Raipur : The closing ceremony of the INAE Youth Conclave cum National Conference on Multidisciplinary Engineering and Emerging Technology (MEET 2026) was held at the National Institute of Technology (NIT) Raipur on Tuesday. Organised in collaboration with the Indian National Academy of Engineering (INAE), the event saw Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Arun Sao attend as the chief guest.
Distinguished guests present on the occasion included Dr. Sameer Bajpai, Director (In-charge), NIT Raipur; Dr. Rajiv Prakash, Director, IIT Bhilai; Dr. Rohit Kumar Gupta, Director, JNARDDC; Dr. S. Sanyal, Dean, CR&RM; and Dr. Archana Sharma, ANRF PM Professor, NIT Raipur. The programme was chaired by Dr. Sanjeev Kumar, Assistant Professor in the Department of Mechanical Engineering. Conference coordinators, faculty members and participants were also present.
Welcoming the gathering, Dr. Sameer Bajpai expressed gratitude to the guests and appreciated the efforts, dedication and ideas presented by the participants. He encouraged the youth to continue refining and advancing their concepts and projects.
Dr. S. Sanyal called upon young innovators to develop their knowledge and skills in alignment with national needs. He emphasised that innovations should not remain confined to conference presentations but must be transformed into practical solutions beneficial to society and the economy.
Dr. Rajiv Prakash advised participants to connect with the incubation centres at NIT Raipur’s iHub and IIT Bhilai to take their ideas forward. He underlined the importance of continuous effort and patience, urging them to learn from failures rather than be discouraged by setbacks.
Dr. Rohit Kumar Gupta highlighted India’s progress in the space sector, noting that more than 90 per cent of materials used in the field were imported in the year 2000, whereas the country is now achieving significant milestones through indigenous technology. Referring to upcoming lunar missions and India’s human spaceflight programme, he inspired the youth to work towards innovation, scientific temper and self-reliance. He also expressed pride in being an alumnus of NIT Raipur.
Dr. Sanjeev Kumar informed that the conference witnessed the participation of more than 300 individuals and over 180 teams, who presented their ideas, projects, research work and technical solutions. He expressed hope that the event would motivate young people to convert their concepts into technically robust and socially relevant solutions.
Chief Guest Arun Sao welcomed the young innovators from across the country to Chhattisgarh. Recalling India’s glorious history and scientific tradition, he stressed the need for proper branding and patenting of indigenous innovations. He urged the participants to face challenges with confidence, determination and a spirit of innovation, stating that they would play a key role in building Viksit Bharat 2047 and shaping the nation’s future.
Awards and certificates were presented to winners across various categories, followed by the presentation of mementos to the dignitaries. Dr. Archana Sharma delivered the vote of thanks.
The conference concluded with a collective resolve to foster innovation, multidisciplinary research and technical excellence among the youth. MEET 2026 played a significant role in encouraging indigenous technical solutions for nation-building and inspiring young talent to contribute to India’s progress.
