The Department of Geology, Central University of Kerala, organized a two-day Hands-on

Training workshop on Exploration Planning with GtAide (Global) Freeware on 29-30 January

2026. The programme was conducted in collaboration with Geological Survey of India (GSI),

and Geo Marine Solutions Private Limited aiming to strengthen digital competencies in mineral

exploration and geoscientific research. The workshop focused on integrating geological,

geophysical, geochemical, and remote sensing datasets using the GtAide (Global) software, a

freely available exploration planning platform designed to support advanced mineral exploration

workflows. The initiative addressed the growing need for structured, hands-on training in digital

exploration tools within academic institutions.

The inaugural session began with a welcome address by Prof. Sijinkumar A.V., Dean (SESS)

and Head of the Department of Geology. The programme was formally inaugurated by Prof.

Joseph Koyippally, Dean (Academic), Central University of Kerala. Shri A.C. Dinesh, Chief

Technology Officer, Geo Marine Solutions Private Limited, Mangalore and Former Director,

Geological Survey of India, delivered the keynote address, highlighting the evolving role of

digital tools in national-scale exploration programmes. Dr. Pratheesh P., Associate Professor, and

Shri Sajesh P.V., Senior Geologist, GSI, offered felicitations. The session concluded with a vote

of thanks by Dr. Sandeep K., Associate Professor and Convener of the programme.

The technical sessions were led by Shri A.C. Dinesh and Shri Sajesh P.V., who brought

extensive field and exploration experience from the Geological Survey of India. Participants

received practical training on installation and use of GtAide (Global), understanding

geographical and UTM coordinates, handling KML files for coordinate extraction and creation

of points, lines, and polygons, and planning drone and multi-beam bathymetric surveys.

Advanced sessions covered spatial data analysis, gridding techniques, survey track creation, and

exploration of global distributions of volcanoes, earthquakes, and plate motions using the

software platform. The final session engaged participants in hands-on mineral exploration

planning exercises, enabling them to apply acquired skills to real-world exploration tasks.

The valedictory session featured concluding remarks by Shri A.C. Dinesh, who emphasized the

importance of integrating digital tools with geological reasoning to enhance exploration

efficiency and research quality. The workshop witnessed active participation from postgraduate

students, doctoral scholars, and research community members from Central University of Kerala

and other colleges and universities. The programme enhanced technical proficiency, analytical

skills, and employability prospects of participants in the mineral exploration and geoscience

sectors.The workshop was conducted as part of initiatives of the department to bridge academic

training with professional geoscience practices, reinforcing its commitment to skill-oriented and

industry-aligned education.