Guwahati: In a landmark achievement, Cotton University has been awarded the prestigious PAIR (Partnerships for Accelerated Innovation and Research) grant by the Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF). This grant has been conferred upon a consortium of six institutions, including Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) as the Hub Institute, with Cotton University, Tezpur University, Central University of Punjab, Delhi Pharmaceutical Sciences and Research University, and Berhampur University as the Spoke Institutes.
The PAIR grant, aimed at fostering collaborative and high-impact research across India’s leading institutions, was awarded following a rigorous multistage selection process organised at the Indian Academy of Sciences, Bengaluru, and overseen by ANRF on March 7–8, 2025. Of the 30 Hub institutes shortlisted for presentations based on their outstanding NIRF rankings, only seven were ultimately selected, judged on the merit of their presentations and demonstrated research excellence. This success marks a significant milestone for Cotton University, being the first major national research grant secured since it received an ‘A’ grade accreditation by NAAC in September 2024.
Cotton University’s winning proposal comprised 11 major research projects submitted under three interdisciplinary thematic areas—Advanced Materials, Molecular and Synthetic Biology, and Environmental Sustainability. These projects were intelligently conceptualised and are being led by a team of 22 faculty members from seven science departments of the university. The proposal and its collaborative architecture were spearheaded by Dr Abdul Wahab, the principal investigator from Cotton University, with strategic guidance and support from Prof. Ramesh Ch. Deka, vice-chancellor. His visionary leadership and tireless efforts were instrumental in forging this high-impact research alliance and in delivering a strong, competitive final presentation alongside JNU.
Under the PAIR programme, Cotton University is expected to receive funding of approximately Rs 14 crore over five years. This includes the procurement of three state-of-the-art research instruments:
n 400 MHz Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) Spectrometer,
n Photoluminescence Spectrophotometer, and
n Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS).
These cutting-edge facilities will significantly enhance the university’s research capabilities, especially in material sciences and chemical/biological analysis. Moreover, the PAIR grant will enable Cotton University to access high-end research infrastructure and domain expertise available at JNU and other partner institutions through this collaborative network. Crucially, this grant will elevate Cotton University’s research profile and bring tangible benefits to the student community, including student exchange programmes, collaborative research training, and shared academic resources, a press release said.
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