Wed Jul 16 13:19:25 UTC 2025: Okay, here’s a summary of the text followed by a rewritten news article:

**Summary:**

The Indian Institute of Technology, Dharwad (IIT-Dh), has secured significant research funding, totaling ₹71 crore for 149 projects in various fields. Additionally, the institute has obtained consultancy projects, CSR funding, and research initiation grants, bringing the total value of projects to over ₹90 crore. These projects include social impact initiatives like precision agriculture, agricultural drones, and technologies for fire safety. IIT-Dh also plans to introduce new academic programs in M.Tech and Economics. The institute currently has over 1,300 students across various programs.

**News Article:**

**IIT Dharwad Secures ₹71 Crore for Cutting-Edge Research Projects**

*Hubballi, July 16, 2025* – The Indian Institute of Technology Dharwad (IIT-Dh) has announced the acquisition of ₹71 crore in sponsored funding for 149 research projects across diverse fields. The announcement was made by Dean of Research and Development, Pratyasa Bhui, at a press conference on Wednesday.

Beyond the ₹71 crore in research grants, IIT-Dh has also secured ₹5 crore in consultancy projects, ₹9.25 crore from Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives, and ₹5 crore in research initiation grants, pushing the total project value well over ₹90 crore.

The research projects emphasize social impact, including precision agriculture technologies aimed at improving crop yields and supporting informed farm management. The institute is also developing agricultural drones and Android applications for crop health monitoring, market forecasting, and pest/disease detection.

A notable focus is on indoor drone technology for assisting firefighters. “We have developed a drone prototype to locate individuals trapped inside burning buildings,” said Prof. Bhui. “Our work is now expanding to robots designed for monitoring power transmission lines and pipelines.”

N.S. Punekar elaborated on new academic initiatives. IIT-Dh will launch three new M.Tech programs this academic year, followed by two-year M.Sc and BS programs in Economics starting next year.

Currently, IIT-Dh hosts 983 B.Tech students, 120 M.Tech and MS students, and 201 research scholars, bringing the total student population on campus to 1,312. These new projects and initiatives highlight IIT-Dh’s growing prominence as a leading research and educational institution in India.

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