Dr. Chinmoy Kumar Panigrahi is the Director of the KIIT School of Electrical Engineering. He holds a B.Sc. in Engineering degree from Sambalpur University, an M.E. degree from VSSUT University, and a PhD in Engineering from Jadavpur University. Prof. Panigrahi’s research expertise lies in the fields of Soft Computing Techniques, Power Systems, Renewable Energy, Battery Management Systems, Deregulation and Smart Grid. He has supervised 29 PhD Scholars, 72 M.Tech. Scholars till date.

Dr. Panigrahi has published 182 research articles in referred journals and presented 148 papers in reputed conferences. Further, he was the Reader and HOD, Department of Electrical and Electronics Engineering, BIT Mesra (Patna Campus) from 15/12/2006 to 29/04/2009 and HOD, Department of Electrical Engineering, BIET Bhadrak. Prof. Panigrahi has won many accolades throughout his academic tenure, such as the Top 3 PhD Supervisors at KIIT Deemed to be University in 2022, the Outstanding Scientist Award in 2020 (VDGOOD Professional Association), and the Best Teacher Award, 2015 (Ever Green Forum).

Currently, Dr. Chinmoy is the Chair of the IEEE Kolkata Section Industrial Electronics Society Chapter - Bhubaneswar and the IEEE Kolkata Section Consumer Technology Society Chapter – Bhubaneswar. He is a senior member of the IEEE. He is a Fellow of the Institution of Engineers (I), a Life Member of the Indian Society for Technical Education (ISTE), a Fellow (Life) Member of the Indian Society of Lighting Engineers (ISLE), and a Life Member of SESI, among others.

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You have held key positions at education Institutes throughout your professional career. What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

Teaching and research are my passions. I enjoy working to develop effective systems of communication and ensuring that the campus community remains focused on the university mission. Watching my students study and graduate to be successful professionals also motivates me to keep working in academia. I find it fulfilling to work towards implementing the national education policy in our institute, introduce quality and innovation enhancement and their sustainability and promote productive engagement with ‘communities of scholars’ from within their universities and from national and international domains.

Being the Director of the Institute what is your philosophy of leadership? How would you describe your leadership style?

I believe in a leadership style that involves developing teams and teamwork, building partnerships and collaborations delicately interwoven by collegiality, and friendship and intellectual engagement. I ensure the primary accountability is to myself while also steering an institutional monitoring and evaluation mechanism for university performance built on principles of transparency. There must be absolute impartiality and fairness in dealings with persons and issues, which would help to improve the university’s health by minimising litigation and thereby saving time and money.

Being the Director, how do you strategize about the key programs and plans for the marketing and administration of your Institute?

I prepare the strategic planning for different programs in terms of admission and scope, and devise evaluation techniques for transparency in academics. The planning ensures the excellence, integrity, and compliance of all aspects of the research process, and provides strategic application support, protects the safety and welfare of employees and research participants, and promotes adherence to all governmental regulations and university and sponsoring agency policies and procedures governing the research process.

How does the curriculum of the Institute ensure the best practice of industry?

Keeping close with the industry is essential, as there is something to look into and keep innovating. Our curriculum is a blend of academic theory and industry practices. We use real-time case studies, live projects, and other pedagogical practices to make sure our students are well-equipped to become industry managers and leaders. We inculcate the highest level of competence, integrity, ethics, and morals in our students. We also provide overall leadership, direction and control in all academic areas and have regular reviews of academic programs and curriculum development while also serving as academic liaisons with various state educational boards and industries.

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Any insights into how the Institute could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

Being associated with industry speakers will be for the betterment of the students. Our institute is a great place to work and has the best environment to be associated with. For students, we are one of the best business schools, where students can experience the blend of best practices of industry and academics. We have a distinguished leadership series, to where we invite industry speakers. We do not have any restrictions on admitting students from different races and backgrounds.

What do you think your roles and responsibilities to the Institute and the students are?

My responsibility is multifaceted. I work to develop the syllabus periodically for different programs in engineering as per the needs of the industry and to explore professional activities. I also ensure to work at promoting multidisciplinary research activities within the student’s community (a capstone project), establishing a laboratory with an industry feel, having student friendly and staff friendly facilities, and promoting a mentor-mentee system.

What do you think should be the Institute’s top priority over the next 10 years?

The world of education is changing rapidly, and it can be difficult to keep up with all the latest trends and developments. Online learning and personalised learning will continue to grow. They will involve tailoring learning experiences to suit the needs and preferences of individual students which we will implement in the future. Artificial Intelligence (AI) is already changing the face of education and can also be used to create personalised learning experiences by analyzing data on student performance and providing targeted feedback and recommendations, which we will include in our curriculum. We will also introduce competency-based education is an approach to learning that focuses on mastering specific skills and knowledge, which will allow students to move at their own pace.

Since the establishment of KIIT School of Electrical Engineering what was your vision for the Institute? Has it evolved over time, and how far along in implementing that vision?

When I first joined the institute, we wanted to establish different strategies for an effective teaching-learning process to develop skilled electrical engineers. We also had a vision to provide technical knowledge to meet industry and societal needs and to develop social responsibility among students. So far, we have contributed immensely towards this goal but there is more work to be done.

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What do you see as the Institute's greatest strengths?

We are producing socially sensible and responsible citizens who are committed to contributing to global peace and harmony. We also have an ecosystem for promoting research and innovation within the institution. The college also promotes community oriented learning, research and development that contribute to the learning of the students and their becoming professionals.

What are some of the biggest challenges you see, both for higher education in general and for KIIT School of Electrical Engineering specifically?

One of the biggest challenges we face is students’ lack of accountability linked to autonomy. There is also a need to work on their interest in and ability to improve quality consciousness on the campuses. We also want to work on inculcating a commitment to and sympathy for community values and aspirations. 

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

Understand the concept and importance of the phrase ‘survival of the fittest.” As far as students are concerned, a change in mindset is the required skill. They have to quickly adapt, and reskill rather than upskill and face the challenges head-on.

How do you tend to establish a healthy relation and environment in your Institute?

There are many opportunities for students to study abroad, participate in international exchange programs, and engage in online learning with students from around the world. However, in the future, these opportunities will become even more widespread and accessible. Global education will be important for preparing students to work in a globalised economy, as well as for promoting cross-cultural understanding and cooperation.