Kalaburagi: Central University of Karnataka faculty member appointed consultant for international digital library project
In a significant development for the newly established Department of Library and Information Science at the Central University of Karnataka (CUK), Kalaburagi, assistant professor Raghavendra
In a significant development for the newly established Department of Library and Information Science at the Central University of Karnataka (CUK), Kalaburagi, assistant professor Raghavendra B. Bonal has been appointed as project consultant for Digital Library, Knowledge Management and Information Science Initiatives by Pune-based Calyonix Infotech Pvt. Ltd. The appointment marks the department’s first major industry- consultancy project since its establishment earlier this year and includes participation in an international offshore Library and Information Science initiative, underscoring the growing academic and professional recognition of the department. According to the appointment letter issued by the company, Mr. Bonal will provide technical guidance and domain expertise for projects involving digital libraries, KOHA, D-Space, RFID-based library automation, knowledge management systems, project planning, technical reviews, solution design, proposal development, capacity building and implementation support.
As part of his initial assignment, Mr. Bonal has been entrusted with serving as Technical and Library Information Science Project Consultant for an offshore international Library and Information Science project valued at approximately ₹25 lakh. His responsibilities will include project conceptualisation, technology assessment, solution architecture, implementation planning, quality review and overall project execution support throughout the project lifecycle. The consultancy, the company clarified, is assignment-based and does not constitute regular employment. The scope of work, consultancy fee, deliverables and duration of engagement will be finalised separately for individual projects in accordance with applicable institutional and statutory provisions.
The company has also expressed interest in exploring the future application of Mr. Bonal’s patented innovation, ‘AI-Powered Interactive Smart Book: Text-to-Animation with Language Customisation’, for educational, digital learning and library technology initiatives through research collaboration, technology transfer and product development. Congratulating Mr. Bonal, CUK Vice-Chancellor Battu Satyanarayana said that bringing industry- consultancy projects, particularly those involving international offshore assignments, to the university was a matter of pride and reflected the practical relevance and global impact of academic expertise. He said such initiatives were in line with the objectives of the Education Policy 2020, which emphasises on innovation, multidisciplinary research, industry-academia collaboration, entrepreneurship, skill development and experiential learning.
The BriefWire