MANTRA Strengthens Research Panel With IIT, NIT Experts

SURAT : In a move aimed at giving India’s textile research ecosystem a stronger industry-academia push, the Man-Made Textiles Research Association (MANTRA), Surat, has revamped and strengthened its Research Advisory Committee with experts from leading IITs, NITs, universities and the textile industry.

The appointments are expected to give MANTRA’s research programmes a sharper focus on emerging technologies, sustainable textiles, technical textiles and commercially viable innovations.

MANTRA, a Ministry of Textiles-recognised textile research institute, is engaged in research, technology development and knowledge enhancement across both technical and conventional textiles.

The newly appointed academic experts include Prof. Karthik Subramaniam Pushpavanam, Assistant Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, IIT Gandhinagar; Dr Jignasa Gohel, Professor, Department of Chemical Engineering, SVNIT Surat; Dr Achche Lal, Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical Engineering, SVNIT Surat; Dr Rajesh Patel, Professor, Department of Bioscience-Microbiology, Veer Narmad South Gujarat University (VNSGU); and Dr Paresh Patel, Professor, Department of Chemistry, VNSGU.

From the industry, Himanshu Jariwala of J.Korin Spinning Pvt. Ltd., Sachin, has joined the committee, bringing hands-on experience from the textile manufacturing sector.

“Industry-oriented research must move beyond laboratories and translate into solutions that can be adopted on the shop floor. The inclusion of academic and industry experts will help MANTRA strengthen this connect,” MANTRA said.

The committee will advise the organisation on identifying emerging research areas, evaluating proposals, promoting interdisciplinary collaborations and strengthening links between academic institutions and textile manufacturers.

It will also focus on converting research outcomes into technologies capable of commercial and industrial applications.

The strengthened panel is expected to play a key role in research involving technical textiles, advanced materials, sustainable textile technologies and other strategic areas critical to the future of India’s textile sector.

“The collective expertise of the newly appointed members will provide fresh momentum to MANTRA’s research programmes and help accelerate innovation and technology development,” the association said.

With Surat being one of India’s major textile manufacturing hubs, the move is also expected to deepen collaboration between researchers and industry, ensuring that innovations are aligned with real-world manufacturing requirements and market demand.

MANTRA said the initiative reflects its commitment to accelerating textile research, fostering innovation and supporting the sustainable and holistic growth of the Indian textile industry.