Kalaburagi, July 26: A faculty member of the Central University of Karnataka (CUK) has secured an international industry consultancy assignment, marking a significant milestone for the university’s recently established Department of Library and Information Science.
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 is the department’s first major industry-sponsored consultancy project and includes participation in an international offshore Library and Information Science (LIS) initiative.
Under the consultancy, Dr. Bonal will provide technical expertise in digital library development, knowledge management systems, library automation technologies and project implementation. His portfolio includes work on KOHA and DSpace platforms, RFID-based library automation, solution design, project planning, proposal development, technical reviews, capacity building and implementation support.
As his first assignment, Dr. Bonal has been designated Technical and Library Information Science Project Consultant for an international offshore LIS project valued at approximately ₹25 lakh. He will oversee project conceptualisation, technology assessment, solution architecture, implementation planning, quality assurance and execution support throughout the project lifecycle.
The company clarified that the engagement is consultancy-based and assignment-specific, and does not constitute regular employment. Consultancy terms, including project duration, deliverables and remuneration, will be finalised separately for individual assignments.
Calyonix Infotech has also expressed interest in collaborating with Dr. Bonal on the future application of his patented innovation, “AI-Powered Interactive Smart Book: Text-to-Animation with Language Customisation.” The proposed collaboration aims to explore research, technology transfer and product development for educational technology, digital learning and library innovation.
Congratulating Dr. Bonal, CUK Vice-Chancellor Battu Satyanarayana described the appointment as a matter of pride for the university. He said the consultancy reflected the growing recognition of the university’s academic expertise and demonstrated its ability to contribute to international, industry-driven projects.
The Vice-Chancellor said such collaborations are in line with the objectives of the National Education Policy (NEP) 2020, which promotes innovation, multidisciplinary research, industry-academia partnerships, entrepreneurship, skill development and experiential learning.
He added that the achievement reinforces the university’s commitment to research-based consultancy, global collaborations and providing students and research scholars with greater professional exposure through industry engagement.