IIITM-K Gears up to Lead Knowledge City

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM:
The Indian Institute of Information Technology and Management-Kerala (IIITM-K) will take the lead in setting up the major R&D, innovation and learning centres at Knowledge City, a proposed hub designed by the Kerala government to delve into cutting-edge and future technologies.
Knowledge City will be the centerpiece of the first phase of Technocity, one of the country’s biggest IT Parks, the foundation stone for which will be laid by President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday (October 27). Spread over 400 acres in Mangalapuram near the capital city, Technocity will distinguish itself from other IT Parks in not just providing business infrastructure, but in taking an active lead in innovation and R&D.
IIITM-K, an autonomous institution established by the government of Kerala for post graduate education and research in IT and allied areas, will focus its energies on three major technology domains in Knowledge City in the first stage — Cognitive Analysis, Cyber Security and Blockchain Technology. The Cognitive Analysis division will include artificial intelligence (AI), machine learning, deep learning and big data. The AI study centre will be the first-of-its-kind in the government academic sector in India; the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) currently has one, but it concentrates on defence-related studies.
The Cyber Security wing will focus on information security and the Blockchain section will lead research into this new and exciting model of decentralization in information sharing. IIITM-K is already working with major businesses in Blockchain technology studies.
During the second phase, the IIITM-K will expand its activities in the Knowledge City to electric mobility and space application science sectors.
“As a well-established centre for excellence, it is natural that the IIITM-K should lead Kerala’s most ambitious knowledge project in the IT domain. We expect socially and economically empowering innovations and research to emerge out of this hub in the future,” said M Sivasankar, IT Secretary, Government of Kerala.
Dr. Saji Gopinath, CEO, Kerala Startup Mission (KSUM) said that IIITM-K will aim to set the pace for innovation in these sectors. “We hope to build skills and expertise in areas that have great potential in the future. The IIITM-K has been conceived as a treasure trove of knowledge in the technology field,” he said.
IIITM-K Associate Professor Dr. Ashraf. S said that the institution has proven its mettle at three levels — knowledge creation, practical application and knowledge dissemination. “Industry-academia collaboration is a major part of these activities; and we are also proud to be the first stop for the government for all things related to modern technology.”