New campus to boost CREST's core activities

KOZHIKODE: With fifteen years into training graduates from backward communities and empowering them to scale new heights in the social strata, the city-based Centre for Research and Education for Social Transformation (CREST) is all set to establish its own campus. The state government has sanctioned Rs 15 crore to construct the building complex for the institution, and the campus is coming up on a 1-acre land near Cyber Park.

CREST executive director D.D. Namboodiri said once the campus is ready, the institution would be able to reach out to more youngsters. “Now catering to only 60 students for the residential training programme, we would be able to accommodate up to 200 candidates in future and with a strengthened faculty we would be able to reach out up to 300 candidates through outreach programmes,” he told DC.     

The CREST guest faculty include renowned personality trainer Balachandran Gopinath of IIM Ahmadabad and Rajeevan Karal, a well-known teacher trainer. “We help the candidates to refine their skills and to wake up the dormant powers,” said Mr Namboodiri. Apart from imparting residential training programmes, the institution is also engaged in empowering students of eight model residential schools for tribal communities and scheduled castes in the state.

Its eminent faculty also contributed a significant share in polishing and sharpening the intellect of students from backwards communities in top institutions like IIT and AIIMS. CREST alumni have been placed in elite institutions like University of Latrobe, Melbourne, Australia and Robert Gordon, University of Aberdeen, Scotland and many companies like Hero Honda, Wipro, Indian Space Research Organization, Idea Cellular, Cognizant Technologies, Deutsche Bank, Ford India and Infosys.