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The Hindu
5 days ago
- Business
- The Hindu
Auroville and IIT-M working to fast-track sustainability campus project
Auroville and IIT-Madras are looking to fast-track the project to establish a state-of-the-art sustainability campus on a 106-acre expanse of land in Sedarapet area that will be dedicated to incubating green technology solutions. The initial focus of the proposed Research and Development facility will be to harness cutting-edge green tech towards developing green energy solutions and electric vehicles, particularly for commercial applications and high-load carriers with long-range capabilities. A high-level delegation from IIT-Madras (IIT-M) led by its Director V. Kamakoti was in Auroville this week to take the project forward. The 69th meeting of the Governing Board (GB) of the Auroville Foundation that convened earlier this month had approved the draft MoU for the partnership, also involving the Ministry of Education, in this regard. The Ministry of Education, which has oversight over Auroville, also cleared the proposal to set up the entity on a piece of leased land inside the township. The IIT-M, with its primary campus at Guindy in Chennai, envisions the proposed facility in the international township as its fourth campus. The premier institution has established two satellite entities — the NTCPWC-Discovery campus in Thaiyur and the international campus at Zanzibar, Tanzania. In March, Mr. Kamakoti had stated that it was proposed to earmark 20 acres of the sustainability campus to set up a world class zero-emission test track for electric trucks under the roof of a Centre of Excellence for Zero Emission Trucking (CoEZET). While this is in alignment with the broader national policy of guiding the logistics sector (where freight vehicles account for about 45% of transport emission) in transitioning to Zero Emission Technologies, the mandate of the sustainability campus is also to work on projects focused on achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. The IIT-M has found a convergence of these missions with Auroville's ideals. Auroville has also signed a separate MoU to establish an IIT-M research park and a Centrally-supported Innovation Hub in Auroville as a tripartite partnership that involves the Ministry of Education. 'We expect the campus to deliver sustainable solutions that are relevant not just to India but to the world at large,' said Jayanti S. Ravi, Auroville Foundation Secretary, who serves as Additional Chief Secretary, Revenue, Gujarat. The partnerships harmonise well with one of Auroville's founding purposes at the time it was conceived by The Mother — that of steering the world on to a path of conscious living, she said. Meanwhile, the IIT-M delegation undertook a site visit to Sedarapet to assess the land earmarked for the campus as part of preparing a Detailed Project Proposal. During feasibility study, the officials outlined the ambitious scope and objectives of the initiative, Auroville said in a press note. Addressing global supply challenges pertaining to rare-earth shortage through R&D innovations is among the plans. 'The sustainability campus will provide a significant boost to emerging startups from Auroville, Puducherry, and the broader bio-region,' said G. Seetharaman, OSD, Auroville Foundation. The IIT-M Director noted that the collaboration represented a significant step toward integrating sustainable technology education with community development in the Auroville region. The proposed campus is designed to serve as a hub for research and development in sustainable technologies while providing educational pathways for local students and supporting the growth of eco-friendly startups in the region. The partnership is also expected to create new opportunities for innovation in sustainability and green technology, Auroville said. The IIT-M Director, who was accompanied by associates Rajnish Kumar and R.G. Robinson, visited the Matrimandir and the Matrimandir Lake project, and assured Auroville of extending IIT's technical support for the endeavour, the press note said. Earlier, the IIT-M team was welcomed by an Auroville team that comprised the OSD, Venugopal (Senior Consultant), Sindhuja Jagadeesh, from the Auroville Town Development Council (ATDC), and Antim S from The Admissions and Terminations Scrutinising Committee (ATSC). The visit also featured community interaction, including a presentation of Mr. Kamakoti on 'IIT for Everyone Programme', the note added.
NDTV
16-07-2025
- Automotive
- NDTV
Weighing At 8.5 Kg, IIT Madras Launches Lightest Active Wheelchair
New Delhi: The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras on Wednesday launched India's lightest active wheelchair -- YD One -- weighing just 8.5 kgs. YD One is also the country's first indigenously developed precision-built monu-tube rigid-frame wheelchair destined to match the world's best. While the current wheelchairs weigh about 17 kgs, YD One, certified by ISO, weighs just 8.5 kgs. "With YD One, we have achieved 50 per cent weight reduction," Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director IIT Madras, told reporters. "To reduce the weight, researchers and scholars from mechanical to metallurgy got together and built a very interesting composite of carbon fibre plus aluminum," he added, noting that the product has undergone a lot of modelling and stress tests. "It will be available in the market from tomorrow, and is priced at Rs 75,000," Kamakoti said. He noted that a similar 8.5 kg-weighing chair, if imported, will cost around Rs 2,40,000. Importantly, being lightweight, YD One will enable quick movement, quick rotation, and enable people with disabilities to effortlessly lift, handle, and stow in cars, autos, or public transport. YD One will also enable people with disabilities to participate in the Paralympics, the Director said. "I think YD One is going to become very important, and being low-cost, it has the potential to reach rural India," he added, noting that the government may also pitch it, paving the way for a wider reach. Citing the Cabinet's recent fund approved for research, development, and innovation (RDI), Kamakoti stressed the need for supporting startups. IIT Madras currently has 103 startups, and the institute aspires to launch 100 startups every year. "By 2032, we'll have 1,000 startups. I think we will be the most important beneficiary of the RDI scheme. I think Viksit Bharat by 2047, as our honourable Prime Minister says, is going to be a product nation. It's going to be a startup nation. We have to prepare ourselves for that and ensure we are in the right direction," Kamakoti said.
The Hindu
11-07-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
‘IIT-M incubated over 100 deep-tech start-ups last year'
Vedic literature was the primary source of the common culture of Bharatvarsha, said Padma Subrahmanyam, scholar and Bharatanatyam dancer. Participating in the 62nd Convocation of the Indian Institute of Technology-Madras (IIT-M) on Friday, she said, 'Eighteen subjects branch out from Vedic literature. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT-M, presented the annual report, and highlighted that the institution had incubated over a 100 deep-tech start-ups while filing 417 patents last year. Pawan Goenka, Chairman, Board of Governors, IIT-M, lauded the institution for topping the NIRF rankings for the ninth consecutive year, besides securing a spot among the top 200 in the 'QS Global University Rankings'. As many as 3,661 degrees (including joint and dual degrees) were awarded to students, besides 529
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Automotive
- Indian Express
IIT Madras, Hyundai announce Rs 180 Crore hydrogen innovation hub for green energy research
The Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) and Hyundai Motor India Limited (HMIL), in collaboration with Guidance Tamil Nadu (the nodal investment promotion agency of the state government), have established the design of the Hyundai HTWO Innovation Centre. The centre will be located at IIT Madras' Discovery Campus in Thaiyur and is scheduled to become operational by 2026. IIT-Madras scholarships for engineering students, list and eligibility here The initiative is part of a collaboration signed during the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024. HMIL and the Hyundai Motor India Foundation (HMIF) have jointly committed Rs 100 crore to this facility, contributing to a total project cost of Rs 180 crore. The centre will cover an area of 65,000 sqft and is supported by the Government of Tamil Nadu, as stated in the press release. The facility will have advanced experimental and computational laboratories for green hydrogen research. It will house digital twin simulations of hydrogen infrastructure, test rigs, fabrication lines, and containerised pilot zones to evaluate electrolyzers and fuel cells at an industrial scale. IIT Madras will oversee the development and operation of the centre, as mentioned in the release. IIT-Madras Zanzibar introduces new BS programme in Chemical Process Engineering The project is being jointly driven by Hyundai's HTWO brand, IIT Madras faculty, and key government partners. The launch event was attended by officials from Hyundai, IIT Madras, CSIR-NCL, the Korean Consulate, and other stakeholders from academia, industry, and government. IIT Madras Director Prof. V. Kamakoti noted that the centre would serve as a platform for collaboration across academia, research labs, industry, and policy sectors. Meanwhile, the Institute has expanded the number of courses being offered through its 'School Connect' Program. While two courses, Data Science and Artificial Intelligence and Electronic Systems, were offered earlier, the programme now includes 10 online hands-on certificate courses for Class 10, 11 and 12 students from schools all over the country. These courses will be for a duration of eight weeks. Registration for the August 2025 batch is underway, and schools can register and enrol their students at by July 25.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
IIT Madras to launch Rs 200 crore VC fund
BENGALURU: IIT Madras is setting up a Rs 200 crore venture capital fund to invest in startups emerging from the institution, Director Prof V. Kamakoti announced at the annual alumni gathering Sangam 2025 on Saturday. The fund, titled the IITM Alumni Fund, will mark a first-of-its-kind initiative in India's academic landscape, directly linking alumni capital with institute-affiliated entrepreneurship. 'All of you can invest,' Prof. Kamakoti told the alumni audience. 'This is your opportunity to work with great startups and technologies, and to grow along with your alma mater.' The fund aims to support early-stage companies founded by IIT Madras students, faculty, and alumni, and will invite contributions from the global IITM alumni network. Kamakoti cited the Tamil phrase, loosely translated as 'giving returns to the giver,' to underline the dual value proposition of impact and returns. While operational details are yet to be formally released, the fund's vision is bold: By 2032, Kamakoti wants to see one IPO per month from the IITM startup ecosystem. 'If IIT Madras can't do it, I don't think India can,' he said. Speaking at the event, another faculty member added that this initiative is likely the first such VC fund by an Indian academic institution aimed exclusively at nurturing its startup ecosystem. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Ford&Go. Extra Bonus di € 1.500 e prima rata a ottobre. Ford Italia Scopri di più Undo 'We hope this will give rise to dozens of Tarun Mehtas,' they said, referring to the Ather Energy cofounder and IITM alumnus. The announcement comes at a time when IIT Madras has emerged as one of the country's most prolific academic incubators, credited with spawning deeptech ventures across electric mobility, AI, and space tech. The fund is expected to institutionalise that pipeline and scale it with alumni-backed capital. Stay informed with the latest business news, updates on bank holidays and public holidays . AI Masterclass for Students. Upskill Young Ones Today!– Join Now
