A New Era of Education, Innovation, and Skill Development Begins in Chhattisgarh: Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai

Tripartite MoU signed between Government of Chhattisgarh, IIM Raipur, NIT Raipur, and Motilal Oswal Foundation
Motilal Oswal Foundation to contribute ₹172 crore to IIM & NIT Raipur

Raipur, Aug 2025: Under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Chhattisgarh today entered a new era in the fields of education, skill development, and innovation. At a special event held at Pt. Deendayal Upadhyay Auditorium in the state capital, the Chief Minister witnessed the signing of a tripartite Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Government of Chhattisgarh, the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Raipur, the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur, and the Motilal Oswal Foundation.

Under this agreement, the Smt. Mithilesh Agrawal Centre for Innovation & Excellence in Entrepreneurship will be established. Construction will commence in 2025-26, with the goal of becoming fully operational by 2027-28.

Education, Skills, and Innovation to Reach Every Village: CM Sai

Speaking on the occasion, CM Vishnu Deo Sai said that this MoU will play a vital role in realizing the “Chhattisgarh Anjor Vision.” The initiative will bring a revolution in education, skill development, and innovation to every village, inspiring the youth to move forward.

He stressed that the centre should not be limited to students of IIM and NIT, but should also benefit rural youth, enabling them to become self-reliant through research, experimentation, and entrepreneurship. He appealed to the industry to join this movement for education and skill development.

Chhattisgarh to Lead an Innovation-Driven Economy

The CM highlighted that Chhattisgarh is now advancing rapidly not only in core sectors but also in cutting-edge fields like semiconductors, artificial intelligence, pharmaceuticals, defence, aerospace, and green hydrogen. Over 350 reforms in the past 20 months have created a favourable investment climate, resulting in proposals worth over ₹6.75 lakh crore in just eight months.

He called upon the people of the state to commit to making Chhattisgarh a leader in an innovation-driven economy — where youth become agents of change and entrepreneurship guides the direction of society.

Country’s Largest Farmer Training Centre to be Set Up

Motilal Oswal Foundation Co-founder & Chairman, Mr. Ramdeo Agrawal, announced the establishment of the country’s largest training centre for farmers in Raipur. He said that Chhattisgarh is a resource-rich state with immense development potential and that the foundation is fully committed to contributing to its growth journey. The foundation has decided to dedicate 10% of its total funds for social welfare, focusing on education, skills, and agriculture-related initiatives.

₹172 Crore Contribution from Motilal Oswal Foundation

The foundation announced a ₹172 crore donation to IIM Raipur and NIT Raipur — with ₹101 crore going to IIM Raipur and ₹71 crore to NIT Raipur.

At IIM Raipur, the funds will be used to establish a 202-room Oswal Hostel and the Dau Ram Gopal Agrawal Knowledge Centre, as well as to launch six international MBA programs in collaboration with leading institutions from the USA, UK, France, and Germany.

At NIT Raipur, the Smt. Mithilesh Agrawal Centre of Excellence will focus on deep-tech areas such as artificial intelligence, robotics, Internet of Things (IoT), blockchain, and clean energy. By 2030, it will train over 10,000 youth, incubate more than 250 startups, and create over 5,000 skilled jobs. The initiative is designed to meet Chhattisgarh’s industrial needs — especially in mining, steel, and manufacturing — and will work with local industries to address real-world challenges.

The event was attended by Principal Secretary Ms. Niharika Barik, Secretary of Higher Education & Skill Development Mr. S. Bharathidasan, CEO of Chhattisgarh State Skill Development Authority Mr. Vijay Dayaram K, NIT Raipur Chairman Dr. Suresh Haware, IIM Raipur Chairman Mr. Puneet Dalmia, NIT Director Mr. N. V. Prasanna Rao, IIM Raipur Acting Director Dr. Sanjeev Parashar, senior officials, academicians, and a large number of students.