IIT Roorkee and HESCO Sign MoA to Advance Rural Sustainability and Community-Centric Innovation

Uttarakhand, May 5, 2025: The Indian Institute of Technology Roorkee (IIT Roorkee) has signed a strategic Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) with the Himalayan Environmental Studies and Conservation Organization (HESCO), Dehradun, to jointly promote sustainable development and innovation in rural and Himalayan regions. The MoA was signed today in the presence of Prof. K. K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, and Prof. Corey Glickman, Special Advisor, HESCO and Special Advisor to the U.S. Department of Defense, Pentagon.

The agreement was formally signed by Prof. Akshay Dvivedi, Dean (Sponsored Research and Industrial Consultancy), IIT Roorkee, and Padma Bhushan awardee Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi, Founder, HESCO. Other dignitaries present at the ceremony included Prof. Naveen K Navani, Dean of Academic Affairs; Prof. Ashish Pandey, Department of Water Resources Development and Management; and representatives from HESCO, including Dr. Shivam Joshi, Ms. Parul Negi, and Ms. Jyoti Parmar.

The collaboration focuses on developing low-cost, eco-friendly technologies tailored to the unique challenges of the Himalayan region. Joint research projects, PhD and internship opportunities for students, community outreach programs, and capacity-building workshops are among the key components of this partnership.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof. K. K. Pant, Director, IIT Roorkee, said, “This partnership embodies the essence of our mission to align cutting-edge research with the real needs of society. By working closely with HESCO, we aim to offer technological solutions that are not only sustainable but also accessible to underserved communities in the Himalayan region.”

The MoA also aligns with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, emphasizing experiential and applied learning. Students from IIT Roorkee will gain hands-on exposure to field projects that bridge engineering, environmental sustainability, and community engagement.

Dr. Anil Prakash Joshi, Founder of HESCO, added, “Our collaboration with IIT Roorkee marks a milestone in our ongoing journey to empower rural India. Together, we can integrate grassroots innovation with academic excellence to co-create solutions that bring meaningful change.”

The agreement reflects IIT Roorkee’s continued commitment to inclusive development and its proactive role in strengthening academia-society partnerships through impactful, technology-driven initiatives.