IIT Madras, GRID-INDIA to build power sector capacity in Tanzania through Zanzibar Campus

chennai: the indian institute of technology madras (iit madras) has partnered with grid-india, a central public sector enterprise under the ministry of power, to support capacity building and capability development in tanzania's electrical grid sector.the collaboration aims to deliver certification programs, technical consultation, and joint research initiatives tailored to strengthen the tanzanian energy infrastructure. with iit madras already having a global footprint through its zanzibar campus, the initiative is designed to promote knowledge exchange, applied research, and the adoption of clean energy technologies across east africa.the partnership will be facilitated through the iit madras energy consortium — a collaborative platform for academia and industry in the clean energy space. the memorandum of understanding (mou) was signed on may 22, 2025, by prof. manu santhanam, dean (ic&sr), iit madras, and shri surajit banerjee, executive director (hr), grid-india.grid-india director (hr) paresh r. ranpara said the initiative would promote technical upskilling of tanzanian and east african power sector professionals, using the zanzibar campus as a hub.prof. shanti swarup, principal investigator and faculty in electrical engineering, iit madras, said the program would blend industry insights with academic rigor to train professionals in advanced power engineering.dr. nikhil tambe, ceo, energy consortium, added that the zanzibar chapter, launched in september 2024, will lead the east african expansion of iit madras' clean energy programs.this project includes foundational and advanced certification programs, hands-on training, ai-based research, and real-world consultations for tanzania's energy sector.