India Sets Sail: Major Boost to Maritime Education and Gender Inclusion

Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal inaugurates 26 projects worth Rs 67.77 crore at Indian Maritime University's campuses, marking an effort to bolster maritime education and empower women. The event underscores India’s maritime growth with infrastructure upgrades reflecting commitment to gender inclusion and modernized training programs.

Union Minister of Ports, Shipping and Waterways, Sarbananda Sonowal, inaugurated 26 projects valued at Rs 67.77 crore across six Indian Maritime University (IMU) campuses, heralding an extensive drive to enhance maritime education and promote gender equality. Among these projects is a Girls' Hostel-cum-Library in Kochi, underscoring the government's focus on gender inclusivity.

Urging transformative steps in the maritime sector, Sonowal emphasized India's aspirations under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to become a global maritime force. With modern infrastructure like advanced simulators and sports facilities, the new projects aim to propel India's maritime education system toward global excellence, especially by prioritizing women's participation.

The Minister highlighted flagship programs such as Maritime India Vision 2030, which aim to modernize ports and infrastructure. Notably, Indian ports have doubled their cargo-handling capacity since 2014, and the maritime employment landscape has seen significant growth, with a striking increase in Indian seafarers.

Sonowal lauded Indian Maritime University's efforts, with an 80% surge in admissions over the past decade. The new infrastructure like RFID-enabled libraries and solar power installations resonate with the need for a sustainable, tech-driven learning environment, setting the stage for India to become a major maritime hub by 2030.

Affirming the university's role, Sonowal encouraged its faculty and students to pioneer India's maritime future, leveraging advanced technologies in automation and green tech. This enhancement in educational infrastructure is expected to spur growth in training, research, and industry ties, promising a vibrant future for India's maritime industry.

(With inputs from agencies.)