THEBUSINESSBYTES BUREAU
BHUBANESWAR, MAY 26, 2026
In a significant step towards strengthening corporate social
responsibility and sustainable development initiatives in Odisha, Indian
Institute of Technology Bhubaneswar has signed a Memorandum of Understanding
(MoU) with Odisha CSR Forum to promote collaborative action in the areas of
CSR, sustainability, community development, and capacity-building across the
state.
The MoU was formally exchanged between Prof. Shreepad Karmalkar,
Director, IIT Bhubaneswar and Brajendra Kumar Mishra, Convener, Odisha CSR
Forum on May 25, 2026, in the presence of Prof. Dinakar Pasla, Dean (Sponsored
Research & Industrial Consultancy), Prof. Ashis Biswas, Dean (Alumni,
Corporate & International Relations), Pradeep Kumar Sahoo, Deputy Registrar
(Alumni, Corporate & International Relations) from IIT Bhubaneswar, and T.C.
Hota from Odisha CSR Forum.
The partnership aims to establish a robust collaborative framework that
combines the academic excellence and research capabilities of IIT Bhubaneswar
with the industry outreach and CSR expertise of Odisha CSR Forum to drive
impactful social and developmental initiatives.
Under the agreement, both institutions will jointly organize training
programmes, workshops, seminars, conferences, CSR conclaves, stakeholder
consultations, and consultancy assignments focusing on CSR strategy,
sustainability reporting, ESG practices, skill development, and social impact
assessment.
The collaboration will also facilitate the implementation of projects in
key sectors such as education, healthcare, environment protection, livelihood
generation, rural development, renewable energy, climate change mitigation, and
community development. In addition, the MoU lays special emphasis on student
and youth participation through volunteer engagement in CSR initiatives and
outreach activities, while also supporting scholarships and fellowships for
meritorious and economically weaker students.
Speaking on the occasion, officials from both organizations underscored
the growing importance of multi-stakeholder partnerships in addressing emerging
social and developmental challenges. They expressed confidence that the
collaboration would strengthen CSR-led community development initiatives in
Odisha and create a dynamic platform for knowledge-sharing, innovation, and
impactful grassroots interventions.
