New Delhi: The Footwear Design and Development Institute (FDDI), an institution under the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT), has marked a significant milestone in its journey towards technological advancement and excellence. At a ceremony held at Udyog Bhawan, FDDI signed four Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with leading academic institutions: Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University, Chennai; Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT), Chennai; Woxsen University, Hyderabad; and Kalinga Institute of Industrial Technology (KIIT), Bhubaneswar.
In his welcome address, FDDI Managing Director Dr. Sumeet Jarangal highlighted the transformative potential of these collaborations. He emphasized that this initiative will greatly benefit stakeholders, including faculty, students, entrepreneurs, and workers in the footwear and leather industry. The MoUs are designed to enhance skills through joint courses and training programs offered by these esteemed partner institutions.
Dr. Jarangal elaborated on the objectives of the MoUs, which include the exchange of faculty and students, collaborative research initiatives, and product development projects. He noted that these agreements align with FDDI’s core vision to boost research and development capabilities, facilitate knowledge exchange, and drive innovation in footwear, leather goods, and fashion products.
“The MoUs represent a significant step forward in transforming our research and development efforts into actionable projects,” said Dr. Jarangal. He stressed the need to translate these agreements into tangible outcomes, thereby elevating the footwear and leather sector to new heights.
Director of Centers of Excellence (CoE), Dr. Madhusudan Pal, presented practical measures to ensure the MoUs’ success. These include organizing campus visits, establishing public-private partnerships, and creating internship programs in collaboration with Woxsen University. Dr. Pal also underscored the importance of intellectual property rights protection, prototype development, and commercialization of innovative products, reinforcing the commitment to industry-relevant advancements.
The event saw the presence of notable attendees including Secretary FDDI Col. Pankaj Kumar Sinha and representatives from the participating universities: Dr. Sivakumar R, Dean of VIT Chennai; Dr. P. Rajnikumar, Head of CEB-HPC at Tamil Nadu Physical Education and Sports University; Dr. Adity Saxena, Dean, and Santhosh Kocherlakota, Assistant Dean of Woxsen University; and Prof. Bauri Raula, Dean of KIIT Odisha.