ANRF Selects 10 Institutions to Establish Convergence Research Centres of Excellence.
Interdisciplinary research hubs to address societal challenges, sustainability, AI, rural development and cultural preservation.
New Delhi:
In a major push towards interdisciplinary and socially relevant research, the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) has announced the selection of ten institutions for establishing Convergence Research Centres of Excellence (CoEs) under its flagship Convergence Research CoE Programme.
The initiative aims to integrate scientific research with social sciences and humanities to develop holistic solutions for complex societal and developmental challenges.
The selected Centres of Excellence will focus on themes such as archaeology and traditional knowledge systems, digital humanities, rural development, health and psychology, emerging technologies for social issues, and computational economics.
A Vision for Multidisciplinary Research
The programme seeks to create pioneering research ecosystems where experts from diverse domains collaborate to address regional and national issues through transdisciplinary approaches. The initiative aligns closely with the vision of the Government of India under the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 and the broader goal of achieving “Viksit Bharat 2047”.
According to ANRF, the convergence-based model is designed to combine scientific innovation with cultural, historical, social, and economic understanding, enabling more sustainable and inclusive policymaking and development.
The programme also reflects India’s growing emphasis on integrating emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, robotics, and big data analytics with social and developmental research.
Ten Institutions Selected Across India
The ten selected institutions and their proposed Centres are:
1. Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar
Project: Centre for Human-Climate Interactions and Environmental Histories (CHIEH)
Theme: Archaeology and Traditional Knowledge Systems.
2. National Institute of Advanced Studies
Project: Centre for Excellence in Archaeomaterials, Archaeometallurgy, Earth Sciences & Conservation Research
Theme: Archaeology and Traditional Knowledge Systems
3. Indian Institute of Technology Madras
Project: SAṂYoga – Center for Sanskrit AI Music and Yoga
Theme: Archaeology and Traditional Knowledge Systems
4. National Institute of Technology Agartala
Project: AI-assisted Digital Curation and Global Promotion of North-East Indian Folklore: A Focus on Manipur and Tripura
Theme: Digital Humanities
5. Institute for Human Development
Project: Transformative AI and the Indian Labour Market: A Multidisciplinary Study on the Impact of Generative AI in Select High-Adoption Service Sectors
Theme: Digital Humanities
6. Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad
Project: Centre of Excellence for Rural Livelihoods and Development (CoE-RLD): A Hub for Integrated Planning for Rural Sustainability and Resilience
Theme: Rural Development
7. Indian Institute of Management Jammu
Project: Centre of Excellence on Digital Empowerment and Livelihood Development of Artisans (CoE-DELDA)
Theme: Rural Development
8. Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur
Project: Centre for Research and Intervention in Language Performance
Theme: Health and Psychology
9. Chanakya University
Project: Center for Languages and Lifeworlds
Theme: Emerging Technologies for Social Issues
10. PSGR Krishnammal College for Women
Project: Developing a Techno-Managerial Framework to Accelerate MSMEs Transition from Conventional to Contemporary Technologies through Academia-Industry Partnerships towards a Resilient, Sustainable, and Smart Innovation Ecosystem
Theme: Computational Economics
Strong National Participation
The programme witnessed overwhelming interest from the academic and research community, receiving as many as 945 proposals from institutions across the country. The selected Centres involve collaboration among 20 institutions, including IITs, NITs, central and state universities, private universities, colleges, and recognised research and development organisations.
ANRF stated that the collaborative nature of the programme is one of its key strengths, as each Centre mandates intra-disciplinary or inter-disciplinary partnerships involving academic institutions, publicly funded organisations, and private institutions.
Focus on Societal Impact
The initiative is expected to contribute significantly towards addressing critical issues such as climate change, cultural preservation, AI-driven economic transformation, rural resilience, artisan empowerment, language and mental health studies, and sustainable industrial transitions.
Officials noted that such interdisciplinary convergence will help generate innovative policy frameworks, socially responsive technologies, and region-specific solutions while advancing India’s progress toward the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
With the launch of these Centres, ANRF aims to create a new generation of research institutions capable of bridging the gap between science, society, culture, and technology in the decades ahead.
