Varanasi (Uttar Pradesh) [India], August 28 (ANI): Banaras Hindu University (BHU) on Thursday signed two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) with the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), marking a significant step in the University's continuing effort to bring together academic scholarship, India's cultural heritage, and industry partnership for the benefit of its students.
The two collaborations focus on the organisation of the inaugural Banaras Biennale 2026 in association with Bharat Kala Bhawan, and the establishment of a CII Education to Employment & Enterprise (E2EE) Lounge in association with the university's Placement & Internship Cell. The MoUs were signed by Registrar Sh. Rajan Srivastava from BHU's side. The signatories from CII were Amita Sarkar, DDG, CII, and Prashant AN, Executive Director, CII.
During the meeting, Representatives from both sides also shared valuable suggestions and perspectives for strengthening the proposed initiatives and ensuring meaningful engagement.
Banaras Biennale 2026: Under the first MoU, BHU's Bharat Kala Bhawan will serve as a key institutional partner for the inaugural CII Banaras Biennale 2026, an entire month-long city-wide cultural event planned to be held from 27th November to 31st December 2026 under the theme of "KASHI / LIGHT - City as Sensorium." The Biennale would engage artists, academics, artisans and cultural practitioners in dialogue with the living heritage of the city.
As Institutional Partner, BHU will anchor academic engagement, student participation and public programming for the Biennale, opening new avenues for its students and faculty to take part in visual arts exhibitions, textile and craft showcases, museum and gallery engagements, music and performances, scholarly conversations and masterclasses held in the city.
E2EE Career Lounge: The second MoU establishes a CII Education to Employment & Enterprise (E2EE) Career Lounge on the BHU campus, developed in partnership with the University's Placement & Internship Cell. The Career Lounge will provide students with technology-enabled career support, including career counselling, soft-skills training, internships, apprenticeships, placement assistance, job fairs and entrepreneurship mentoring, further strengthening the pathway from education to employment and enterprise.
Speaking on the occasion, Vice-Chancellor Prof Ajit Kumar Chaturvedi, Vice Chancellor said, "Through this partnership with CII, Banaras Hindu University reaffirms its role as a bridge between timeless wisdom and the aspirations of the future.
The Banaras Biennale will allow the world to experience Kashi not just as a heritage to be preserved, but as a vibrant centre of contemporary creativity and thought. Additionally, the E2EE Career Lounge ensures that our students not only inherit this legacy but also carry it forward, equipped with the skills, exposure, and opportunities necessary to shape their own futures".
Further, Prof. Chaturvedi suggested developing a dedicated mobile application for visitors to the Banaras Biennale. He proposed that the application provide information on the location and details of individual works and exhibits within the venue, allowing visitors to explore the offerings even before arriving at the exhibition. He also suggested that a comprehensive catalogue available through the application could enable visitors to plan their own itineraries in advance.
Madhav Singhania, JMD & CEO, JK Cement and President, National Steering Committee, CII, remarked that BHU is an ideal setting for an event of this scale and significance. He emphasised the need for an efficient system through which both institutions could regularly review progress, coordinate on decisions and ensure that preparations for the Biennale move forward smoothly.
Prof. Sreerup Raychaudhuri, Director, Bharat Kala Bhavan, discussed the logistical aspects involved in organising the Biennale and highlighted the resources available at Bharat Kala Bhavan, including its collection of diverse artefacts. He suggested holding weekly coordination meetings to facilitate timely decision-making and maintaining regular reports documenting decisions taken during the course of preparations.
The signing ceremony was held at the Central Office on the BHU campus and was attended by senior University officials, including the Dean of the Faculty of Arts Prof. Sushma Ghildyal, and the Coordinator of the Placement & Internship Cell Prof. Amit Gautam, along with a CII delegation led by Mr Madhav Singhania, who chairs the Biennale's Steering Committee.
The University views both these collaborations as a contribution to the overall strategy to position BHU as a leading institution within it, the meeting point of India's civilisation and its academic and economic ambitions in the present day. (ANI)
BHU partners with CII to bring the inaugural Banaras Biennale to Varanasi and launch Campus Career Lounge
