RTMNU secures ANRF-PAIR grant of over Rs 6 crore
   Date :24-Apr-2025

RTMNU secures ANRF-PAIR grant of over Rs 6 crore
 
Staff Reporter :
 
A major milestone for the RTMNU as the grant will be utilised for its 10 inter-disciplinary research projects under the ANRF-PAIR initiative in collaboration with IIT Indore
 
In a landmark achievement that underscores its growing research excellence, the Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University (RTMNU) has secured a prestigious research grant of over Rs 6 crore under the Advanced National Research Foundation – Partnerships for Advancing Interdisciplinary Research (ANRF-PAIR) initiative. The notable success was made possible through a dynamic collaboration with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Indore, one of the seven hubs selected under the first phase of the program initiated by the Department of Science and Technology (DST)-ANRF.
 
RTMNU has been designated as a Spoke Institution under this prestigious program, and 10 research proposals from its Science Departments, including Pharmaceutical Sciences, Physics, Chemistry, Botany, and Molecular Biology and Genetics, have been selected. The projects focus on national priority themes like Advanced Materials, Environmental Sustainability, and Energy Technology. This milestone was made possible by the visionary leadership and encouragement of the then acting Vice-Chancellor Dr Prashant Bokare and then Pro-Vice Chancellor Dr Rajendra Kakde, whose active support and strategic guidance were instrumental in securing the collaboration and submission of high-impact proposals. The University continues to excel under the present leadership of Dr Madhavi Khode-Chawre, Vice-Chancellor, and Dr Subhash Kondawar, Pro- Vice Chancellor, who are committed to advancing RTMNU’s research landscape. 
 
Additionally, the consistent administrative and logistical support provided by Dr Raju Hiwase, Registrar of RTMNU, has played a crucial role in facilitating this achievement. Along with Dr Nishikant A Raut, IIL Director; Dr Smita Acharya, IQAC Director; Dr Dadasaheb M. Kokare, Project Co-Ordinator; Dr Prakash Itankar, Dr Rupesh S. Badere, Dr Ravin Jugade, Dr Vijay M. Tangde, Dr Dayanand P. Gogle, Dr Pramod S. Salve, Dr Rajesh Ugale, Dr Rita Wadetwar, Dr Umesh A Palikundwar, Dr Veena Belgamwar were present.
Sanctioned projects and Principal Investigator and team
1. Sustainable Isolation, Optimisation, and Scale-up of Phospholipids from Ghee Residue
o PI: Dr Nishikant A. Raut | CO-PI: Dr Prakash Itankar, Prof. Kiran Bala (IIT Indore)
2. Chitosan-based Eco-friendly Yield-Enhancer Formulation for Wheat
o PI: Dr Rupesh S. Badere | CO-PI: Dr Ravin Jugade, Dr Hemchandra Jha (IIT Indore)
3. Novel Deep Eutectic Solvent-Derived Metal Organic Frameworks for Environmental Detoxification
o PI: Dr Vijay M. Tangde | CO-PI: Dr Ravin Jugade, Prof. Rajneesh Misra (IIT Indore)
4. Nano-Composite Strategies for Improved Nutrient Uptake in Crop Plants
o PI: Dr Dayanand P. Gogle | CO-PI: Prof. Pramod S. Salve, Dr Bivas Dutta (IIT Indore)
5. 3D Printed Hydrogel Scaffold for Treatment of Spinal Cord Injury
o PI: Dr Dadasaheb M. Kokare | CO-PI: Dr Veena Belgamwar, Prof. Dhinakaran Shanmugam (IIT Indore)
6. Collagen-PEDOT:PSS Scaffold Hydrogel Enriched with NSC for Brain Injury
o PI: Dr Rajesh Ugale | CO-PI: Dr Rita Wadetwar, Prof. S. Dhinakaran (IIT Indore)
7. Next-Gen Carbon from Biomass for Energy Storage
o PI: Dr Abhay Deshmukh | CO-PI: Dr Umesh Palikundwar, Prof. R. Kailasham (IIT Indore)
8. 3D Printed Eriosematin E-Based Drug Delivery for Inflammatory Bowel Disease
o PI: Dr Satyendra K. Prasad | CO-PI: Dr Rajesh Ugale, Dr S. Janakiraman (IIT Indore)
9. Advanced Heterostructure Electrolytes for Low-Temperature Ceramic Fuel Cells
o PI: Dr Smita Acharya | CO-PI: Dr Vijay Tangade, Dr Satyanarayan Patel (IIT Indore)
10. Cobalt-Free Cathode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries
o PI: Dr Umesh A. Palikundwar | CO-PI: Dr Abhay Deshmukh, Dr Pravarthana Dhanapal (IIT Indore)
These cutting-edge projects aim to address urgent societal and environmental challenges using innovative, interdisciplinary approaches. The collaboration with IIT Indore, a hub of technological excellence, has provided a significant impetus for RTMNU’s research ecosystem. This not only showcases the University's research capabilities but also places it on the national map as a proactive contributor to India’s scientific advancement.