The Maulana Azad National Institute of Technology (MANIT), Bhopal, hosted the ‘Global Alumni Meet – 2025’ on December 27. On this occasion, Kailash Makwana, an alumnus from the 1986 batch and the current Director General of Police, Madhya Pradesh, participated as a special guest and signed a significant Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the Madhya Pradesh Police and MANIT. Under this MoU, a Center of Excellence for Public Safety will be established on the institute’s campus, aiming to directly connect technological innovations with public safety and policing.
A significant step towards technology-based future policing
On this occasion, DGP Makwana said that this center of excellence will function as a think tank and training center, becoming a nationally exemplary model of collaboration between the police and academia. Through the center, research, innovation, and training activities will be conducted on important topics such as smart policing, cybersecurity, digital forensics, data analytics, crowd management, and traffic management.
Makwana specifically mentioned road safety as a major goal for 2026, stating that MANIT’s expertise in civil and road engineering will play a crucial role in reducing road accidents. The center will also provide support in scientific crowd modeling, traffic planning, and security management for large-scale events like Simhastha – 2028.
Memories of the institute and a suggestion for the ‘blazer’ tradition
Sharing emotional moments as an alumnus, DGP Makwana said that during his student life, the institute was identified by a distinctive colored blazer, which reflected a sense of discipline, pride, and camaraderie among the students. He requested the Director of MANIT, Professor Karunesh Kumar Shukla, to consider reviving this tradition. He also appreciated the institute’s more than 90 percent placement rate, its strengthening academic environment, and its continuously developing infrastructure. Centre of Excellence to become a national model
The DGP said that this ‘Centre of Excellence for Public Safety’ will make policing more transparent, scientific, smart, and effective through artificial intelligence (AI), GIS mapping, drone technology, and advanced data analytics. Dr. Rahul Tiwari of the Department of Architecture and Planning played a crucial role as a catalyst in bringing this MoU to fruition. Many senior alumni, academicians, and dignitaries were present at the event.
