IIT Ropar's iHub-AWaDH, an initiative under the National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM ICPS), Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, collaborated with the Centre for Computers and Communication Technology (CCCT), Chisopani, Sikkim—a leading educational institution in India, known for excellence in education, research, and innovation. CCCT is the oldest polytechnical college in Sikkim, celebrating its silver jubilee, and was the first Wi-Fi campus in the state. Together, we have established the AWaDH CPS Lab, which focuses on providing quality education, promoting innovation, and elevating technical skills among students.

As the lush hills of Sikkim frame the backdrop, AWaDH has inaugurated this first-of-its-kind AWaDH CPS Lab in Northeast India at CCCT Chisopani. The event, steeped in a spirit of collaboration and hope, brought together dignitaries from across India. The inaugural event featured an inauguration ceremony, graced by the Chief Guest Mr. Sarsij Saurabh, General Manager, BSNL Sikkim; in the august presence of Dr. Suman Kumar, Associate Professor, IIT Ropar; Dr. Radhika Trikha, Chief Executive Manager, AWaDH; Mr. M. Ravi Kumar (IFS, Director, MSME); Mr. L. D. Sharma, Chief Education Officer, Soreng; Mr. Samdup Bhutia (Director, Skill Development); Mr. Gyan Prasad Sharma, Chief Education Officer, Namchi; Arun Tamanj, Associate Director, SDD, and a guided tour of the facility by our Project Manager Deshraj Dhiman along with technical team. The lab aims to serve as a comprehensive platform for education, research, prototyping, testing, and collaboration.

Dr. Radhika Trikha delivered an engaging presentation highlighting the groundbreaking work being undertaken at the Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) Lab. This initiative is designed to empower young graduates, postgraduates, researchers, faculty, and startups to delve into the realm of Cyber-Physical Systems (CPS) and incorporate these interventions into their daily activities.

Lab Features and Impact: The lab features cutting-edge IoT kits developed by IIT Ropar, providing a 24*7 plug-and-play module for hands-on experimentation and exploration of the IoT landscape. The lab will serve as a foundation for creating an AWaDH Replica in Northeast India, catering to R&D, education, startup support, and joint consultancy and advisory projects.

The lab is equipped with state-of-the-art resources, including Voltera V one, Gateway, BLE Development Kit, BLE Node, Low Power Camera Module, Air Sense, Weather Pro and AI & ML workstations developed by Terafac Technologies Pvt Ltd, and various sensors to measure environmental activities. Notably, the lab is set to play a crucial role in integrating CPS into the course curriculum of  Centre for Computers and Communication Technology,(CCCT) Chisopani, Sikkim Acting as a hub for CPS training in the Sikkim region, it opens doors for educational and skill development initiatives. The inaugural event marked the beginning of joint training programs, tailored explicitly as 'train the trainers' and 'train the students' modules, providing both theoretical and hands-on training in CPS.

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NKR/KS