The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar, in collaboration with Dr. B.R. Ambedkar National Institute of Technology Jalandhar, successfully hosted the 2nd International Conference on Machine Intelligence for Research and Innovations (MAiTRI 2024) from June 21st to 23rd.

The three-day hybrid event, marking the 112th birth anniversary of the legendary Alan Turing, was a significant milestone for the Science, Technology, Engineering, and Management Research Society.

The conference was supported by MeitY, the Government of India, Digital India, and G20 India 2023, MAiTRI 2024 showcased groundbreaking developments in intelligent and autonomous systems. Its proceedings will be published by Springer Nature, ensuring global dissemination of the innovative research presented.

The event featured renowned mentors and guests of honor, contributing to its high-caliber discourse. Among the distinguished mentors were Prof. Leo Joskowicz, Director of CASMIP Lab, Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Israel; and Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, Director NIT Srinagar and Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir, who served as the Patron of the conference.

Prof. Roohie Naaz, Dean, R&C NIT Srinagar, Prof. Tapan Kumar Gandhi, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Delhi, and Prof. Puspendra P. Singh, Director of AWaDH and Dean R&C, IIT Ropar were special guests.

In his key address, Prof. A Ravinder Nath emphasized that the summit highlighted a diverse range of topics including machine learning, deep learning, real-time computer vision, and computational intelligence.

He stated that the main aim of this conference was to inculcate a sense of urgency among budding researchers to incorporate sustainability into their future endeavors.

“NIT Srinagar is committed to supporting such conferences in the future,” Prof. Ravindernath added.

Prof. Tapan Kumar Gandhi and Prof. Puspendra P. Singh, who were Guests of Honor, stated that MAiTRI 2024 offered a dynamic environment for scholars and practitioners to discuss the latest advancements in machine intelligence.

They emphasized the necessity of such conferences, which focused on intelligent and autonomous robots (IAR), unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), autonomous underwater vehicles (AUV), autonomous surface vehicles (ASV), autonomous land vehicles (ALV), swarm robots, humanoid robots, and autonomous household robots.

 Prof. Roohie Naaz, Dean, R&C, noted that NIT Srinagar is open for collaborations, research projects, and joint publications.

“We are committed to expanding our research domain not only by reaching out but also by our attitude. We want our research to have a significant impact,” she added.

Dean Alumni and International Affairs Prof. Nazir Ahmad Sheikh and Dean Students Welfare Prof. Abdul Liman remarked that the conference provided a vibrant platform for participants from across the globe to discuss ground-breaking research ideas about nanotechnology and its relevance.

They lauded the organizers for successfully conducting the two-day conference.

Head of CSE, Dr Md Ahsan Chisti said that MAiTRI 2024 paved the way for future innovations in machine intelligence.

 “The conference underscored the importance of interdisciplinary research and collaboration in advancing technology for societal benefit. The success of this event sets a promising precedent for future editions, reinforcing India's position as a global hub for technological innovation and research,” he added.

Dr Tarun Kumar Sharma said that “MAiTRI 2024 has set a new benchmark for international conferences on machine intelligence. The diverse range of topics covered and the quality of research presented are truly commendable.

“This platform not only facilitated the exchange of innovative ideas but also strengthened the global research community. I am confident that the insights gained here will propel future advancements in the field,” he added.

The organizing committee, which played a crucial role in the success of MAiTRI 2024, included Dr. Shaima Qureshi, Dr. Ranjeet Kumar Rout, Dr. Jigneshkumar V. Rohit, Dr. Mohammad Mohsin Khan from NIT Srinagar; Dr. Anupam Yadav, Department of Mathematics, NIT Jalandhar; Dr. Om Prakash Verma, Department of Instrumentation and Control Engineering, NIT Jalandhar; and Dr. Tarun K. Sharma from Shobhit University Gangoh.

The organizing secretaries were Dr. H. S. Pali, Dr. Vijay Kumar, Dr. Chilaka Ranga, Dr. Sparsh Sharma, and Dr. Pramod Kumar Yadav from NIT Srinagar, and Dr. Saiyed Umer from the Department of CSE, Alia University, Kolkata, Dr Venigston K and Dr Tawseef from Department of CSE and Dr. Om Prakash Verma for NIT Jalandhar