Open Projects in Heritage
Explore research and CSR opportunities at IIT Madras in this domain.
Heritage
6 proposals
The Memory Lab: Heritage literacy in the age of Metaverse
This innovative CSR project explores the transformative use of metaverse technology in curating, monitoring, disseminating, preserving, and recreating practices, performances, artifacts, and sites related to tangible and intangible cultural heritage, facilitating preservation and translation of cultural heritage into interactive models through cutting-edge research in memory studies. Led by IIT Madras under Principal Investigators Dr. Avishek Parui and Dr. Merin Simi Raj, the initiative productively engineers metaverse platforms alongside AR/VR tools to virtually reconstruct heritage monuments and sites while integrating intangible cultural heritage elements such as rituals, practices, skills, oral traditions, performances, knowledge systems, and value systems. With a substantial budget of Rs. 1.5 Crores over 3 years, this project creates heritage apps and databases integrated into school curriculum, enables heritage storytelling using AR/VR tools to build 360-degree heritage museums, and ensures responsible and ethical transmission of cultural heritage through informed, accountable, and interactive media processes that simultaneously facilitate virtual tours of monuments through p
By: Merin Simi Raj
Co-PI: Avishek Parui
Cause: Heritage
National Center for Safety of Heritage Structures
This transformative CSR project establishes the National Centre for Safety of Heritage Structures (NCSHS) at IIT Madras, a one-of-a-kind initiative designed to act as a change agent in India's heritage conservation scene by ensuring structural safety of historical monuments and heritage structures through a safety-centric multi-disciplinary approach to conservation. Supported by the Ministry of HRD (Government of India) as a long-term program hosted by IIT Madras to safeguard our rich cultural heritage, the center focuses on capacity-building through collaboration with implementing agencies, working towards creating education and research opportunities, and bringing together experts from various institutions to discuss heritage conservation. This pioneering initiative addresses existing damaged floors and roof slabs of southern and south-western portions of buildings that will be remediated and restored, ensuring restoration and renovation in accordance with accepted international principles in renovation of heritage structures while establishing a research center at IIT Madras that collaborates with other institutions to advance the field of heritage preservation and structural sa
By: IITM
Cause: Heritage
Artisan Empowerment Lab
The Artisan Empowerment Lab CSR project builds a working proof of concept around a selected craft to showcase capabilities in product identification, authentication, and market adoption. By combining advanced technologies with on-ground engagement, the initiative aims to protect cultural heritage, strengthen artisan clusters, foster digital inclusion and entrepreneurship, and support long-term policy and ecosystem development for India?s craft economy.?
By: IITM
Cause: Women Empowerment
Assessment of Materials in Heritage Structures, and Selection of Modern Material
This critical CSR project aims to identify the physical and mechanical properties of heritage monuments in order to adopt suitable repair strategies based on scientific understanding of the original system, while incorporating modern additives and admixtures for performance enhancement by focusing on the distinct characteristics of binding mortars and masonry units. Led by IIT Madras under Principal Investigator Prof. Manu Santhanam, the initiative seeks to evolve a scheme for characterization of masonry materials in heritage structures through the restoration of the Rajagopuram for the Thiruvellarai temple near Trichy, which will serve as a case study for further assessment of other monuments in India. With a budget of Rs. 1.03 Crores over 3 years, this project employs field work through periodic monitoring, on-site assessment, and laboratory testing, with results and findings serving as guidelines for future projects on repair and restoration of other monuments in India, ensuring that heritage structures are preserved using scientifically validated modern materials while respecting the integrity of original construction methods
By: Manu Santhanam
Cause: Heritage
Interactive Virtual Museum
This innovative CSR project aims to recover and archive the rich and varied cultural and national history of the country, preserving it for posterity through cutting-edge digital technology and immersive experiences. Led by IIT Madras, the initiative proposes to design a 360-degree AR heritage museum offering a virtual heritage walk, alongside developing a digital storytelling app for the Heritage Museum accessible through mobile devices from any part of the world. This transformative project develops digital storytelling of past events for classrooms enabling better understanding of historical events, creates virtual models of heritage sites and 3D models of monuments and sculptures for educational purposes, uses XR tools to curate digital archives of folklore and oral histories, and develops a model of virtual tourism of the nation's cultural past, making India's rich heritage accessible globally while preserving cultural knowledge for future generations through interactive and engaging technological platforms
By: Avishek Parui
Cause: Heritage
Virtual Heritage Project of Chennai city
This project envisions an augmented reality?based virtual heritage model of Chennai that showcases landmark statues and monuments through immersive digital storytelling. By leveraging digital humanities, it will transform archival heritage content into experiential virtual tours, broaden the scope of digital museums, and preserve the city?s diverse and rich histories for wider audiences, with scope to extend the model to other culturally significant Indian cities in future phases.?
By: Merin Simi Raj
Co-PI: Avishek Parul
Cause: Heritage