Dear students, colleagues and alumni,

I am truly excited about the opportunity to serve this great university. I am extremely thankful to the senior leadership of TIET for giving me this opportunity of a lifetime.

During the next several years, I dream to encourage all of you to see beyond what is normally possible. We must stretch our imagination and challenge our limitations and passionately join the journey of excellence seeking. Everything we do should be better than what we have done before. Our ultimate goal is to provide extraordinary student experience. We must dream of making TIET the most innovative university in the country and beyond.

We will continue to seek excellence in teaching, research, entrepreneurship and community engagement through intensifying our efforts in all the four areas.

With lots of love and best wishes to all!

2 QS World University Rankings 2023

• The QS World University Rankings 2023 placed TIET within the global range of 1001-1200.
• TIET is ranked 228th in the QS Asia University Rankings for 2023.

Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET), Patiala, Nava Nalanda Central Library (NNCL) with the association of Refread Solutions, launched e-Library Portal and Mobile App (iOS and Android) on 20th March 2023. This portal was launched by the Hon’ble Director, TIET Prof Padmakumar Nair.

The users of the Central Library can access more than 233 thousand e-books, 12 thousand e-journals, 54 thousand video lectures, 50 thousand conference proceedings, 282 thousand full text e-thesis, 2000 thousands presentations, 1800 e-magazines, and 10 thousand expert talks and other resources easier and more convenient than ever before.

The mobile app offers even more convenience, allowing users to access the e-library from their smartphones or tablets. The e-library and mobile app will offer several features and benefits to users such as easy search, navigation features, personalised user profiles, user-friendly interface that will be accessible on multiple devices.

Many users have already self-registered their accounts on the eLibrary through their institutional email id (@thapar.edu). The Hon’ble Director has set out a mission for the institute's community to make sure that “all the e-resources can be delivered to the users through a single platform from anytime and anywhere” which will enhance their academic performances.

Trinity College Dublin

Emma Stokes, the Vice President of Global TCD, visited TIET from 14th to 16th February, 2023, which marked the first visit of a TCD top official following the leadership change in 2020. During her visit, there were extensive discussions about the future involvement in Teaching and Learning, Research, Articulation, and CAPSL.

Virginia Tech Visit

On 22nd February, 2023, Dan Sui, who holds the position of Senior Vice President and Chief Research and Innovation Officer, Aimee Suprenant, Dean of Virginia Tech's Graduate School, and Viswanath Venkatesh, an Eminent Scholar and Verizon Chair of Business Information Technology at the Pamplin College of Business, Virginia Tech, visited TIET. During their visit, they provided an overview of the CEEMS centre and discussed student mobility in mechanical engineering through a 3+1+1 program. Furthermore, Virginia Tech plans to host several TIET Post Docs starting from the next academic year, and they have plans for collaboration in Liberal Arts and Management for either a 2+2 program or a 1-year or 1-semester partnership.

TIET-TAU Center of Excellence for Food Security

Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology welcomed Dr Lior Asaf, Israeli Water Attaché in the Israeli embassy at New Delhi, India and Prof Yosi Shacham, Director of the TIET-TAU Food Security Research Center to the institute.

CAPSL-TIET Team visited Jammu University to carry out a workshop on Outcome Based Learning Pedagogy. The workshop was conducted over the course of one week and consisted of seminars and hands-on workshops on topics such as the development of Program Outcomes (POs) and Course Outcomes (COs), their mapping with Programme Educational Objectives (PEOs), Bloom's Taxonomy, and assessment techniques. The main aim of the Faculty Development Program (FDP) was to motivate and train faculty members from various departments and institutions to enhance their teaching and learning practices by shifting their focus from teacher-centric learning to student-centric learning.

Furthermore, the Vice Chancellor of Jammu University, Prof. Umesh Rai, felicitated the team for their efforts.

Thapar Satellite Monitoring Station is now fully functional and we are excited looking at the Indian sub-continent from space. As a part of student training and experiential learning activities at the monitoring station we are regularly receiving data from open source satellites. Some of the key observations include reception commands to Pixxel Sat launched by ISRO on 26-11-2022 during its initial tracking phase. This was a major milestone for us as we demonstrated the capacities of our monitoring station to the fullest. We are regularly tracking NOAA weather monitoring satellites. It was an enthralling experience to watch the cyclone move past southern India during the month of December, 2022 and the cloud cover over northern India in the last week of January, 2023. Exciting times for the project ahead!

The Brainstorming workshop was exclusively organised to highlight the research carried out by Project teams from PAU, TAU and TIET, headed by Prof Amit Dhir in effectively treating the wastewater in rural ponds based on “Thapar Model” and usage of treated wastewater in irrigating edible crops in farms.

Dr Gurbinder Singh, Registrar, TIET welcomed the delegates and highlighted the need to conduct such workshops to benefit the community. Sh. Amit Kumar, IAS, Joint Development Commissioner cum Commissioner MGNREGA, Department of Rural Development & Panchayats, was the chief guest in the workshop and other government dignitaries from various stakeholder departments.

The Hon’ble commissioner appreciated the efforts of Thapar Institute in the outreach and inclusive research being carried out to facilitate the progress of Rural Punjab.

Prof Yosi, who is also the Director of CoE (FS) from Tel Aviv University, Israel attended the meeting in virtual mode. Prof Amit Dhir enlightened the audience about the ongoing project regarding the proposed pilot scale studies in rural ponds. Prof Sukhpal Singh, Chairman Punjab State Farmers and Farm Workers Commission highlighted the need to adopt innovative agricultural practices to enhance farmers income.The workshop ended with a vote of thanks by Prof Moushumi Ghosh, Coordinator of the center.

The workshop ended with a vote of thanks by Prof Moushumi Ghosh, Coordinator of the center.

Industry Institute Interface (I³) a joint endeavour initiated by Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology (TIET) and Punjab Pollution Control Board (PPCB) to provide a scientific solution to the different types of pollution related problems of the industries established across the state of Punjab in different sectors. School of Energy and Environment, TIET & PPCB organised a workshop on this initiative and it was launched on January 4, 2023 by the chief guest S. Gurmeet Singh Meet Hayer, Hon’ble Minister for Science, Technology and Environment; Sports and Youth Services; and Higher Education. The chief guest, Director TIET and Chairman PPCB appreciated the efforts put forth by the team of PPCB and TIET for bringing the industry and research community on a common platform to discuss and resolve various environmental and technological bottlenecks faced by the industries across Punjab. During the initiative a dedicated website for the Industry Institute Interface was launched for continuous involvement in the endeavour along with the book of proposals for various industrial solutions. The workshop got a great response from the industry, academics and government sector. Multiple proposals and prototypes were displayed to the participants for the upscaling of successful research outputs related to industrial issues.

School of Energy & Environment (SEE), TIET offers a new online professional development course for working professionals on “Waste management and Resource recovery”. Waste management is the toughest task for the government authorities, Industrialists, agriculturalists, and the common public. Waste management needs scientific plans, management strategies and holistic approaches in all sectors. India is in the phase of fast industrialization and rapid urbanisation, which creates higher waste both in the domestic and industrial sector. This program provides an overview of solid waste management covering the essentials of the waste management system such as environmental, social, and economical aspects. Candidates will be able to understand the challenges of waste management, the ways to recover resources for a circular economy and sustainable solutions. The program is initiated and coordinated by Dr Dhamodharan K from SEE. Classes for the first batch have been started and running successfully.

Formula Bharat 2023, India's biggest Formula Student competition, concluded at Kari Motor Speedway in Coimbatore. One team that managed to stand out from the rest of the competitors was Team Fateh, the Formula Student team of the college. Team Fateh displayed extraordinary passion, dedication, and hard work, which helped them clinch multiple awards at the event.

Team Fateh is one of India's oldest Formula Student teams, and they are known for their dedication and skill. Their enthusiasm was evident when they participated in Formula Bharat 2023, and they gave their all to ensure their success in the competition. After preparing the car to be competition-ready, it was loaded and sent to Coimbatore. When the team and the car reached their destination, the work did not stop. An FSAE competition includes static events and dynamic events. To run a vehicle in a dynamic event, it must pass the Technical Requirements (TI). Clearing a TI is no easy feat; the car is scrutinised by individuals who excel in their respective design and engineering fields. The competition spanned five days, with different days dedicated to various events, so the team double-downed to get the car TI ready alongside the various static events. The competition was five gruelling days of hard work with teams from all over India, but it was all worth it.

Unfortunately, the team faced many obstacles during the competition, the worst of which was engine failure. Despite this setback, they managed to win first place in the Engineering Design event, first place in the Cost and Manufacturing event, and third place in the Business Presentation event. These victories led to them being declared as the overall static event winners for the competition! The engine failure meant that the team could only clear the mechanical inspection and tilt test, and they could not clear the brake and acceleration events. As a result, they could not participate in the rest of the dynamic events. Despite this setback, Team Fateh achieved an all-India rank of sixth, a testament to their skills and dedication.

The achievements of Team Fateh at Formula Bharat 2023 are commendable, and they have made their college proud. Their success reflects the hard work, dedication, and passion they have put into their work, which helped clinch multiple awards. Their achievements have inspired many students to take up the challenge of Formula Student competitions. Their success is also a testament to their progress over the years, and they have set a new standard for excellence in Formula Student competitions.

i) Patent granted to Dr Moushumi Ghosh

Not only research, but the spirit of entrepreneurship at TIET has resulted in a number of successful patent grants. A patent has been granted to Thapar Institute for an invention entitled APPARATUS FOR DETERMINING QUALITY OF HORTICULTURAL PRODUCTS BASED ON CHEMORESPONSIVE BIOCOMPOSITE FILM for the term of 20 years in accordance with the provisions of the Patents Act,1970.

ii) Development of Cross-contamination-free portable suction assembly for airway clearance in mechanically ventilated patients

Investigators-

PI: Dr Diptiman Choudhury, Associate Professor, School of Chemistry and Biochemistry, co-leader of BioX, TIET-VT Centre of Excellence of Emerging Materials, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala.

Co-PI: Dr Vineet Srivastava, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala Dr Ravinder Kumar Duvedi, Associate Professor, Mechanical Engineering Department, Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, Patiala.

Co-PI for clinical trial: Dr Babita Ghai, Professor and Head of the Anaesthesia and consultant Pain clinic, PGIMER, Chandigarh, India.

Funding Agency: ICMR, Govt of India.

Funding amount: 23.23 lakhs.

Period: 2 years

Research Rationality: We, as a country, have a shortage of hospitals and intensive care units. Further, the facilities in the hospitals are not up to the mark, which increases the chances of hospital borne infections (HIB). Air borne infections, including TB, pneumonia, COVID-19, etc., are among the most infectious HIBs. A significant quantity of aerosol-carrying infective agents is generated during intensive care procedures in the hospital. These aerosols eventually infect the other patients and hospitals' medical and paramedical staff. According to the Indian Medical Association (IMA) report, more than 1500 doctors and 125 nurses died due to COVID-19 infections until 30th June 2021, and most of them acquired the disease from hospitals or clinics.

The situation is so bad that the IMA has declared 'Save the Saviours' as the theme of this year's National Doctors' Day, observed on 1st July. Therefore, an immediate action plan is needed to control aerosol generation in the hospital environment. Henceforth, to prevent infection of HIB (ICU/ ICCU), we hypothesise developing a low-cost, cross-contamination-free, portable mechanical suction device to remove pulmonary mucosal plugs. The system should be indigenously designed, and the operational procedure should be simple enough that one needs minimal training to operate.

Objectives:

• Design and development of mechanical suction pump and selection of microbial filter for the cross-contamination-free portable mechanical suction device.
• Fabrication of a complete prototype of a cross-contamination-free portable mechanical suction device & pre-clinical trial and optimization of the proposed prototype.
• Develop 5 instrumental sets (mechanical suction device) and 100 single-use disposable pulmonary fluid collection pouch assemblies for a clinical trial.
• Clinical trial in mechanically ventilated patients for final validation of the device for human use & data validation and analysis.

Expected Outcomes:

• The expected outcome of the proposed project is to develop a portable mechanical suction device at an affordable rate.
• With existing technology, mechanical suctioning of pulmonary fluid generates a considerable amount of aerosol resulting in high risk for HIB. We want to make a device that can prevent cross-contamination by preventing aerosol generation.
• The device would be reusable and durable. The collection sack would be easily detachable, contamination-free, storable, and quickly dispatched or destroyed.
• Translatability of the developed product using a startup as a medium.

iii) Project by ICMR

Dr Amanpreet Kaur (PI), Dr Diptiman Chowdhury (CO-PI) and Dr Arnab Pattanayak (CO-PI) have received a project grant from Indian Council of Medical research, New Delhi for their project entitled “Design & Development of Microwave-Based Imaging and Hyperthermia Systems, for Diagnosis & Treatment of Skin Cancer Respectively and Testing the Prototype in 2-D and 3-D Organotypic Skin Epithelial Carcinoma Model”. A project grant of 59.44 Lakhs has been approved for this project by the ICMR.

The main objective of this project is to develop a microwave based non-invasive, non-ionising diagnosis and treatment system for early-stage skin cancer. The proposed techniques may significantly reduce the side effects of conventional cancer diagnosis and treatment therapies such as chemotherapy and radiation therapy. The validation of the proposed prototype would be done 3-D organotypic culture mimic of the skin tumor model.

ACHIEVEMENTS

i) Best Poster Award in the 26th Punjab Science Congress

Mr Praveen Kumar Yadav, first-year PhD Research Scholar in the SPMS department working under the supervision of Dr Raj Kumar (TIET Patiala) and Mrutunjaya Bhuyan (University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur), won the best poster award in the 26th Punjab Science Congress held at Shri Guru Granth Sahib World University in collaboration with Punjab Academy of Science from 7th-9th February, 2023. The poster was titled “New parameterization of relativistic energy density functional for the study of surface properties of finite nuclei”. He was awarded a medal, certificate, and cash prize for meritorious achievement. Supervisors/ Collaborators:

• Dr Raj Kumar, Associate Professor, TIET Patiala
• Dr Mrutunjaya Bhuyan, Sr. Lecturer (Assistant Professor), University of Malaya, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

ii) AIESEC in Patiala attends National Leadership Summit 2023

The National Leadership Summit (NLS 2023) was a 5-day conference that was hosted by AIESEC in India for all its member entities from the 14th-18th January, 2023. It took place in the city of Jaipur in Rajasthan and was attended by more than 300 delegates from across the country. The theme of the conference revolved around Leadership Development and providing the delegates with the right practical knowledge and experience to achieve the same. It also covered aspects regarding the various Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and the delegates tried solving some of the most crucial problems that the world is facing right now. The agenda of the conference was to help the Incoming Executive Bodies of the various entities strategize and foresee the year ahead. The conference was delivered by some of the best leaders in our country. AIESEC in Patiala had a strong representation of 8 students from TIET. The outcome of the conference was that the delegates were successfully able to plan out the upcoming year as the Executive Bodies of AIESEC and they also got some real-life insights and experiences as to how the corporate world functions. AIESEC in Patiala extended gratitude to the Faculty In-Charge: Dr Ashish Purohit (President), Dr Sonam Dullat (Vice-President) and the Thapar Management for this opportunity.

iii) OORJA

Team Oorja, an automotive society of Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, competed in the Indian Karting Championship 2023, at Mohite's Racing Academy in Kolhapur, Maharashtra. Our team has won an Overall 3rd Position and Best Design Presentation nationally in the category of electric vehicles, becoming Thapar Institute’s first team to compete in the Electric category.

The team faced and overcame numerous obstacles along the way, and it was all made worthwhile by each member's tenacity, discipline, and technical proficiency. We cannot express in words the constant support extended to us by our faculty advisor- Dr Gagandeep Kaur. We appreciate and hope they forge their way ahead, thereby upholding the legacy.

iv) PECMUN

TIET’s delegation was distinguished and reviewed for its diligence and intellectualism on a pan-India level at PECMUN conference held from 18th February 2023 at Punjab Engineering College, Chandigarh. This has brought us immense publicity and prestige and has added yet another feather to our institution’s cap after our performance at the DelTech MUN and the IGDTUW MUN.

Our delegation demonstrated exceptional knowledge, skills, and diplomacy throughout the conference and left no stone unturned to make it memorable for everyone.

v) HackNSUT

TIET team stood first in HackNSUT, a rigorous 30-hour offline hackathon organised by IEEE, Netaji Subhas University of Technology, Delhi. The event witnessed more than 50 teams shortlisted for offline participation across India.

The team, consisted of two first year students, managed to ideate, and bring to life, a smart cycle-docking system for a cleaner and cheaper mode of in-campus commute for universities.

vi) CODEUTSAVA 6.0

In a world where innovation is king and creativity reigns supreme, there are few things more awe-inspiring than witnessing the collective power of passionate problem solvers, working together to push the limits of what's possible.

CodeUtsava 6.0 by NIT Raipur was a shining example of just that, bringing together the brightest minds in tech to tackle some of the most pressing challenges facing our world today. And as we celebrate the incredible accomplishments of Team Gravity Falls from Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, the winners of the Environmental Monitoring problem statement in the ICU ward, we're reminded of the boundless potential of human ingenuity.

So let us be inspired by their creativity, driven by their determination, and motivated by their example to continue pushing the boundaries of what we believe is possible. Because, as we've seen time and time again, when we come together to solve the world's biggest problems, anything is possible.

vii) Arihant Tanwar

Arihant Tanwar, a 3rd-year student, has published a research paper in a Science Citation Index (SCI) journal, an international open-access journal with an impact factor of 2.59. This is a remarkable accomplishment for an undergraduate student and reflects Arihant's dedication to his field of study.

The publication is inspiring to young students who aspire to excel academically and contribute to their field. Thapar Institute's commitment to promoting and encouraging undergraduate research is evident in Arihant's success.

viii) Team MARS

Out of more than 35+ teams competing in the International Rover Challenge 2023, MARS was delighted to rank among the top 20 and advance to the finals. Team MARS achieved a sixth-place finish in the finals after participating for the first time. The team was also awarded the title of "Emerging Team of the Year”.

We are proud of the Mechatronics and Robotics Society of TIET for providing an ideal platform for students of Mechanical, Mechatronics, Electronics, Computers and Electrical Engineering background to hone their skills and showcase their talent in many interdisciplinary activities.

ix) Winners of ETHOS

Ethos is a unique hackathon with a culmination of the rich traditions of the Northeast with the technical potential of the region.

Team Brute_force consisted of Abhilash Jena and Rohit Bisht bagged first prize at National Level Hackathon “Ethos”, held at IIT Guwahati from 17th December 2022 - 09th January, 2023, along with a prize of Rs. 20,000. They developed a software for Assam police which would help them to enhance a picture or video and increase the scope of further investigation. The solution consisted of a React based software application that houses over 5 ML models like REAL ESRGEN, NAFTNET, etc.

Breaking through barriers and blistering past horizons, we are proud to announce Abhilash Jena and Rohit Bisht, BE students of Computer Engineering department as the winner of Ethos-Northeast India’s Flagship Hackathon.

x) Team BitLock

It gives us immense pleasure to share that TIET’s team "BitLock" emerged victorious in Ethos - Northeast India's largest hackathon and the flagship event of IIT Guwahati among more than 135+ finalists from 50+ top colleges and 1000+ registrations. The event was held from 7th-9th January, 2023 for a non-stop effort of 36 hours. The team developed an NLP tool as a solution to the event's ML challenge by Saptang Labs - an IIT Madras research park-based startup.

This tool enables the users to generate their comprehensive sentimental analysis of a queried person along with visualisation of results and prediction of future sentiments. Our victory is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the team members as well as the excellent training and resources provided by the Computer Science & Engineering Department and the enriching mentorship provided by Dr Prashant Singh Rana and Dr Vaibhav Agarwal.

xi) Naman Tuli

Naman Tuli, 4th year undergraduate student of Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology has published a research paper in the Science Citation Index (SCI) journal "Displays".

The journal is published by Elsevier, a leading publisher in the field of science and technology, and has an impact factor of 3.074.

Naman's publication in this top journal demonstrates his skills and dedication in his field of study. TIET is committed to providing students with high-quality education and support, and Naman's success is a testament to this. Naman's achievement is a remarkable one and is expected to be only the beginning of his contributions to the scientific community.

xii) IGDTUW MUN

A delegation from Thapar was sent to Indira Gandhi Delhi Technical University for Women for the IGDTUW MUN conference. The students from our university competed against various prestigious colleges across the country for two days, i.e., 27th and 28th January, 2023.

MUNs foster a knack for policy-making and ideology-building among students and inculcate into them the principles of democracy and debate. The level of debate was competitive and enthralling for the participants and was at par with the MUNs at Thapar.

Thapar’s delegation was distinguished and reviewed for its diligence and intellectualism on an inter-college level. The strong presence of our institute in the debating sphere has once again proved the zeal our students represent.

xiii) Gurcharan Kaura

Gurcharan Kaura, BE 3rd year student of CSE, TIET has published a book titled ‘Real Estate in India’. In this book, he has covered all the aspects of the growing Indian Real Estate Industry (expected to be $1 trillion by 2030). Book provides an overview of the market’s present scenario and future trends like datacenters, warehousing, and the silver economy. Property valuation methods, Documentation, REITs, Prop-Tech, few tips for buyers and sellers of property, how to become a millionaire investor with 10 millionaires strategies like turnkey, BRRRR, fix-and-flip are some of the key components covered in this book. He has also discussed his own company and its functioning along with the business model of some companies working in the real estate and construction sector.

xiv) SMART PUNJAB HACKATHON

Team SUNS stands as the first runner-up in "Smart Punjab Hackathon". The competition witnessed participation of over 300 students from Thapar Students as well as other institutes all over India, working on 5 unique challenge domains namely Automation, Mad-Tech, Open Innovation, Agri-Tech, and Smart Cities.

The team made Project PUNJAB - SmartSwitch which helps reduce the over-exploitation of groundwater and save electricity through use of low-cost open source hardware and Machine Learning. Ultimately helping the economy of Punjab.

xv) Pitch It Challenge

Team 'Dune' emerged as the second runner-up of the "Pitch It Challenge" organised at IIT Jodhpur. The competition witnessed more than 100 teams from institutes all over the country. The participants were tested on their pitching skills and understanding of a venture.They had to analyse the venture they chose and understand the critical aspects of entrepreneurship and the business model of a product.

The team was invited to pitch an alternative to an existing product at iStart Nest, the Government of Rajasthan’s incubation centre, which is the only centralised incubator in the country providing free incubation to emerging startups. They pitched 'biodegradable silk batteries' in the final round as an alternative to lithium-ion batteries.

xvi) ENCODE CLUB X LIVEPEER HACKATHON

Vansh Gehlot from Team Dragverse has achieved great success in the "Encode Club x Livepeer Hackathon". This 8-week global competition brought together some of the brightest minds in the decentralised technology space to build innovative video creator tools and applications on Livepeer.

Their project, Dragverse (dragverse.io) is a web app that empowers drag artists and enthusiasts to create, share, mint, and stream their art while building their own communities. This platform is a testament to the team's dedication, creativity, and technical skills.

The team is honoured to have been recognised as one of the top three winners of the hackathon, receiving a cash prize of $3,000 (₹2,40,000) and the admiration of some leading web3 companies worldwide.

xvii) DelTech MUN

The Thapar MUN team has won the ‘Special Mention’ award at the prestigious DeITech MUN. The strong presence of our institute in the debating sphere has once again proved the zeal our students represent.

It’s a proud moment for us to share the achievement of our students that has been instrumental in promoting and uplifting the reputation of our institution on a greater level.

Akul was a part of the simulation of the United Nations Commission for the Status of Women (UNCSW). At the same time, Aditya and Krish participated in the GST Council, where their viewpoints gained gravitas among their fellow delegates. Akul and Aditya individually won the 'Special Mention' award in their respective committees. Thapar’s delegation was distinguished and reviewed for its diligence and intellectualism on an inter-college level.

The DelTech MUN and Debating Society organised the conference and is undoubtedly one of the most notable MUNs in the Delhi Circuit. The students competed against colleges from across the country, including BITS, NSUT, and IGDTUW, among many other prestigious institutions, for two days, i.e. the 7th and the 8th of January, 2023.

MUNs foster a knack for policy-making and ideology-building among students and inculcate into them the principles of democracy and debate. The level of debate was competitive and enthralling for the participants and was at par with the Thapar MUNs.

xviii) Winner Of Women Code to Win Hackathon' 23

TIET team has won ServiceNow Women Code to Win Hackathon'23, organised through Unstop platform. It was a one-month online event, consisting of Coding round and Prototype submission. With over 30,000+ female engineering students participating from more than 1500 colleges in India, the event witnessed rigorous competition among talented women who came together to innovate and develop incredible solutions.

Team EDUKIDS, consisted of Sanjoli aggarwal, Taruna and Tanisha Parkash, all 3rd year Computer Engineering students of Thapar under the guidance of Dr Prashant Singh Rana and Basavraj Chinagundi, a 4th year student of TIET, developed an interactive online learning app for small kids named EDUKIDS, to provide a game based and personalised learning experience and emerged as the winning team.

xix) Publication of Poetry Collection (The Void of Words)

The twenty-year-old writer's journal entry that began as simple doodles has evolved into this moving collection of poems titled ‘The Void of Words’. We are immensely proud of Saniya’s first publication as a writer. It is available on various online platforms, including Amazon, Flipkart and Barnes & Nobles. It is also available at the Nava Nalanda Central Library.

We could definitely see the line of magic that she drew through her words and feel it humming around us.

xx) Best Poster Award at International Conference held at Dibrugarh University, Assam

Parmjeet Kaur pursuing PhD Chemistry under the supervision of Dr Vikas Tyagi won the Best Poster Award at the International Conference held at Dibrugarh University, Assam. She presented her poster on the topic of rational design of nano-biohybrid catalyst and its application for Chemo-enzymatic cascade reactions.

STUDENT’S SPEAK

SUPERPOWERS & FATAL FLAWS

(Punya Garg, 1st Year, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering)

Superhero stories are filled with special weaknesses for the favorite do-gooders. [some of the bad guys have special weaknesses, too]. The idea is an old and familiar one. It’s Achilles’ heel: individuals with extraordinary powers nonetheless possess that one soft spot, sometimes fatal, that can render them mere mortals, or worse, make them even weaker than us ordinary folks.

Marvel comics popularized the idea that a superhero’s weakness needn’t be a specific item or action, but rather, it could be an ordinary human flaw. For instance, Bruce Banner’s propensity toward anger is his weakness. Spider man’s flaws are those of most adolescents. He’s short sighted, prone to unnecessary risks, and cocky. What makes some of Stan Lee’s best creations so much fun and interesting is that these flaws are familiar to all of us, even when beings who aren’t even human possess them.

The very things that can expose superheroes to trouble can be a source of strength for them as well. Sure, anger is weakness of Bruce Banner’s. But it’s also his strength. Heck, Hulk gets stronger and stronger the angrier he gets. Spider man’s cocksure attitude often puts him unnecessarily in harm’s way, but it also helps him save the day.

Moving ahead of marvels in DC comics as well, Batman’s childhood trauma has been a weakness exploited by many of his villains, but it’s also the source of his drive to fight crime and pursue justice. So, weakness needn’t just be plot devices used to challenge impossibly powerful superheroes. They can also be ways to complicate superheroes in exciting and engaging ways.

Apart from it, what might be a strength could also manifest as a weakness depending on the situations or whether the character is unable to manage it. When a strength goes into overuse, it becomes a weakness. So It’s really important to know what your real strengths and weaknesses are in order to leverage your strength and improve your weaknesses. The day when even us humans recognise our strength and weaknesses we could probably be as outstanding, inspiring and amazing as superheroes are.

Thapar Institute Counselling Cell (TICC) would urge the readers to think about your weaknesses or flaws that turned into a powerful weapon in the nick time. You could share an experience or a sign to change something not to overcome your shortcomings but instead leverage it. So next time you find yourself sucking on something or subject look at it from a different 'a superhero ‘perspective or maybe write to us till then!

THE RISE OF
BIOTECHNOLOGY IN 2023

(Saniya Sethi, 1st Year, Department of Biotechnology)

“Biotechnology has made it technologically possible to build the monster; patent law is making it politically possible”-Neil Gerlach

Biotechnology has a major role in your life than you might think. With the advent of new technologies and breakthroughs in genetic engineering, biotech companies are racing to develop new treatments and cures for diseases that were once thought to be incurable. One of the most exciting developments in biotechnology is the use of CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology. This revolutionary technique allows scientists to edit genes with unprecedented precision, opening up new possibilities for treating genetic disorders and diseases.

CRISPR-Cas9 is a revolutionary gene editing tool that allows scientists to make precise changes to DNA sequences. It works by using a molecule called RNA to guide an enzyme called Cas9 to the specific location in the genome where the change is desired. Once there, Cas9 cuts the DNA, allowing researchers to add, delete, or replace specific genes. This technology has enormous potential for treating genetic disorders and diseases. For example, it could be used to correct mutations that cause diseases like sickle cell anaemia or cystic fibrosis. It could also be used to create new therapies for cancer or other diseases.

However, there are also concerns about the potential unintended consequences of using this technology. For example, making changes to one gene could have unforeseen effects on other genes or on the organism as a whole. There are also ethical concerns about using this technology to create so-called "designer babies" with specific traits. Despite these concerns, CRISPR-Cas9 is a powerful tool that has already led to many exciting breakthroughs in biotechnology and holds great promise for the future.

In addition to treating genetic disorders and diseases, gene editing technology has many other potential applications. For example, it could be used to create crops that are more resistant to pests or drought or to develop new biofuels. It could also be used to create new animal models for studying human diseases or to engineer bacteria that can break down environmental pollutants. Another exciting area of research is using gene editing technology to create "gene drives" - genetic modifications that spread rapidly through a population. This could be used, for example, to eliminate disease-carrying mosquitoes or invasive species.

However, as with any new technology, there are concerns about the potential risks and unintended consequences of using gene editing. It is essential that we proceed with caution and carefully consider the ethical implications of our actions.

Additionally, an area of biotechnology that is rapidly advancing is synthetic biology. Scientists are now able to create entirely new organisms by designing and synthesising DNA sequences. This can potentially revolutionise fields such as medicine, agriculture, and energy production.

But with these exciting advances come ethical concerns. The ability to edit genes raises questions about what traits should be considered desirable or acceptable, and who gets to make those decisions. And the creation of new organisms raises questions about their impact on ecosystems and biodiversity. Despite these concerns, the emergence of biotechnology promises to have a profound impact on our world in the years to come.

As we continue to push the boundaries of what is possible, we must also grapple with the ethical implications of our actions. For this reason, we need to ensure that these technologies are used responsibly.

MODERNISATION OF
EDUCATIONAL INSTITUTES

(Tanmay Shankar Beriha, 2nd Year, Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering)

Education is the most powerful weapon you can use to change the world. - Nelson Mandela

But with a world changing faster than the eye can blink, the means of education must also change with them! January 1,1983, the date that marks the beginning of the age of Technology with the birth of the internet. Rapid changes in communication, production, and entertainment have led to a new era of development and progress. With new fields like bitcoin, cloud computing, IoT, and AI emerging in the past decade, it feels like the world has changed twice over, and the truth is, it has. Globalisation has carried these changes to all parts of the globe and connected even the most remote village of Nepal to the bustling streets of New York. Now even distance can't hold back those who wish to succeed!

The possibilities in this age of Technology are endless, and so it reminds me of how we used to sit as children counting stars in the night sky, dreaming about what we could be! I vividly remember when people used to ask me what I wanted to be, my answer would always be an mcq, never a single thing. These memories hit hard in college when once again you are faced with an ocean of possibilities, with one person having to choose between web development, game development, IoT, digital design, AI/ml, data science, graphic design, competitive programming, cybersecurity and a plethora of other fields. Not only that, the curriculums might not always keep up with the technological needs, and sometimes entire courses may get outdated by the time a semester ends. In such a situation, there is a need for education to evolve on the go. Keeping in mind the traditional methods and core concepts that are essential, the application of these needs to develop according to the times.

It is highly impossible for a singular curriculum to meet the needs of all students wishing to study different fields with varying interests but what is possible is for colleges to tie up with foundations like Coursera, Udemy, EDX and promote the use of various other online resources like MOOCs, khan academy, code with harry, the cherno, krish naik, neso academy to supplement the courses. Such E-learning resources will help the students learn as they wish and rediscover where their interests live.

Project based learning is another learning method that helps students develop as they learn the applications of the core concepts but also how to correct their own mistakes. Projects also help them learn and understand things better as we all know gaining knowledge and applying it are two very different things. One more advantage would be that in these projects they would not have to follow a fixed pattern of learning but can utilise and learn however they want to and then make that knowledge concrete by applying it. These research projects also look good on the students cv and help pave a way for them to build more upon.

This can further be improved with modern methods like flipped classrooms, crossover teaching and focus more on the analytical and experiential part of learning rather than testing the students on much they could mug up in one night. All these changes in our system of education would help the students flourish instead of feeling exhausted tied to a curriculum they don’t feel comfortable with. I believe that these changes would bring about a revolution in the world of education making our students much more prepared to face future challenges and innovate to help us overcome them!

THE ROLE OF
CHANGING ATTITUDES IN STEM

(Shatakshi Gaur, 2nd Year, COBS Department)

The gender disparity in one of the highly-paid sectors, STEM, is more pronounced than anticipated. Across all industries, women are promoted at a delaying rate than their male counterparts. Engineering prevails to be the most male-dominated field in STEM, with most women who study often trail back to start a career in other domains. Both men and women have similar success rates in the classroom, throughout the degree, women tend to question their problem-solving abilities as they progress through the years. Women who stayed in engineering did so for the same reasons as men – their companies invested in their training and professional development and recognized their talent and contributions. They offered them opportunities and clear paths to advance their growth further.

It’s worth noticing that significant changes have been brought by various organisations working for this cause. The corporate sector has seen a rise in women employees with more female representation in leading roles. With more and more women being seen in research and teaching, the education sector has also seen a notable change in the gender ratio. But we are not there yet, as we still have a long way to cover. Over the past few decades, there has been a significant shift in attitudes towards gender equality in engineering, closing the gender gap in this field. As attitudes have evolved, more and more women have entered the engineering field, leading to a more diverse and inclusive profession. While there is still work to be done to close the gender gap in engineering completely, the changing attitudes towards gender equality and diversity have made significant progress towards achieving this goal.

For this problem to be addressed and to curb the elevated rates of women leaving engineering, attempts should be made to resolve the significant issues women face in universities and the corporate sector.

To fix this culture, we need a more coordinated approach. Courses should be structured to teach awareness of social issues. Journals and funding agencies should focus more on research with equal representation of female researchers. Governments, schools, parents and private sector partners should see STEM as a promising educational approach to quality learning and women empowerment. Using a girl-centered approach, STEM skills can be developed in young girls who can further take up this career without failing to have an early or later exit. The corporate sector should look for a different work culture that women seek. Unrecognised and overworked women leaders should be recognized and appreciated. Workplaces should also have strict policies to restrain cases of sexism or harassment. They should encourage a more open and welcoming environment for the victims to speak up and get justice. With reforms required at every field level, it’s time that the study and work culture starts considering the problems and aims to repair the broken rung. Changing attitudes towards gender roles and equality can help create a more diverse and inclusive STEM workforce, which is essential for advancing scientific progress and innovation.

i) Er. Daljit Inderpal Singh Grewal Thapar Institute’s alumnus Er. Daljit Inderpal Singh Grewal has been appointed as New Director Distribution, Punjab State Power Corporation Limited. Er. Daljit Inderpal Singh Grewal joined PSEB in 1985 as trainee engineer and rose to the level of Engineer-in-Chief and served PSPCL for more than 35 years. He served as Engineer-in-Chief Distribution Central Zone, Chief Engineer South Zone and SE Distribution Sangrur. An effervescent leader with a dynamic persona, never ends to amaze those around him.

ii) Major Rohit Kadian Our alumni Major Rohit Kadian represented India at World Masters Athletics Championships Indoor 2023 hosted by the City of Toruń, Poland. Major Rohit Kadian (42 years) from Indian Army presently posted at Delhi Cantt has been active in the field of sports and fitness since his school days. He holds two National Records in Limca Book of records i.e backwards running 5 km in 29 min 29 sec made in the year 2011 and max toe touches to a horizontal rope in 1 minute made in the year 2017. Last year during Jun-Jul 2022, he represented India at World Masters Athletic Championship at Tampere, Finland and broke the National Records in both 800 m race and 1500 m race in 40 plus age category. He has also registered for WMA 2023 Championship at Torun, Poland in the 40-45 age group where he’ll be participating in 800m, 1500m and 3000m races.

iii) Sikh business leaders of India It is worth appreciating the work of our two alumni who have added their names as distinguished educationists. Mr Hardeep Singh Brar and Mr Amuleek Singh Bijral have gloriously added in the book by virtue of their ability that Sikh leaders in entrepreneurship act as guiding stars. The book covers 51 inspirational and motivational sagas of dauntless Sikh heroes so that not only our nation but the whole world sings their contribution. The Sikh History is replete with personalities who have put in hard work with patience and perseverance and touched the heights of success but always honoured the tenets of Sikhism.

iv) Divyansh Kaushik Divyansh Kaushik secured a highly coveted designation as Associate Director for Emerging Technologies and National Security Policy, Federation of American Scientists, USA. Thapar Institute believes that alumni are the brand ambassadors and torchbearers of the institute.

v) Arpit Mangal

We are extremely thrilled to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of our alumni Arpit Mangal.This feats and career lifecycle is the hallmark of the TIET education as well as the quality of the students that have passed out with flying colours.

Ubreathe is a biotech startup that develops plant-based air purifiers. Incubated at IIT Ropar, Ubreathe provides sustainable and green solutions for cleaner and fresher air while tackling a larger spectrum of air pollutants. It secured a deal of ₹1.5 crore from Namita Thapar on the popular television show Shark Tank. The episode was aired on 14th February, 2023.

vi) Dr Maneek Kumar

Dr Maneek Kumar pleasantly surprised us with a collection of his first book of poems in Hindi- Musings of a Wandering Soul. In this modern world of undying trends and fads, only a few people can retain a classic. This book is for those who wish to explore their own subconscious and dive into the beautiful imagination of the poet’s mind.

vii) Vimal Kapur

Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology alumnus Vimal Kapur is appointed as the CEO of Honeywell International Inc. It is an American publicly traded, multinational conglomerate corporation headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina.

A student of Instrumentation Branch of 1986 batch. He possesses three decades of experience leading diversified manufacturers' various businesses. The corner office of a premier American MNC has yet again been held by a business executive of Indian descent.

viii) Gauri Singh

We are spellbound as Ms Gauri Singh is featured in the Builder’s Friend 2023 magazine at page 18 and 19. A motivating interview and full of pride and inspiration. She is the Managing Director at ARK Bath Fittings for the last 28 years.

ix) Rajiv Anand Rajiv Anand, alumnus of Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology- BE (Instrumentation & Controls) is the CEO and Co-Founder of Quartic.ai., Toronto, Canada. It is a platform that allows manufacturers to build, deploy, and scale AI applications to increase supply chain efficiency. He started as an Instrumentation and Controls engineer and served the process (manufacturing) automation industry for over 30 years.

x) Dr Ratinder Paul Singh Ahuja Our Alumnus, Dr Ratinder Paul Singh Ahuja of Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology, BSc-(Electronics & Electrical Engineering) is the CTO & Vice President at Pure Storage, an American publicly traded technology company headquartered in mountain view, California, United States, which develops all-flash data storage hardware and software products.

xi) Anjali Sharma Thapar Institute of Engineering & Technology alumnus, Anjali Sharma of BE Computer Science Department received the “Woman Leader of the Year” Award at the 4th Women Empowerment Summit- 2023.