Early Times Report
JAMMU, Feb 19: The Vice Chancellor of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Prof. Pragati Kumar, flagged off a team of 21 engineering students from the School of Mechanical and Electrical Engineering to participate in the prestigious SAE BAJA 2025 competition in Hyderabad. The event, scheduled from February 20-25, 2025, will see participation from top universities across India. The SMVDU team "Crawlers" has successfully designed and fabricated an electric All-Terrain Vehicle (ATV) on campus, showcasing their technical expertise and innovation. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Prof. Pragati Kumar praised the team's dedication, emphasizing the competition's role in enhancing practical skills and fostering creativity.
"This is a proud moment for SMVDU. The team has put in immense effort, and I have full confidence in their ability to excel at SAE BAJA 2025. It's an opportunity for them to showcase their talent on a national platform and gain valuable industry insights," he said.
Faculty coordinators Dr. Ankush Raina (Assistant Professor, SME) and Dr. Mir Irfan Ul Haq (Associate Professor, SME) highlighted that SMVDU is the only team from Jammu & Kashmir participating in the event. The fabrication process was assisted by Chandan Sharma and Kewal from the Central Workshop, SMVDU.
The flag-off ceremony was attended by Prof. K.R. Jha (Dean, Faculty of Engineering), Prof. Balbir Singh (Dean, Academic Affairs), Prof. R.K. Mishra (Dean, Students Welfare), Dr. Yatheshth Anand (Head, SME), and Er. Deepak Byotra (Workshop Superintendent), who all lauded the students' efforts.
The team captains, Divyansh Kale and Amod Kumar, expressed their gratitude to the university and event sponsors, which included Frameinn (a startup by SMVDU alumnus Dhanajya Singh), T.V. Super Filter Industries, Jammu, and Nature Fab (a startup by alumnus Piyush Singla).
SAE BAJA is one of the most sought-after motorsport competitions for engineering students, challenging teams to design, build, and test off-road vehicles that can endure extreme terrains and rigorous tasks. The SMVDU team's months of research, design, and teamwork have culminated in a vehicle that will compete in various technical and endurance challenges at the competition. |
