• The “Graphene-Aurora Program” was launched by Ministry of Electronics & Information Technology (MeitY) Maker Village in Kochi, Kerala.
• This initiative, led by Digital University Kerala, aims to bridge the gap between graphene research and commercialization.
• It will be jointly funded by MeitY and Kerala government and industry partner.
• The establishment of the India Graphene Engineering and Innovation Centre (I-GEIC) will play a pivotal role in this effort.

ABOUT GRAPHENE

• Graphene is a single layer of carbon atoms arranged in a hexagonal lattice, forming a two-dimensional structure discovered in 2004.
• It has different properties- including exceptional strength and flexibility, electrical conductivity, and thermal conductivity.
• Application: can be used in touch screens, energy storage, light panels, solar cells, faster DNA sequencing, drug delivery and biosensors etc.