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IIT-Madras

AP Government to Form Advisory Panel on Good Governance with Experts from IIT Madras, Gates Foundation

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Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu has announced the formation of a 10-member advisory council dedicated to enhancing good governance across the state. The council will include experts from prestigious institutions such as IIT Madras and the Gates Foundation, with a clear mandate to recommend impactful reforms aimed at improving citizen services and transparency. During a high-level review meeting at the State Secretariat focused on the Real Time Governance Society (RTGS), Naidu emphasized the need to leverage digital platforms—especially WhatsApp Governance—to deliver government services directly to citizens. He directed officials to bring all digitally available services under WhatsApp Governance by June 12 and to expedite the integration of real-time data systems to support this transformation. “The aim is to reach the last citizen with ease, speed, and accountability,” Naidu said, reiterating his vision for a fully tech-enabled government. Katamaneni Bhasker, Secretary of IT, informed the Chief Minister that while the potential exists to offer over 500 services through WhatsApp Governance, currently only 254 services have been integrated. The department is now aiming to scale this number to over 1,000 in the near future. In a further push for technological innovation, the state is also planning a masterplan for a “drone city” at Orvakallu, with ongoing efforts to position Andhra Pradesh as a hub for emerging tech and smart governance. With initiatives like the advisory council and rapid digital integration, Andhra Pradesh is positioning itself as a frontrunner in citizen-centric governance backed by data, tech, and expert insights.

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IIT Madras Centre For Innovation showcase 60 Tech Innovations built by 1,000 students during Open House 2025

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Standout prototypes include ‘S.A.M.V.I.D’, an AI-powered humanoid designed to assist visitors at India’s first Constitution Museum & ‘Supersyringe’, a volume-gated syringe that ensures precise anaesthesia dosage & ‘Drone Swarm’, a coordinated fleet of drones CHENNAI, 15th March 2025: Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Centre for Innovation (CFI) students showcased 60 cutting-edge tech innovations built by nearly 1,000 students across 26 teams during CFI Open House 2025 held in the campus today (15th March 2025). One of India’s largest student-run innovation lab, CFI houses 14 clubs spanning diverse technological domains alongside eight competition teams that actively compete in National and International events. Conducted annually, CFI Open House features products completely designed and built by students. This event offers a unique platform for the projects to gain visibility and attract further support from the Industry and Alumni. Open House 2025 witnessed many standout exhibits including: ‘S.A.M.V.I.D’, an AI-powered humanoid designed to assist visitors at India’s first Constitution Museum at OP Jindal Global University in Sonipat, Haryana ‘Supersyringe’, a volume-gated syringe that ensures precise anaesthesia dosage ‘Drone Swarm’, a coordinated fleet of drones designed for payload lifting and delivery Calling upon the Industry and Alumni community to help take these innovations to the market, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “CFI is central to IITM’s ‘I&E stack’ and has fostered a culture of building among our student community. A vast majority of our undergraduates and a growing number of graduate students participate in CFI and allied activities. I am glad to note that this year has seen stellar performances by CFI teams in reputed National and International competitions while also showcasing some exceptional innovations and enriching our IP base.” Prof. V. Kamakoti added, “I note with joy and pride that a number of CFI students are also taking entrepreneurship seriously with teams reaching out to the pre-incubator Nirmaan. This year also marked the first time that a former CFI student head (Mr. Sarthak Saurav) founding and joining his own startup (Matterize) immediately upon graduation. I congratulate the teams, student executives, the faculty mentors and support staff for putting on such a wonderful show and encourage them to continue and contribute more strongly to mission ‘Startup Shatam’.” Further, Prof. Sathyanarayana N Gummadi, Dean (Students), IIT Madras, said, “CFI is a beacon of innovation and creativity. This year, we had over 60 projects involving 1,000 students to showcase their innovations in the Open House. Interestingly, this year we filed 15 patents based on the innovations and we are probably looking for three potential startups. I strongly believe that this year, the CFI team is moving in the right path of protecting more intellectual property and converting ideas to a product. In this direction, IIT Madras will soon achieve the target of Startup Shatam.” HIGHLIGHTS OF THE YEAR On the software and AI front, projects like ‘Blink’, an audio-based VR game enhancing accessibility for visually impaired users and ‘AI Rahaman’, a multi-track fusion music generator blending different genres, pushed the boundaries of immersive technology. ‘Axify’, an advanced image processing tool that optimizes file sizes while maintaining quality and ‘QuanCrypt’, a post-quantum cryptography library ensuring future-proof security, showcased innovations in computational efficiency and cybersecurity. Meanwhile, ‘TradeCraft’, an AI-driven predictive trading platform, allowed users to simulate stock, futures, and options trading in a risk-free environment, making financial markets more accessible. Team Raftar, the Formula Student EV race car team, clinched first place in ‘Overall Statics’ at Formula Bharat 2025, securing top honours in Engineering Design, Cost and Manufacturing, and Best Battery Pack. Team iGEM earned a Gold Medal at the prestigious International Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) Competition, reinforcing its excellence in synthetic biology. Team Avishkar is developing a sub-scale passenger cabin and pioneering booster-cruiser technology for Hyperloop while replacing steel tubes with cost-effective concrete tubes to make infrastructure more scalable. Their test track enables real-world validation of aerodynamics, levitation, propulsion, and safety systems, driving the future of sustainable high-speed transportation in India. These victories mark another milestone in CFI’s legacy of technological innovation and global impact. “A PLATFORM FOR INNOVATORS” Congratulating the students, Prof. Prabhu Rajagopal, Advisor (Innovation and Entrepreneurship), CFI-IIT Madras, said, “The CFI Open House is the annual power-packed showcase of projects conducted by all the teams working within the umbrella of our Innovation Hub. Today, we have eight competition teams and 14 club teams dedicated to various cutting-edge themes including areas such as 3D printing, artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology and socially relevant innovations, and also competition teams including Hyperloop, formula racing and sounding rockets. I am very happy to report that last year our sounding rocket team was placed first in Asia at the Spaceport America 2024 and several of our competition teams have done very well in international arenas. This year we are very excited to showcase the new innovations at the Open House in a completely new venue. Also this year saw a number of teams from CFI embarking on an entrepreneurial journey, with Matterize (AI for 3D printing), Automagri (farm automation) among the first such to incubate their startups immediately upon graduation, while Nirmaan pre-incubated teams like Pravahan (shipping), CGG (drone logistics) and waterfly (mass transportation) are pushing the limits of innovation. I look forward to welcoming a new batch of students inspired by experiencing these innovations to the ‘InnoSphere’ of IIT Madras.” Sharing the student experience on working in such a massive event, Mr. Madhavnambi R V, Student Executive Head, Centre For Innovation (CFI) – IIT Madras, said, “Over the years, CFI has grown tremendously, transforming into a resourceful hub for anyone with a vision. With diverse clubs and competition teams covering multiple domains, it provides a platform for innovators of all backgrounds to pursue their ideas. This year, we have undertaken over 60 projects, and we are excited to display them to the world through Open House. CFI looks forward to welcoming professionals, researchers, and technology enthusiasts to Open House, where their insights and feedback will inspire our creators to refine and elevate their ideas. At

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IIT Placements: Lowest Salary Packages Received by Students in Top IITs Since 2019

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The Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs), renowned for their impressive placement records and multi-crore salary packages, have reported surprisingly low minimum salary offers in recent years. While average salaries range between ₹20 to ₹28 lakh per annum, and top packages can exceed crores, some students have received much lower offers, reflecting the impact of global economic uncertainties. Recent placement data from IIT Bombay showed that the lowest package offered this year was ₹4 lakh per annum, a significant drop compared to previous years. Experts attribute this trend to the broader economic situation, which has influenced campus recruitment. IIT Placement: Lowest Salaries (2019-2024) IIT Madras: Ranked first in NIRF 2024, IIT Madras saw its lowest salary fluctuate between ₹5.4 lakh per annum in 2019-20 to ₹6 lakh per annum in 2023-24, despite a rise in average salaries from ₹29.28 lakh to ₹41.72 lakh over the same period. IIT Bombay: Ranked third in NIRF 2024, IIT Bombay’s lowest package this year was ₹4 lakh, with 10 offers ranging from ₹4 to ₹6 lakh. The campus also saw 22 students securing crore-plus offers, mostly for international roles. IIT Kharagpur: Ranked fifth, IIT Kharagpur’s lowest packages varied from ₹7 lakh to ₹16 lakh in recent years. The 2023 placements saw over 700 offers, including six crore-plus packages on the first day. IIT Roorkee: Salaries consistently ranged between ₹6-8 lakh annually across the past five years. IIT Guwahati: Noted a low salary of ₹5.23 lakh in 2022-23, with other years averaging around ₹7 lakh. IIT Delhi: Ranked second in NIRF 2024, IIT Delhi reported a lowest package of ₹10 lakh per annum, with highest and average stipends being ₹4.04 lakh and ₹2.63 lakh per month, respectively, in its summer placements. Despite the impressive overall numbers, IITs have decided not to publicly disclose individual salary packages, recognizing the potential negative impact on students’ mental health due to the intense competitiveness and high expectations around compensation figures. According to an AIPC member, “Majority of these crore-worth offers are international, and publicizing such figures can adversely affect students’ mental well-being.” This approach aims to maintain a balanced environment where the focus remains on skill development rather than salary comparisons. Source: Indian Express

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Didn’t have the Courage to Sit for IIT Entrance’: ISRO Chief S Somanath Earns PhD from IIT-Madras

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S Somanath, the 60-year-old chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), received his PhD from IIT-Madras on Friday. Despite being the topper in the state for science, Somanath revealed, “I did not have the courage to write an entrance for IIT.” Speaking at the 61st convocation ceremony of IIT-Madras, Somanath, who was born in a village in Kerala, received his PhD degree for a thesis titled “Vibration Response Studies on Modified Hyper Elastic Material Models for Application in Aerospace Systems.” He expressed his deep connection to the topic, stating, “It is related to vibration isolators, which I started as an engineer in ISRO years ago. But this remained with me.” Somanath began his doctoral studies while working on the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle Mark III (GSLV Mk III) project. However, the demands of his work at ISRO forced him to put his studies on hold. He shared, “Since I was immersed in that work then, I couldn’t take forward my PhD. It is a real good fortune that I could complete it after having assumed the office of chairman of ISRO. It is really a great honour.” Under Somanath’s leadership, ISRO achieved significant milestones, including the Chandrayaan-3 mission, which made India the first country to land near the south pole of the Moon, and the launch of India’s first solar observatory, Aditya-L1. The degree was awarded to him by IIT-M Director Prof V Kamakoti and Dr Pawan Goenka, Chairman of the Board of Governors, IIT-M. The convocation ceremony at IIT-Madras was attended by 2,636 graduates, their families, and guests. Among the graduates were 764 B.Tech students, 277 Dual Degree B.Tech and M.Tech students, and 481 M.Tech students. The event also featured a speech by Mechanical Engineering student Dhananjay Balakrishnan, who highlighted the ethical responsibilities of engineers in the context of global conflicts. “There is a mass genocide going on in Palestine. People are dying in large numbers and there is no end in sight. Why should we bother by this, you may ask? Because STEM as a field in itself has historically been used to advance the ulterior motives of the imperial powers such as Israel,” he said.

Didn’t have the Courage to Sit for IIT Entrance’: ISRO Chief S Somanath Earns PhD from IIT-Madras Read More »

IIT Madras and SRIHER Collaborate on MD-PhD Dual Degree Program for Advancing Medical Research in India

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IIT Madras and Sri Ramachandra Institute of Higher Education and Research (SRIHER) in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, have entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to introduce a MD-PhD Dual Degree program. The collaboration aims to blend medical expertise and research capabilities, with SRIHER granting the MD degree and IIT Madras conferring the PhD degree through its Department of Medical Sciences and Technology. The program, set to commence in the upcoming academic year, emphasizes core clinical, interdisciplinary, and translational research to train proficient research scientists. Prospective postgraduate students at SRIHER, admitted through NEET, can apply for the PhD program at IIT Madras after their second year. The initiative seeks to cultivate ‘Physician-Scientists’ to drive India’s advancement in medicine and health research, aligning with the goal of achieving self-sufficiency in these fields. The MD-PhD graduates, recognized for their significant contributions, have historically garnered 37 percent of Nobel Prizes in Physiology, exemplifying their pivotal role in establishing crucial cause-and-effect relationships such as those between smoking and cancer or sugar and diabetes.

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IIT Madras and Ericsson Forge Strategic Partnership for Responsible AI Research

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The Centre for Responsible AI (CeRAI) at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) has entered into a strategic partnership with Ericsson to jointly conduct research in the realm of Responsible AI. Ericsson, as a ‘Platinum Consortium Member,’ has committed to this collaboration for a five-year period. As part of this collaboration, Ericsson Research will actively engage in and support all research endeavours undertaken at CeRAI. To commemorate this partnership, a symposium titled ‘Responsible AI for Networks of the Future’ was organized. Distinguished leaders from both IIT Madras and Ericsson Research came together to deliberate on the latest developments and breakthroughs in the field of Responsible AI. During the symposium, a panel discussion revolving around ‘Responsible AI for Networks of the Future’ took place, marking the official launch of this collaboration. The event also served as a platform to showcase ongoing research projects at the Centre for Responsible AI, including initiatives related to large-language models (LLMs) in healthcare and participatory AI. Artificial Intelligence (AI) research holds immense significance for Ericsson, especially in light of the forthcoming 6G networks, which are poised to be driven by AI algorithms, as stated by IIT Madras. Professor B Ravindran, speaking about the collaborative efforts, stated, “As 5G and 6G networks usher in a new era of connectivity and applications, it becomes imperative to ensure that AI models are not only capable but also transparent and adaptable to the diverse range of applications they will serve.” This collaboration seeks to address these critical aspects in the evolving landscape of AI and telecommunications.

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IIT Madras Adds International Immersion to Executive MBA

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The Department of Management Studies (DoMS) at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras has introduced a new component called “international immersion learning” to its Executive MBA program designed for working professionals. This program, as described in an official statement from IIT Madras, places a strong emphasis on developing global leadership skills and cultural intelligence. Prospective candidates have until October 19 to apply for this program through the official website at doms.iitm.ac.in/emba. The classes will be conducted in person on alternate weekends starting from January 2024. To be eligible, applicants should have a graduation score of at least 60% in any discipline, a minimum of three years of work experience, and they must pass an entrance exam and a virtual personal interview conducted by the Department of Management Studies. The program has a duration of two years and offers a comprehensive and practical curriculum. It includes three projects that apply theoretical concepts to real-world business challenges, as outlined by IIT Madras. The Executive MBA program will provide knowledge aligned with industry demands in areas such as the digital economy, global strategy, and Industry 4.0 technologies. It covers core management principles, their practical application to real-world problems, integrated concepts spanning various business domains, global perspectives, and the use of digital tools in decision-making processes. As part of this initiative, students from the 2023 and 2024 batches of the Executive MBA program participated in a nine-day immersion program at the IÉSEG School of Management across two countries and three locations, including Brussels in Belgium and Paris and Lille in France. This program involved classroom sessions aimed at understanding global cultures and business practices in a region with complex socio-cultural dynamics like Europe. During the immersion program, students had the opportunity to explore the innovation and research center at Decathlon, gaining insights into its operations. They also visited Ports de Lille, France’s largest inland river port, to gain an understanding of France’s transportation network. Additionally, they learned about the workings of European governance through interactions with members of the European Parliament and the European Commission. The program also included a socio-cultural experience in a typical French household. The primary objectives of this program include equipping mid-career working professionals with in-depth functional knowledge and a broad understanding of industrial domains, fostering an integrative approach to decision-making across business boundaries, and developing leadership qualities to contribute effectively in a global business environment.

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IIT-Madras launched a summer STEM programme for students in rural schools

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The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras is creating a summer programme for rural school children in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM). From June 20 to 25, 2022, this outreach programme will take place. The varsity hopes to reach at least one lakh government school students across the country. Because of the evolving educational environment as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, this curriculum will be conducted entirely online. The course will be delivered in both English and Tamil. At the moment, 100 students have been chosen to begin this programme. The goal of IIT Madras is to teach and push students to pursue scientific and technological achievements.  “The Department has given importance to students from disadvantaged blocks while selecting students for this program. This 100 students is only a beginning and many more students will be brought in. This program has 70 per cent of hands-on component with the rest being theory,” said Thiru. Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, Minister for School Education, Government of Tamil Nadu. The Department of School Education, Government of Tamil Nadu, has chosen 100 students from class 10. Officials from the department identify and approach students from underprivileged background, then send a list to IIT-Madras. The university then contacts these students and arranges transportation, housing, and other services. Students will spend a week on campus and will be given an electronic kit when they arrive. They will be taught a variety of topics, including environmental and electronic aspects of engineering, technological advancement in renewable energies, and applied mathematics, to name a few.

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