IMJ Institute of ResearchRural Roots · Global Reach IMJ Institutions logo
Q‑Shikshashala 2026
Nominations are open · last date 31 Oct Click here
Open only to institutions in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Kodagu districts. The nomination form is open and closes on October 31.

Government of Karnataka mission · IMJIR is the Coastal Karnataka node

Q-Shikshashala 2026 · Quantum Research Park (QuRP), IISc Bengaluru

IMJ Institute of Research and MIT, Kundapura bring you

Q-SFDP 2026

From Light to Qubits: A Hands-On Introduction to Quantum Computing

Quantum Computing Student & Faculty Development Program (Q-SFDP)

Comprehensive, hands-on training in quantum computing — equipping your college to carry the quantum revolution forward.Taught by leading quantum scientists and industry experts from IISc, IISER Pune, RRI, IIT Dharwad and IBM Quantum.

For UG & PG students and faculty of Science and Engineering streams (Coastal Karnataka and neighbouring districts only)Open only to institutions in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Kodagu districts
Programme
2–6 December 2026
Online orientation
18 November 2026
Venue
Kundapura / Udupi
Nominate your institution Nominations close 31 October 2026

Experiments – Theory – Coding – Hardware exposureA unique opportunity to take a deep dive into the Quantum World.

Highlight

A gift for every participant: free Udemy course from Dr. Vineet Kumar

Gifted by Dr. Vineet Kumar, Osaka University, inspired by the launch of the Coastal Karnataka Quantum Network.

  • Course: "Computing Quantum Numbers in Quantum Computer" (Udemy, project-based)
  • For: every Q-SFDP 2026 participant (100+ free coupons)
  • How: your personal coupon comes in the participant kit on 2 December
  • Why: keep building quantum projects back in your college after the programme

Course link: https://www.udemy.com/course/computing-quantum-number-in-quantum-computer/

Thank you, Dr. Vineet Kumar!

The programme trains a matched faculty–student pair from each of 30 partner institutions across Coastal Karnataka through a four-stage pedagogy — Observe, Understand, Build, Explore — culminating in the launch of the Coastal Karnataka Quantum Computing Network.

  1. 1

    Observe

    Optical experiments on polarization, interference and diffraction.

  2. 2

    Understand

    The mathematics and quantum theory behind those phenomena: vectors, superposition, measurement, entanglement and phase.

  3. 3

    Build

    Qiskit programming, with jobs run on real IBM Quantum hardware and a practical mini project.

  4. 4

    Explore

    A comparative survey of quantum hardware platforms (NMR, trapped ion, superconducting, photonic, neutral atom) and a panel on quantum computing in India.

A two-hour online orientation two weeks before the offline programme covers Python and Qiskit installation, IBM Quantum account setup and a pretest, so no workshop time is lost to setup.

What participants take away

  • A faculty member and a student trained together from each institution, so the capacity stays after the workshop
  • Experiment first: participants see polarization and interference in the lab before the formal theory
  • Hands-on programming on real IBM quantum hardware, not simulators alone
  • Five hardware platforms presented by researchers from IISc, IISER Pune, RRI and IBM
  • Every partner institution leaves with a trained pair, a working IBM Quantum account and an installed Qiskit environment
  • Teaching notes, slides and optical-experiment protocols shared with all participating institutions
  • Launch of the Coastal Karnataka Quantum Network, with each founding member committing to a further quantum activity within six months

Key dates

  1. Last date for nominations
  2. Selected pairs informed by email
  3. Online orientation (Phase 0), 10:00–12:45
  4. Offline programme

Who can take part

30 partner institutions · 60 participants

Open only to institutions in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Kodagu districts. Interested faculty and students should approach their Principal to be considered. Each partner institution nominates one faculty member and one student (UG or PG) as a pair, and may send up to three pairs. Nominations are reviewed by the organizing team; selected pairs will be informed by email by 7 November 2026, before the online orientation on 18 November 2026.

How nominations work →

Nominations: how it works

Each institution nominates pairs of one faculty member and one student, and may send up to three pairs. Faculty members fill in the online form, and the Principal approves it by email with one click. The form opens on this page on 17 October 2026.

Faculty and students who wish to take part: please speak to your Principal first. Every nomination needs the Principal's approval.

Who can be nominated

  • Only institutions in Udupi, Dakshina Kannada, Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Kodagu districts
  • One faculty member and one student (UG, PG or PhD; Science, Engineering or Computer Applications, e.g. B.Sc, M.Sc, B.E./B.Tech, M.Tech, BCA, MCA, PhD), from the same institution
  • 30 institutions, 60 seats in all
  • Both must attend the online orientation on 18 November and all five days, 2–6 December 2026

How to nominate

  • Interested faculty members first speak to their Principal
  • The faculty member fills in the online form on this page for themselves and one student, 17–31 October 2026
  • The Principal gets an email and approves (or declines) with one click; no login needed
  • The Principal can approve up to three pairs per institution

What the form asks for

  • Name, department, email and mobile of the faculty member, and of the student
  • College name and district, and the Principal's name and email (typed twice, to avoid typos)
  • A short statement of interest from each nominee (about 100 words)
  • The institution's plan for one quantum activity within six months of the programme

How the 30 institutions are chosen

  • 80% of the seats (24 institutions) for Udupi and Dakshina Kannada
  • 20% of the seats (6 institutions) for the neighbouring districts: Uttara Kannada, Shivamogga, Chikkamagaluru, Hassan and Kodagu
  • Within each group: the institution's commitment to a follow-up quantum activity and the nominees' statements of interest; date of receipt only as a tie-breaker

If seats remain

  • In the first round, one approved pair from each selected institution is admitted
  • If seats are still vacant at the end, they are filled from the institutions' other approved pairs
  • Seats left vacant in one group may be offered to the other

After selection

  • Selected pairs are informed by email by 7 November 2026, with joining details for the online orientation
  • A nominal registration fee of ₹1,200 per faculty member and ₹600 per student, paid only after selection; payment details come with the selection email
  • Details of meals and stay will be shared with the selected participants
  • Each nominee brings a laptop
  • Install Python if you can; help is given at the orientation
  • The IBM Quantum account is set up together during the orientation

Schedule

Time slots are indicative and will be confirmed closer to the event.

Phase 0Wed 18 Nov Day 1Wed 2 Dec Day 2Thu 3 Dec Day 3Fri 4 Dec Day 4Sat 5 Dec Day 5Sun 6 Dec

Phase 0 · Online Orientation

Wednesday, 18 November 2026 · Online

  1. 10:00–10:15
    Ceremony Welcome Session & Program Overview

    Organizing Team, IMJIR

  2. 10:15–10:45
    Lecture: “What is Quantum Computing?” — Orientation Talk

    Organizing Team, IMJIR

  3. 10:45–11:30
    Hands-on Hands-on: Python & Qiskit Installation Walkthrough

    Lokesh

  4. 11:30–12:00
    Hands-on IBM Quantum Account Setup

    Lokesh

  5. 12:00–12:20
    Other Pretest

    Organizing Team, IMJIR

  6. 12:20–12:45
    Other Reading Material Briefing & Preparatory Q&A

    Organizing Team, IMJIR

Day 1 · Observe: Quantum Physics through Optics

Wednesday, 2 December 2026

  1. 09:00–09:30
    Other Registration & batch allocation (5 batches, A–E)

    Organizing Team

  2. 09:30–10:00
    Ceremony Inauguration, Welcome Address & announcement of the Coastal Karnataka Quantum Network

    Inaugurator: Prashanth Upadhya · Chairman, IMJ Institutions · K T Satyajith, Director, IMJIR

  3. 10:00–11:00
    Hands-on Experiment Rotation — Round 1

    Stations: 1 Double slit · 2 Diffraction at a single slit · 3 Malus' law · 4 Polarisation · 5 Simulation: Mach–Zehnder interferometer. Five batches (A–E) rotate, one hour per station. Batch → station: A → 1 · B → 2 · C → 3 · D → 4 · E → 5

    Station leads

  4. 11:00–11:15
    Tea Break
  5. 11:15–12:15
    Hands-on Experiment Rotation — Round 2

    Batch → station: A → 2 · B → 3 · C → 4 · D → 5 · E → 1

    Station leads

  6. 12:15–13:15
    Hands-on Experiment Rotation — Round 3

    Batch → station: A → 3 · B → 4 · C → 5 · D → 1 · E → 2

    Station leads

  7. 13:15–14:15
    Lunch Break
  8. 14:15–15:15
    Hands-on Experiment Rotation — Round 4

    Batch → station: A → 4 · B → 5 · C → 1 · D → 2 · E → 3

    Station leads

  9. 15:15–15:30
    Tea Break
  10. 15:30–16:30
    Hands-on Experiment Rotation — Round 5

    Batch → station: A → 5 · B → 1 · C → 2 · D → 3 · E → 4

    Station leads

  11. 16:30–17:15
    Other IMJIR Lab Tour

    IMJIR Team

  12. 17:15–18:00
    Demo Ion Trap Demonstration

    K T Satyajith, IMJIR

Day 2 · Mathematical Foundations

Thursday, 3 December 2026 · Udupi

  1. 09:30–10:30
    Lecture 1: Classical Bits as Vectors & Classical Gates as Matrices

    K T Satyajith, IMJIR

  2. 10:30–11:00
    Hands-on Hands-on 1: First Quantum Circuit — NOT Gate and Measurement

    Lokesh, Qiskit Trainer

  3. 11:00–11:15
    Tea Break
  4. 11:15–12:30
    Lecture 2: Superposition and the State Vector

    K T Satyajith, IMJIR

  5. 12:30–13:00
    Hands-on Hands-on 2: Creating Superposition with the Hadamard Gate

    Lokesh, Qiskit Trainer

  6. 13:00–14:00
    Lunch Break
  7. 14:00–15:15
    Lecture 3: Measurement, the Born Rule & Probability Amplitudes

    R Prabhu, IIT Dharwad

  8. 15:15–15:45
    Hands-on Hands-on 3: Measurement Statistics — Shots and Probabilities

    Lokesh, Qiskit Trainer

  9. 15:45–16:00
    Tea Break
  10. 16:00–17:15
    Lecture 4: Phase, Complex Numbers, the Hadamard Gate & Interference

    R Prabhu, IIT Dharwad

  11. 17:15–18:00
    Hands-on Interactive Coding: Observing Interference in Simple Circuits & Q&A

    Lokesh, Qiskit Trainer + Teaching Assistants

Day 3 · Quantum Information-1

Friday, 4 December 2026

  1. 09:30–10:30
    Lecture 5: Tensor Products, CNOT & Quantum Entanglement

    Bell states, tensor products, CNOT gate, entanglement as a quantum resource.

    Subeesh T., Amrita University

  2. 10:30–11:00
    Hands-on Hands-on 4: Creating Bell States and Measuring Entanglement

    Lokesh, Qiskit Trainer

  3. 11:00–11:15
    Tea Break
  4. 11:15–12:15
    Lecture 6: Superdense Coding & Quantum Teleportation

    Entanglement-assisted communication; sending a qubit state with a Bell pair and two classical bits.

    Subeesh T., Amrita University

  5. 12:15–12:30
    Hands-on Hands-on 5: Implementing Superdense Coding

    Lokesh, Qiskit Trainer

  6. 12:30–13:30
    Lecture 7: Basics of Quantum Information Theory

    Bits and qubits, how much information a qubit can carry, no-cloning, entropy.

    R Prabhu, IIT Dharwad

  7. 13:30–14:15
    Lunch Break
  8. 14:15–15:15
    Lecture 8: Phase Kickback and the Deutsch Algorithm

    Controlled operations, phase kickback, oracle concept, Deutsch algorithm.

    K T Satyajith, IMJIR

  9. 15:15–15:45
    Hands-on Hands-on 6: Coding the Deutsch Algorithm

    Lokesh, Qiskit Trainer

  10. 15:45–16:00
    Tea Break
  11. 16:00–17:00
    Lecture 9: Shor's Algorithm

    Period finding, the quantum Fourier transform and factoring.

    Subeesh T., Amrita University

  12. 17:00–17:10
    Other Welcome Back & Instructions for Group Presentations

    K T Satyajith, IMJIR

  13. 17:10–17:50
    Other Group Presentations

    5 groups of ~6 partner colleges each, 8 minutes per group.

    All Groups (Participating Colleges)

  14. 17:50–18:00
    Other Open Discussion & Faculty Feedback

    K T Satyajith, IMJIR / Lokesh

Day 4 · Quantum Information-2

Saturday, 5 December 2026

  1. 09:30–10:30
    Lecture 10: History of Quantum Computing

    Mahesh T. S.

  2. 10:30–11:15
    Lecture 11: IBM Quantum Platform — Overview

    Dhinakaran Vinayagamurthy, IBM

  3. 11:15–11:30
    Tea Break
  4. 11:30–13:00
    Hands-on Hands-on 7: Running Jobs on Real Quantum Computers (including Shor's algorithm)

    Debasmita Bhoumik, IBM

  5. 13:00–13:45
    Lunch Break
  6. 13:45–15:00
    Hands-on Practical Mini Project

    Debasmita Bhoumik, IBM

  7. 15:05–16:05
    Lecture 12: NMR Quantum Computing

    Mahesh T. S.

  8. 16:05–16:25
    Tea Break
  9. 16:25–17:24
    Lecture 13: Quantum Computing with Ion Traps

    K T Satyajith

Day 5 · Quantum Hardware Day

Sunday, 6 December 2026

  1. 09:30–10:15
    Lecture 14: Superconducting Quantum Computing

    Baladitya Suri, IISc Bengaluru

  2. 10:15–11:00
    Lecture 15: Photonic Quantum Computing

    C M Chandrashekar, IISc Bengaluru

  3. 11:00–11:15
    Tea Break
  4. 11:15–12:00
    Lecture 16: Neutral Atom Quantum Computing

    Saptarishi Chaudhuri, RRI Bengaluru

  5. 12:00–12:30
    Ceremony Panel Discussion and Valedictory, launch of Coastal Karntaka Network.

    Dr. Akshay Naik and others

  6. 12:30–13:30
    Lunch

Speakers

Taught by leading quantum scientists and industry experts.

Confirmed

Dr. Akshay Naik

Faculty, Centre for Nano Science and Engineering (CeNSE)

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru

PhD, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

Chief Guest, Valedictory

Dr. Akshay Naik is a faculty member at the Centre for Nano Science and Engineering, IISc Bengaluru. His research focuses on nanoelectromechanical systems (NEMS), quantum-enabled sensing, and microfabricated devices for precision measurements and emerging quantum technologies.

Dr. Prashanth Upadhya

Director, Wadhwani-IISc Innovation Center

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru · Adjunct Faculty, Raman Research Institute

PhD, University of Cambridge, UK

Inaugurator

Dr. Prashanth Upadhya is the Director of the Wadhwani-IISc Innovation Center, IISc Bengaluru, and Adjunct Faculty at the Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru. He works on advancing India's quantum technology ecosystem through research and industry collaboration.

Prof. T. S. Mahesh

Professor, Physics

Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), Pune

PhD, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru

History of quantum computing; NMR quantum computing

Prof. T. S. Mahesh is a Professor at IISER Pune and leads the NMR Quantum Information Processing Group. His research explores nuclear magnetic resonance for quantum information processing, quantum control, and quantum simulation using spin systems.

Dr. Saptarishi Chaudhuri

Professor

Raman Research Institute (RRI), Bengaluru

PhD, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Mumbai

Neutral atom quantum computing

Dr. Saptarishi Chaudhuri is a faculty member at the Raman Research Institute, Bengaluru. His research focuses on quantum optics, ultracold atoms, atomic physics, and precision measurements for quantum science and next-generation quantum technologies.

Prof. Baladitya Suri

Associate Professor, Department of Instrumentation and Applied Physics

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru

PhD, University of Maryland, College Park, USA

Superconducting quantum computing

Prof. Baladitya Suri leads a group at IISc working on quantum information and computation with superconducting circuits, including circuit quantum electrodynamics, quantum acoustics with surface phonons, and microwave single-photon sources and detectors. Before joining IISc in 2018, he was a postdoctoral researcher in the Quantum Technologies Laboratory at Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. He holds a B.Tech in Engineering Physics from IIT Madras.

Dr. Dhinakaran Vinayagamurthy

Manager, IBM Quantum India

IBM Research India

PhD, University of Waterloo, Canada

IBM Quantum Platform overview

Dr. Dhinakaran Vinayagamurthy is a researcher at IBM Research India working on quantum computing systems and quantum software. His interests include quantum algorithms, compiler technologies, and practical applications of quantum computing on near-term hardware.

Dr. Debasmita Bhoumik

Research Scientist, IBM Quantum

IBM India Research Lab

PhD, Indian Statistical Institute (ISI), Kolkata

Running jobs on real quantum computers; practical mini project

Dr. Debasmita Bhoumik is a Research Scientist at IBM Quantum, with a PhD from the Indian Statistical Institute, Kolkata, on error in discrete quantum circuits. Her work spans quantum error correction, quantum machine learning, and the Qiskit software stack.

Prof. R Prabhu

Associate Professor of Physics · Dean (Student Welfare)

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Dharwad

PhD, Kuvempu University, Karnataka

Measurement, phase & interference; basics of quantum information theory

Prof. R Prabhu is an Associate Professor of Physics and Dean (Student Welfare) at IIT Dharwad, working in quantum information theory, including its interface with many-body physics, quantum optics, relativistic quantum information, and quantum communication.

Dr. Subeesh T.

Assistant Professor (Sr. Gd.), Centre for Computational Engineering and Networking (CEN)

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Coimbatore

PhD, Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai

Entanglement, superdense coding & teleportation; Shor's algorithm

Dr. T. Subeesh obtained his Masters degree in Physics from Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai. He received his PhD from Indian Institute of Technology Madras, Chennai for his work on Phase Properties of Radiation Fields. His areas of research include Theoretical Quantum Optics and Biomedical Instrumentation.

Dr. Praveen Parthasarathi

Assistant Professor, Department of Physics

Dr H N National College of Engineering, Bengaluru

PhD, Bangalore University

Optics demonstrations: wave plates, diffraction & interference

Dr. Praveen Parthasarathi is an Assistant Professor of Physics at Dr H N National College of Engineering, Bengaluru, with 16 years' experience in soft condensed matter physics and applied optics, including a postdoctoral position (2021) in Cellular Biophysics at the University of Strathclyde, Glasgow, UK.

Dr. Anoop Thomas

Assistant Professor of Physics

Moodlakatte Institute of Technology (MIT), Kundapura

PhD, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru

Co-organiser

Polarization, Malus' law, interference and laser demonstrations (Day 1 optics lab)

Dr. Anoop Thomas is an Assistant Professor of Physics at MIT Kundapura, working in condensed matter physics and materials science.

Lokesh

Independent IT Consultant

Hands-on sessions

Lokesh is an independent IT consultant with more than two decades of IT experience, having worked for organisations in the fields of Life Sciences, Capital Markets and Healthcare. He is exploring Quantum Computing and Emerging Technologies.

Prof. K T Satyajith

Director, IMJ Institute of Research (IMJIR) · Professor of Physics, MIT

IMJIR & Moodlakatte Institute of Technology (MIT), Kundapura

PhD, Bangalore University

Organiser

Optics experiments, mathematical foundations, trapped-ion quantum computing

Prof. K T Satyajith's research areas are: ion and electron trapping, laser cooling and precision spectroscopy. He is setting up an ion-trap based quantum computing set-up at IMJIR.

Invited, to be confirmed

Dr. C. M. Chandrashekar

Associate Professor, Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science (EECS)

Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru

PhD, Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics / University of Waterloo, Canada

Photonic quantum computing

Dr. C. M. Chandrashekar is a faculty member in the Department of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at IISc Bengaluru. He is internationally recognized for his contributions to quantum walks, quantum computation, quantum simulation, and quantum foundations.

Organizers

Prof. K T Satyajith

Director, IMJ Institute of Research (IMJIR) · Professor of Physics, MIT

IMJIR & Moodlakatte Institute of Technology, Kundapura

PhD, Bangalore University

Organiser

Organizer; mathematical foundations; trapped-ion quantum computing

Prof. K T Satyajith's research areas are: ion and electron trapping, laser cooling and precision spectroscopy. He is setting up an ion-trap based quantum computing set-up at IMJIR.

Dr. Anoop Thomas

Assistant Professor of Physics

Moodlakatte Institute of Technology (MIT), Kundapura

PhD, Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru

Co-organiser

Co-organizer; optics lab sessions

Dr. Anoop Thomas is an Assistant Professor of Physics at MIT, working in condensed matter physics and materials science.

Nominate your institution

Faculty members fill in the form for themselves and one student. Your Principal then gets an email and approves with one click; no login needed. Up to three pairs per college. Last date: 31 October 2026.

Start your nomination

Organisers & supporters

Host institutionIMJ Institutions
Organised byIMJ Institute of Research (IMJIR)
Co-organiserMoodlakatte Institute of Technology (MIT), Kundapura

Supported by

Quantum Research Park (QuRP), IISc
Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru
Society for Innovation & Development (SID), IISc

Follow & share

Posting about the programme — announcements, registration, or highlights afterwards? Please tag the organisations below so they can share it too.

Contact

K T Satyajith, Director, IMJIR

imjir2025@gmail.com
+91 8431795203

IMJ Institute of Research (IMJIR)
Moodlakatte, Kundapura Taluk, Udupi District
Karnataka 576217

Co-organiser: Dr. Anoop Thomas, Assistant Professor, Moodlakatte Institute of Technology (MIT), Kundapura
anoop@mitkundapura.com · +91 8861544179

Host & organisers

Host institution: IMJ Institutions, Moodlakatte, Kundapura
Organiser: Prof. K T Satyajith, Director, IMJ Institute of Research (IMJIR)
Co-organiser: Dr. Anoop Thomas, Moodlakatte Institute of Technology (MIT), Kundapura