Tag: Design

Dr. Ummalaneni Raja Babu, Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur appointed as the Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems, DRDO, Hyderabad

Leadership is not an expertise, leadership is a constant education. A leader is someone who knows the way, goes the way and shows the way. He is the one who sees before others see, farther than others see and sees more than others see. Integrity, insight and inclusiveness are the qualities  that drive an ordinary individual to be a lead the masses. Liberation of mind from stereotypical thoughts and rising to the power on enlightenment is the rare profoundness that a distinguishes a leader from a follower.  When Dr. Ummalaneni Raja Babu was doing his masters in IIT Kharagpur, never had he thought that one day he would be the Missile Man of DRDO.

Dr. Ummalaneni Raja Babu (2000/M.Tech/RE), Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, Distinguished Scientist and Director of Research Centre Imarat (RCI), has been appointed Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), Hyderabad. A graduate in Mechanical Engineering from Andhra University, Ummalaneni Raja Babu received his master’s degree from IIT Kharagpur. He completed his MBA from Jawaharlal Nehru Technological University (JNTU). He began his career in Indian Air Force in 1988 and joined the DRDO in 1995. Dr. U Raja Babu was chosen as Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems (DG, MSS) upon the retirement of Dr. BHVS Narayana Murthy, DS and Director General, Missiles and Strategic Systems (DG, MSS) on May 31, 2023.

During the course of his 35-year aerospace career, he has worked on several helicopter and aircraft projects. In addition to that, he is also known for his significant role in the development of numerous missile systems. As Director Research Centre Imarat (RCI), he provided the impetus for the design, development, and successful demonstration of ballistic missile defence system capabilities.  He was also responsible for the development of numerous essential technologies and mission mode projects, as well as the development of improved missile avionics for all tactical, ATGMs, strategic, cruise missiles, and armed forces weapon systems, providing necessary thrust to design, development and successful demonstration of ballistic Missile Defence system capabilities. “Mission Shakti,” India’s first anti-satellite missile test (A-SAT), was successfully demonstrated under his leadership.

Dr. Ummalaneni Raja Babu
Distinguished Scientist and Director of Research Centre Imarat (RCI)
Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur

Located in Hyderabad, Telangana, Research Centre Imarat (RCI) is a DRDO laboratory responsible for research and development of guided weapons, missile systems, and advanced avionics for the Indian Armed Forces. The research laboratory was established by APJ Abdul Kalam in 1988 and is currently headed by U Raja Babu.

Dr. Raja Babu’s ingenious efforts and contributions to defence applications brought him many recognition. He was conferred with ‘Path-breaking Research and Outstanding Technology Development Award’ for successfully leading the demonstration of Mission Shakti, India’s first Anti-Satellite Missile Test (A-SAT) strengthening indigenous defence capabilities. He also received the Agni award for excellence in Self-Reliance, the DRDO Scientist of the Year, and the Vigyan Pratibha Samman Award. A fellow of the Institution of Engineers (IE) and life member of many professional societies, he is renowned for his significant contributions as Programme Director of of RCI.

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By : Poulami Mondal, Digital & Creative Media Executive (Creative Writer)
Email: poulami.mondal@iitkgp.ac.in, media@iitkgp.ac.in, Ph. No.: +91-3222-282007

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Nation Building In Action: How An IIT Alumni Contributed To India’s Internet Story

Just as India was entering a new dawn in its political and economic history as an independent nation in the early 1990s, Bijendra K. Syngal, an IIT Kharagpur alumni (EC/1962/RP), returned to India to take up the reins of the Videsh Sanchar Nigam Limited (VSNL). His arrival jolted the old-style, stodgy public sector company into taking charge of the telecommunication revolution in India. Syngal navigated through financial uncertainties, economic instability, and political turmoil to introduce the Internet in India. His efforts played a direct role in expanding the software industry from a 60 million USD industry in 1991 to a nearly 2 billion USD industry in 1998.

Mr. Syngal took charge of VSNL roughly around the time when India liberalized its economy. The times were hard and the ride was rocky for someone who had just left his cushioned tax-free job with INMARSAT in London. He navigated through multiple challenges and change-resistant attitudes, to rebrand VSNL as a results-driven, internationally renowned organization. During his tenure, VSNL’s revenue increased from 125 million USD in 1991 to 1.6 billion USD in 1998. Its profits shot up from 32.5 million USD to 240 million USD in the same time. VSNL also issued the biggest Global Depository Receipts (GDR) out of India and the third-largest out of Asia (apart from Japan) during that time and eventually got listed on the London Stock Exchange.

Bijendra Syngal was dedicated, focused, and had only one goal in mind. His 3 main goals at VSNL were to lay the 18,190-kilometre South East Asia-Middle East-Western Europe-2 (SEA-ME-WE2) undersea cable from Singapore via India and the Middle East up to the UK SEA-ME-WE2; affordable, convenient, functioning, fast, and quality ISD services for Indians to connect to the world and to meet the rising demands of the fast-growing software industry. He delivered on all of them successfully and was named as one of ‘The 50 Stars of Asia’ by Business Week magazine.

From setting up communication infrastructure in the jungles of Assam, scorching deserts of Rajasthan and icy mountains of Kashmir to learning about the Soviet space program in Budapest and working in INMARSAT, London, Mr. Syngal accumulated a dynamic set of experience which he skillfully put to use during his tenure at VSNL. He did not just bring the internet to Indians or help commerce boom, he revolutionized our imaginations for the better and expanded our knowledge horizons to infinity. He built a strong institution aimed at democratizing digital access to one billion Indians. He continues to be a true patriot whose ideals of nation-building lies in hard work and committed action.

Contact: Paramita Dey, Junior Assistant

Lend a helping hand

Times of India

The main objective of the Rural Technology Hackathon held at IIT Kharagpur between December 19-22, 2018 was to develop, upgrade and transfer technology to the rural masses in the surrounding areas and eastern and north eastern part of India. The competition, which was organized under the umbrella of the Design Innovation Centre (DIC) of IIT Kharagpur with the support of the Ministry of Human Resource Development, drew 17 teams from IIEST Shibpur, IIIT Ranchi, BHU, NIT Jamshedpur and other institutions in eastern India. The contest was inaugurated on December 19 by the Director of IIT Kharagpur, Prof. Partha Pratim Chakrabarti.

IIEST Shipur, NIT Jamshedpur and NIT Patna are the three spoke centres associated with IIT Kharagpur’s DIC. The DIC of IIT Kharagpur was set up under the government of India’s “National Initiative for Design Innovation” that aims to provide much-needed Science and Technology (S&T) backup to promote potential technologies for rural entrepreneurs and users.

Prof. P.B.S Bhadoria, who is the coordinator of IIT Kharagpur’s DIC said, “The technology gap among the rural masses is identified with the help of NGOs and self-help groups working with us. There are about 60 of them working with us. IIT Kharagpur is the hub working in cooperation with the three spoke centres. The Institute’s DIC is in the process of executing a Rs 10 crore project. One-third of the funds will go to spoke centres. This is the third year of the project. So far we have developed around 30 or more technologies which are being patented and transferred to the rural masses.”

At the Rural Hackathon, contestants designed prototypes of products that can be of use to farmers and rural artisans. Professor Bhadoria said, “The teams are mostly working on hardware. The idea is to develop small machines that are cheap and affordable for poor farmers.” Prof. Aditya Bandyopadhyay of the Mechanical Engineering and Prof. Ashok Mishra of the Agricultural and Food Engineering Department are among the IIT Kharagpur faculty who helped coordinate the contest.

The themes for the contest were Agricultural Technology, Water Management, and Rural Energy System, Rural Crafts & Development, Technologies on Rural Food Processing and Storage and Transport, Women Empowerment and Social Transformation, Rural Industrialization and Solid Waste management.

At the end of the three days of contest, the contestants were judged by industry experts from both government and non-governmental sectors. Around 8 teams from IIT Kharagpur participated in the contest. During the inauguration of the Hackathon, Director of IIT Kharagpur, Prof. Partha Pratim Chakrabarti, said, “I was delighted to see that half the participating students had actually grown up in villages. I look forward to the long term success of this initiative.” IIT Kharagpur has encouraged contestants to work with the Institute even after the conclusion of the contest. The winning teams got a total award of Rs. 1.80 lakh.

The DIC of IIT Kharagpur has been successfully running the Innovation initiated by the government for the past two years. Several patents have been filed and several technologies have also been transferred to neighbouring states, particularly to the north eastern region. LPG based puffed rice machine is hugely popular not only in West Bengal but also in distant North eastern region.  The other innovations of DIC are Power Pottery Wheel for Larger Pots, Motorized Jute and grass rope Making Machines, Dehusker for Borwn rice, rice flaking (Chiwda) , Electrical operated Sal leaf plate making machine and Automated Tamarind de-seeder.

Design-centred innovation is a force multiplier that can help the country move up the value chain, making Indian industry globally competitive. Infusion of technology is intended to enhance the productivity and increase the margin of saving by craftsmen. The idea is also to strengthen rural industries to strengthen the villages and in turn it to strengthen the country.

At IIT Kharagpur, several Schools and Centers have been roped in towards institutionalizing the programme with the academic framework. The Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering and Rajendra Mishra School of Engineering Entrepreneurship are running related. While the Department will cater to the ergonomic design / improvement of products, processes, courses on product development, safety and quality engineering, the School will do Product Analytics & Modelling, Reverse Engineering, Innovative Product Development, Business Analytics Energy and promote Entrepreneurship and Innovation to students.

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