Rourkela, July 24 (UDN): The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Rourkela on Friday inaugurated the first IEEE International Conference on Instrumentation (INSTCon 2026), bringing together eminent researchers, academicians, industry leaders and students from across the globe to deliberate on cutting-edge developments in instrumentation, measurement systems and intelligent engineering technologies.
The two-day international conference, scheduled for July 24 and 25, is being organised by the Departments of Electronics and Communication Engineering and Electrical Engineering under the IEEE Instrumentation and Measurement Society (IMS) Rourkela Chapter, in association with the IEEE Rourkela Subsection and the IEEE Kolkata Section.
The conference was inaugurated by Sudip Pal Choudhury, Executive Director (Projects), Rourkela Steel Plant, while Prof. Pradip Sarkar, Director-in-Charge of NIT Rourkela, presided over the inaugural session. The event witnessed participation from leading scientists, faculty members, researchers, students and delegates from India and several other countries.
Over 1,600 Research Papers Submitted
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Umesh Chandra Pati, General Chair of INSTCon 2026 and Head of the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, said the conference received an overwhelming response, with 1,630 research papers submitted from across the world.
After a rigorous peer-review process, 306 papers were selected for presentation. The conference comprises seven technical tracks, featuring 115 offline presentations and 60 virtual presentations.
The academic programme also includes a plenary lecture, five keynote addresses, four invited talks, and a panel discussion jointly organised by IEEE Women in Engineering (WIE) and the IEEE Special Interest Group on Humanitarian Technology (SIGHT).
Instrumentation Key to Future Technologies
In his inaugural address, Sudip Pal Choudhury underscored the growing importance of instrumentation in the age of Industry 4.0 and Industry 5.0.
He said precise sensing and measurement technologies have become the backbone of emerging fields such as artificial intelligence, industrial automation, healthcare, renewable energy, defence, smart manufacturing and digital infrastructure.
Drawing from the steel industry’s transformation, he highlighted the role of smart sensors, predictive maintenance, digital twins, machine learning and real-time analytics in enhancing operational efficiency and encouraged young researchers to pursue innovation with real-world applications.
Emphasis on Indigenous Research
Presiding over the inaugural session, Prof. Pradip Sarkar called for greater emphasis on indigenous technology development and innovation to strengthen India’s scientific capabilities.
He urged researchers to convert laboratory research into commercially viable technologies through stronger industry-academia collaboration while expanding international partnerships to enhance the global impact of Indian research.
Luminary Awards Honour Distinguished Academicians
A key attraction of the inaugural ceremony was the presentation of the INSTCon 2026 Luminary Awards, instituted to recognise exceptional lifetime contributions to instrumentation and measurement science.
The honours were conferred on Prof. D. Patranabish and Prof. Sugata Munshi of Jadavpur University, Prof. Sidharatha Sen and Prof. P.K. Dutta of IIT Kharagpur, Prof. T.K. Dan of NIT Rourkela, and Prof. V. Jagadeesh Kumar of IIT Madras.
The conference proceedings were also formally released, marking the commencement of technical sessions that will facilitate knowledge exchange, foster research collaborations and showcase innovations shaping the future of instrumentation and measurement technologies.
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