The inaugural function of the AICTE ATAL – EduSkills Faculty Development Program (FDP) on Ethical Hacking was held successfully at Srinivas Institute of Technology, Mangaluru, marking the formal commencement of the six-day FDP conducted from 15th December 2025 to 20th December 2025. The program was jointly organized by the Department of Artificial Intelligence & Data Science (AI-DS), the Department of Information Science & Engineering (IS&E), and the Department of Computer Science and Design (CS&D), with the objective of strengthening faculty competencies in the rapidly evolving domain of cybersecurity and ethical hacking.

The inaugural session featured Mr. K. Bala Sai Kumar, Assistant Manager – Learning & Development, EduSkills, as the Resource Person. The function was presided over by Dr. Shrinivasa Mayya D, Principal, Srinivas Institute of Technology. In his presidential address, the Principal emphasized the importance of Faculty Development Programs in enhancing academic expertise and keeping faculty abreast of emerging technologies aligned with current industry requirements. Dr. Dheeraj Hebri, Training and Placement Officer, Srinivas Institute of Technology, formally introduced the Resource Person and briefed the gathering on the objectives, structure, and significance of the FDP. He also highlighted the institution’s association with EduSkills and the relevance of the program in equipping faculty members with industry-oriented skills and practical exposure.

The FDP is designed to provide faculty members with practical exposure to core security concepts, ethical hacking methodologies, vulnerability assessment techniques, and hands-on experience with tools such as Kali Linux and penetration testing frameworks. The successful conduct of the FDP and its inaugural function was made possible through the strong support of the institution’s management, the Heads of the organizing departments, and the Conveners of the FDP, Prof. Sudarshan K, Head of the Department of Information Science & Engineering and Computer Science & Design, and Prof. Nagaraja Hebbar N, Head of the Department of Artificial Intelligence & Data Science, whose leadership and coordination contributed significantly to the smooth execution of the program. The event concluded with a vote of thanks, setting a positive tone for the FDP and paving the way for the technical sessions scheduled over the following days.