Rajkumar, Co-convenor, proposed the vote of thanks.

Dr. Sanabam Sujen Singh, Extension Officer (Seismology) (Science &Technology), North Eastern Council (NEC)
attended the inaugural function as guest from the event sponsor.

Sponsored by the North Eastern Council, Shillong, the conference aims to advance frontier research, strengthen academia–industry collaboration, and promote sustainable innovations suited to the distinctive developmental challenges of Northeast India.