Chennai: The CSIR-Central Leather Research Institute (CSIR-CLRI) celebrated its 78th Foundation Day on Thursday, highlighting its commitment to sustainable development and global leadership in the leather and allied sectors.

Addressing the gathering, CSIR-CLRI Director Dr. K.J. Sreeram spoke on the institute's technological advancements over the past year and its significant contributions to the Indian leather industry. He emphasized the institute's role in promoting sustainability and innovation-driven growth.

Shri R. Selvam, IAS, Executive Director, Council for Leather Exports (CLE), delivered the Foundation Day Lecture as Chief Guest. He stressed the need to brand Indian leather products for international markets and urged researchers to leverage the institute's robust research infrastructure. Shri Selvam also shared insights into the leather industry's evolving landscape, underscoring the importance of sustainability and innovation.

A key moment of the celebration was the signing of an MoU between CSIR-CLRI and the Kalapuri Foundation to support the Kolhapur Footwear Cluster. The agreement aims to enhance the cluster through a detailed diagnostic study focused on sustainability, skill development, and infrastructure improvement, while promoting traditional footwear on global platforms.

The event also featured a Young Researcher Competition across chemical, biological, and engineering sciences. Winners were awarded mementos and certificates. Additionally, inventors who filed 12 patents and registered six copyrights in 2024-25 were honoured.

The event concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. S. Ganesh, Senior Principal Scientist and Chairman of the Foundation Day Steering Committee.