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Techpedia and GTU initiate ‘Awards for Gandhian Engineering’ for innovations at academy level that will benefit the masses

In an attempt to promote the concept of Gandhian engineering at university level in the state, Techpedia.in, in association with Gujarat Technological University (GTU), has initiated one of its kind of award to honour the best cost effective innovations at academic level that could benefit the masses.

The categories for the awards have been instituted after the 32 engineering disciplines offered at Gujarat Technological University

As the first step towards recognising budding techies’ endeavour, GTU has opened nominations for ‘awards for the best work’ during the last five years by students and faculty members.

The categories for the awards have been instituted after the 32 engineering disciplines offered at GTU. Two awards will be given in each category of under-graduate, post-graduate and diploma courses. The awards will be presented during a ceremony in February next year.

“Through small-scale experiment with techpedia.in, GTU’s under-graduates have proved that they can innovate in an incredible way. We need to motivate them in order to foster an innovative eco-system for entrepreneurship modules in the society,” said Techpedia.in Managing Director Hiranmay Mahanta. Techpedia.in is a flagship portal of NGO Sristi.

50,000 projects every year
About 50,000 engineering students from 500 colleges come up with their innovative works every year.

“In GTU, some 50,000 students under the guidance of 10,000 faculty members carry out their projects every year. If only 1 per cent of these ideas get converted into viable, market-driven products in areas like automation, clean technologies, healthcare, telecom, IT applications and environments, it can produce hundreds of industry and society-friendly solutions,” said Mahanta.

The initiative will play a vital role as it will provide a platform for dialogue and discourse on innovation at university level, he added.

Objective of the award
The award will encourage and support students and faculty to design cost-effective and eco-friendly products and services for the larger section of society. The innovators will be motivated to put their efforts together in socialising technologies.

Another objective of this award is to emphasise on solving real-life problems of SMEs (small and medium enterprises) which cannot afford their own research and development and value addition to innovations at grass roots.

“A lot of grassroots innovations have taken place in Gujarat but haven’t got recognition in the absence of a proper platform. The award has been set up to nurture the talent. The idea is to encourage the young minds adopt ‘socialising technologies’ to cater to the need of society in the 21st century,” GTU Vice Chancellor Akshai Aggarwal said.

Eligibility for the Awards
1. Faculty members and students of engineering colleges and polytechnics

2. Post-graduate, under-graduate and diploma engineering students

3. Projects completed during the last five academic years

* Last date of application for the award is January 5, 2011

Through small-scale experiment with
techpedia.in, GTU’s under-graduates have proved that they can innovate in an
incredible way. We need to motivate them in order to foster an innovative eco-system for entrepreneurship modules
in society

– Hiranmay Mahanta, Managing Director, Techpedia.in