UPES hosted significant workshop in collaboration with the Defence Young Scientists Laboratory for Smart Materials (DYSL-SM) under the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO). This workshop was designed to facilitate interdisciplinary collaboration and promote joint research initiatives between UPES faculty and DYSL-SM researchers. Focusing on the burgeoning field of smart materials, the event successfully fostered environment of knowledge exchange and innovation, paving the way for future projects that support the national agenda of advancing self-reliance in materials science and defense technologies.