Kanpur, November 5, 2022: Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh, Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, visited the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur today as part of the Indian Governance Summit’22 by the Public Policy and Opinion Cell, IIT Kanpur. Gracing as the Chief Guest, he inaugurated the Summit with a visit to some critical R&D facilities of the institute.

A 1984 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer from the Uttar Pradesh cadre and a graduate of IIT Kanpur (B.Tech - EE), Shri Durga Shanker Mishra has donned several hats when it comes to policy making. He had a very humble beginning, but with sheer perseverance and dedication, climbed up the ladders of success. In an illustrious career spanning decades, he has held a number of top positions in the state and federal governments, including those in the areas of state and federal taxation, revenue administration, internal security, vigilance, civil aviation, tourism, sports, agriculture research, medical & health, mining, and urban development. For more than four years, he served as Secretary to the Government of India in the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, where he was instrumental in the planning and implementation of several flagship urban missions, including the Swachh Bharat Mission-Urban (SBM-U), Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Urban (PMAY-U), Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), Deen Dayal Antyodaya Yojana. Shri Durga Shanker Mishra also served as the Chairman of the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation.

As part of the inauguration of the Summit, Shri Durga Shanker Mishra visited the C3i Hub, Centre of Excellence for Drones, and National Centre for Flexible Electronics at IIT Kanpur. At C3i Hub, he was shown the blockchain technology developed at IIT Kanpur for e-Governance, and the techniques developed to address security vulnerabilities. As part of the National Blockchain Project, IIT Kanpur has tie-ups with UP and Karnataka state governments for e-Governance services. At Centre of Excellence for Drones, Prof. Abhishek from the Dept. of Aerospace Engineering, IIT Kanpur showcased the Chief Guest the endurance, altitude and load capacity of drones, along with fuel cell development for drones. He was also shown the drones used for vaccine and essentials deliveries during COVID.

Shri Durga Shanker Mishra took stock of the printable electronics and writable electronics circuits developed at IIT Kanpur’s National Centre for Flexible Electronics. He was shown various devices like the 3D printable anti-counterfeiting labels, Likhotronics (writable electronics), the clean room, Radio frequency identification (RFID) tag, novel haptic smart watch for the visually impaired, thermal jacket, IV bottle level detection label that automatically detects fluid flow, meta surface antenna, pressure sensor for smart shelf, among others.

Being present as the Chief Guest, Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, Chief Secretary of Uttar Pradesh said, “Public policy today is not only about planning, but about implementation. In today’s India, delivering public policies effectively to the masses is key.”

“I’m truly delighted after visiting the various R&D facilities at IIT Kanpur today. I think a lot has changed from what it used to be earlier. IIT Kanpur is taking lead on various fronts,” he added.

Shri Durga Shanker Mishra highlighted the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana in Uttar Pradesh. He said that under the current government, the pace of sanctioning the scheme increased significantly and that by now, over 11 lakhs beneficiaries have got houses, and more than 13 lakhs homes to beneficiaries have been sanctioned. He also emphasized largely on the importance of prioritizing vernacular languages in line with NEP, while learning English as a communicating language. He said that we should not let language be a barrier, but our strength.

Prof. Abhay Karandikar, Director IIT Kanpur said, “We’re delighted to have Shri Durga Shanker Mishra as the Chief Guest for the Indian Governance Summit’22. His vast experience as a policy maker and his current role as the Chief Secretary of the state brings in newer possibilities of growth for UP. IIT Kanpur has been associated with the state government on various critical R&D projects. We’d continue to contribute our bit for effective policy making that benefits not only the state, but the nation as well.”

Shri Durga Shanker Mishra, was given a detailed presentation on the Gangwal School of Medical Sciences & Technology, coming up as an ambitious mega project at IIT Kanpur. The foundation stone of the School was laid by Union Minister of Education, and Skill Development & Entrepreneurship Shri Dharmendra Pradhan in July this year. It would also house a 500-bedded Yadupati Singhania Super Speciality Hospital. He also visited the ambitious Hridyantra project, also known as the LVAD (left ventricular assist device) facility, which is working on developing an affordable and advanced artificial heart that can be a game-changer in medical sciences. He was shown the prototype under development and the ongoing research on surface treatment in addition to a simulator which mimics the variable blood flow in the heart for testing LVAD.

The annual Indian Governance Summit by the Public Policy and Opinion Cell, IIT Kanpur highlights key issues of policy making with an India-specific standpoint and seek solutions and comprehensive discussions on it by invited dignitaries and attendees.

About IIT Kanpur

Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, is one of the premier institutions set up by the Government of India. Registered in 1959, the institute was assisted by nine leading institutions of the U.S.A in the setting up of its academic programs and laboratories during the period 1962-72. With its record of path-breaking innovations and cutting-edge research, the institute is known the world over as a learning center of repute in engineering, science, and several interdisciplinary areas. The institute has been consistently ranked among top engineering colleges by NIRF. In addition to formal undergraduate and postgraduate courses, the institute has been active in research and development in areas of value to both industry and government.

For more information, visit www.iitk.ac.in.