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Sitting down with The Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri

Dr G. Satheesh Reddy is the Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri. A proponent of indigenization, he guides the development of significant programmes on missiles and strategic systems, fighter aircraft and unmanned aerial defence systems, underwater systems, radar systems, strategic materials, and armaments among other futuristic technologies. The MIT Post had the fortune to interact with and interview Satheesh Sir about his expert experience and in-exhaustive knowledge in the scientific domain.

Under your tenure as the Chairman of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), various indigenous projects like the fourth-generation TEJAS and DRDO-Ghatak were integrated.
In comparison with our imports, where do these indigenous projects stand, sir?

Most of the latest technologies in the aeronautical sector have come a long way.  A lot of things have been developed in the country.  Academia and accreditations have come up with many innovative solutions and systems. Lots of infrastructure has come into the country like wind tunnel testing, and so on. The government has planned an order for 83 TEJAS jets which has given a major boost to the indigenous aeronautics industry today. The industry plays a major role in the supply chain of the various parts and subsystems. In the coming aircrafts, the indigenous content will be very high and now, the country is poised to make state-of-the-art five-plus generation aircrafts. The country is already working on the design and is in the R&D phase of the design.

Project Shakti 2019 or the Anti-SAT programme was also undertaken with your wise guidance. While planning for the entire project, how did you monitor the entire programme so that the debris would not fall on the Earth or not collide with the satellites orbiting around the lower orbit?

Lots of studies, simulations, and analyses have gone into the study. The site chosen was the lower side of the lower orbit. We have also seen the impact angle at which the impact of the physical collision occurs. We have seen the angles at which the distortion improves and doesn’t go higher in altitude. Whatever debris is generated dies down quickly. There is barely any debris in space this way. Many countries have done this safely and so have we.

The Russia-Ukrainian war is a significant stressor for the Government since our nation’s Defence sector was virtually on tip-toes and both of our partners, that is, the Western Front and the Russian Front are at war with each other. During such times, does it seem like a stressor for you as a strategic advisor?

I’m a scientific adviser, with more emphasis on technology and this is more inclined towards international affairs and related parameters.

As a scientific advisor, does your expertise extend to the definition of the Defence Budget appointed to the Defence sector in a fiscal year?

As a scientific adviser, you are finalizing the technology, the research, and the designs that have to be completed, the weapons, the systems, and the tools being developed also come under your purview. So you also make a road map on that on the technologies and the areas in which the systems will be set. Naturally, inter-institutional departments work very well to take care of the allocation work that needs to happen.

There are brilliant establishments like iDEX that empower the youth to invest and come up with projects in the Defence sector. However, post inception, we have heard that it takes nearly thirty years, on average, to implement the idea as in the case of Tejas. Is there a system that helps in cutting off the thirty-year phase that goes into finalising and applying it?

It does not take thirty years to finalise an idea. In thirty years, the idea does not remain valid at all. It takes a maximum of one to two years to finalise an idea, depending on the complexity of the system. If the armed forces need it urgently, the delay is even lesser. Once the prototype is seen by the Department of Production, the Department of Science and Technology, and the Armed Forces, it is taken to the next level. From there, the product is brought to life and thereupon only minor arrangements are necessary.

You are one of the only people in the last hundred years to be nominated as a fellow of the Royal Aeronautical Society of London and its American equivalent. How does that make you feel about the entire aeronautical domain and how can it be expanded further in India?

This shows that the ecosystem method in the aerospace department of the country is defined by what is required by the public in the country. If a country is coming up with a lot of technologies, systems, and research and is recognized in the name of a person, we need to note that the achievements are not in the name of a person but for the whole country. So, India has been taking the leading role in the aeronautics sector.




Sitting Down with Dr Srijib Mukherjee

One of our distinguished alums, Dr Srijib Mukherjee is an academic with a distinguished background in engineering and research. He graduated in 1989 with a degree in Electrical Engineering. After completing his MSc and PhD, Dr Mukherjee spends his professional years in the USA. He is currently a Senior Scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee. The MIT Post had the opportunity to have a chat with him about his experiences here in Manipal and abroad.

You have had a varied education. Could you walk us through the different courses you have taken over the years?

In my opinion, the four classes of critical importance to anybody, whichever field they choose in a core curriculum, are—Mathematics, the three sciences, and a language which need not be only English. It can be anything from Kannada to Bengali or Spanish along with the social sciences. My young nephew loves learning about history, how modern engineering connects with it, how the world looks at the geographical system and GSI, and how they influence the climate. So, I will say these four are probably the foundation or the “core curriculum” of how one can succeed.

Q: You did your B.Sc in Physics before your BE degree. What was that thought process? Did you extensively plan that, or was it a go-with-the-flow kind of move?

I did not. When I finished high school, I had never considered pursuing engineering. I only sat for the NDA exam, and I cleared it. I did not pass the IIT exam, which upset my father, and my mom turned down the offer from the navy. Having missed my opportunity in engineering, I had to do something for the next six months, and this was the alternative—get mature and get my feet wet. After high school, most people need time to understand what they want to do. Something like a community college for one or two years might help one to understand if engineering is their thing. Something that invokes the feeling, “I love doing this. I love fixing that”. At that time, I remember having two options—one in VIT, Vellore for civil engineering and the other was Manipal. My father said, “We cannot make a civil engineer out of you, so we better make an electrical engineer out of you.” That is how I ended up here. I graduated with distinction and was third in my class. 

The experience of being in a B.Sc program and doing an engineering course provided you with maturity and a unique point of view that many might not have. How have you used that to your advantage? 

Life is all about having broad knowledge. If you pursue a PhD in your interests, you might end up with a narrow but specific field of expertise. Unfortunately, this could reduce your employability. You just need to be constantly willing to learn. The biggest thing I learnt in engineering college is that the fundamentals will always be applicable. My son always asks me, “Papa, how can you solve math problems mentally and so quickly?” In India, we did not have calculators; even logarithm and trigonometry had big charts. It is like a layup in basketball. How do you get better at it? You take a million shots— just muscle memory. When you do it a lot, you get the ability to do it. So, we Indians are very good with this muscle memory since we focus on learning these applications mentally and eventually learn to apply them with ease. 

You are an innovator who is active in various fields. This area of work does not promise results, and uncertainty is a given. So what makes you do it every day? 

At this stage of my life and career, I am about six odd years from retirement. But I want to continue after that. I want to do meaningful work. My generation was all about loyalty, growing yourself, showing respect, and growing wealth. But it also requires you to consider your values and the legacy you leave behind. Educators and faculty members here have their students. When Prof. Thomas talks about me, I am his legacy. So when he looks back on his career and life, looking at how his students have excelled is a big deal. As an engineer, what drives me is how I invented and made the world better. I tell all the young people I mentor, “If you get out of bed three days in a row feeling I dislike my work, I dislike the organisation I work for, the people I am surrounded with, then it is time to think about doing something else with your life.” Taking that challenge and objective in a broader sense of knowledge. That is what it is about.

No job is a pleasant one. Each job comes with its positives and negatives. Off the top of your head, what is the best and the worst thing about your job?

I will start with the worst thing about my job. For me, it is the bureaucracy and anything to do with administration. We are part of a large governing system that requires rules, regulations, and paperwork. For example, the worst part of a teacher’s job is to deal with the parents. You love your students but do not want to deal with the parents’ whining. The best part about my job is working with my colleagues, faculty members, and my students and helping them succeed and improve their lives. Somebody helped me, and if I can do the same for others, it makes me feel better. Mentorship is the best part of my job. A great leader is a great mentor. Managing people is easy, ‘Idhar chalo,udhar chalo’. But I think I have made the world better by making that person better, correct?

How long has it been since you have been to Manipal again since graduation? How does it feel to see everything around you change?

I graduated in the ’90s. So it has been about thirty-three years. I came back for my 25th reunion. That was the year I lost my mom. Prof. Kinny was kind enough to make me a distinguished alumnus with other great alums like Suri and Nadella. I feel honoured and humbled to be at this level in such an esteemed institute. My father loved Manipal, and so did I. I wish to help my children and nephews open their eyes to what life here is like. They have no idea. Wanting to help them drives me. It is not about helping the institution I went to in America. I want to help the institute that gave me my foundation here in India. I would not have been an engineer if it were not for India, not America.

The infrastructure growth and the people here just blow my mind. My brother told me how humble and wonderful the faculty members were to come to our room and shake our hands. Someone of Prof.Thomas and Prof.Kinny’s stature takes the time to come out and even show us around and meet the students. It means the world to me. It blew my mind that we were picked up from the airport in a completely electric car. My American friends were all amazed. I said, “Yes, look how advanced Manipal is, and India is no longer a sleepy little place. It is now a growing giant.” It is a known fact that some of the most brilliant engineers in the world are from India. 

As someone currently pursuing an engineering degree in 2022 and wants to move forward in academia, much like you, what advice would you give me?

The line in academia between research and teaching is quite blurry. I would have never done a PhD if I was not threatened that I would lose my visa and they would cut my scholarship. However, the interest in doing advanced research came much later. At the time, I was more inclined towards teaching and helping people. Unfortunately, they did not support the teaching faculty as much as the research faculty. But the difference between teaching and research faculty is closing now. Research faculty do not want to be teachers, but the teaching faculty want to be a part of the research.

Knowing what you want to do needs a deeper form of maturity and thinking. “EV” could be a buzzword. But it does not mean that just because society or your peers are doing it, you have to follow too. I was talking to my nephew, who is currently in 7th grade. He loves the humanities. In my generation in India, my father used to tell me you have to be an engineer or you have to be a doctor. That is not necessary anymore. You can choose what you love. Science is interdisciplinary. Humanities is interdisciplinary. In America, doctors have a humanities degree, and an English degree holder switches to engineering. You can switch to what you love anytime. Enjoy learning; what I am saying is do not go with peer pressure, go with what you love, go with what you are. If you love cooking, go into that, if you like music production, go into that, be a sound engineer even though the demand might not be much. Go into that, go into what you love. Follow your passion.




TechTatva ’22—Investigar

Battle of Tycoons

Aprajita Singh | Staff Writer 

The premise for Battle of Tycoons was an intriguing one.  Amidst a crisis, people needed to be evacuated via airlifts. Teams of 2-3 participants had to bid for aircraft parts in an attempt to design aircrafts that would perform the operation. The first round was centered around designing a civilian aircraft, and the second round was for a defence craft.

An added challenge was that the aircraft parts being bought had to be compatible with each other. For instance, the engine of a Boeing 737 could not work with the propeller of a seaplane. Therefore, bids had to be calculated and made cleverly. It was an incredibly fun event, with many lively bids echoing across the room at all times. The one hitch in the event was that at times the offer prices for parts got out of hand, and it had the teams bidding into the millions for a minor, cheap cog.

The performance of the team was judged on cost efficiency, fuel efficiency, stability and ease of maneuvering the aircraft design. The first place was secured by Dyutit, the second place by Pratham, Imaad, and Priyan, and the third place by Suhas, Hritesh, and Surya. “Although the event did not have a lot of participation, it was a good event with a smooth run,” Ujjwal, a CC quoted. In all, Investigar was a wildly engaging event that was fun from the get-go.

Participants busy analysing their options.

Paper Presentation

Ajitha | Staff Writer 

Good presentations make the presenter look smart, but great presentations make the audience feel smart. Paper Presentation was an event that illustrated this beautifully. Held in the MV Seminar Hall, it provided a  platform for budding researchers to hone the art of presenting technical papers. Enthusiastic students across departments such as Mechanical, Chemical and Computer Science presented papers that were both educational and interesting. Some of the research papers had been authored by the presenters themselves, and served as an impressive example of the research ecosystem harboured by the students here.

The first round covered presentations related to the Mechanical and Aeronautical domains. Some of the topics included discussions on the use of methane and kerosene as rocket propellent, and liquid hydrogen as an alternative fuel source. The consecutive rounds had papers in the fields of Chemistry, Biochemistry and Computer Science.

Post every presentation, participants were questioned by the judges to analyse the depth of knowledge each presenter had about the paper they chose to present.  “As engineers we should focus on our soft skills by learning more about how people perceive us. Even kids who are really good at coming up with new, modern machine designs find it challenging to communicate their ideas to a large group, and initiatives such as organising paper work events will help them overcome their difficulties”, said Thara Ma’am, a judge at the event.

Every presentation was unique and brought a lot to the table. The best presentations were ranked from one to three for every department. Koena Manji, Nilabha Das, Kanak, Shaksham Mamthani and Yashwanth secured the first place. Karthik Prabhu, Anway Das, Suchetna, Erina, and Anushka were the first runner ups. Shashwanth, Saurabh, Mihir, and Sanskruti were the second runner ups. Every participant put up a great show, and at the end of the day, the audience gained a vast amount of knowledge spanning multiple domains.

The problem is presented to the audience.

Image Credits: Photography and Videography, TechTatva’22




TechTatva’22—Chrysalis

Murder Mystery

Shreeya Thamanam | Staff Writer

Enthusiastic true crime geeks gathered for day 1 of the murder mystery competition. Round 1 of the event consisted of a quiz with questions related to biology, bioinformatics, and so on. Top participants were short-listed for round 2. It consisted of a 120-minute treasure hunt, with clues of places on campus hidden along with the primary murder plot. All the clues connected to the exciting grand finale, the third round of the event, which is to be held on 14th October.

Participants of Murder Mystery pore over clues.

In the very final round of the encompassing task of finding a killer, shortlisted participants were presented with a crime scene entwined with clues from the previous round as well. After 2 hours of reading through paper files and racking their brains, the winners were chosen based on whoever guessed the murderer’s name correctly. All in all, it was like being in an Agatha Christie novel and undoubtedly a fun experience.

Biodemic

Sneha Bhowmik | Staff Writer

A 3-hour event, with a cash prize of 2k to the winner, began at 3 pm on 13th October. The 1st round was where the 7 participating teams were given one virus (Marburg virus disease and Leptospirosis) and were told to research either a way to contain the disease and save lives or mutate and make it deadlier. 40 minutes were given to the teams to make a short ppt of 5 to 6 slides and to present it to judge Bharat Rajguru, a professor from the department of biotechnology.

Of the initial 7 teams, 4 teams made it to round 2, where they were given the topic of the Bubonic plague, a.k.a. The Black Death. Each team was given the same problem of making a presentation on the causes of the plague, how it affected the people, the similarities between it and the covid-19 pandemic, and pointing out the mistakes that were made then and if they’re still being made now.

Biodemic participants working on their presentation.

Questions were asked by the other participants and the judges to the presenting team, giving them direction that allowed them to come up with more creative and interesting answers. Participants described it as a stimulating event that moved them towards the right path to inculcate research skills into themselves.

Image Credits: Photography and Videography, TechTatva’22




TechTavta’22-Aeroverse

Flight Simulator (MSFS)

Shivani Seshadri Iyer | Staff Writer

The event Flight Simulator in TechTatva 2022 saw all aviation enthusiasts get together to zoom through the darkest skies and fly into the unknown. Whether the fuel was down or the plane was nosediving, participants knew that the pilots were the aircraft’s souls and the engine was its heart. 

Before the event started, the enthusiasts were taught the workings of the joystick used to control the simulated aircraft and the software used to simulate the flight itself, which was Microsoft Flight Simulator. Ethan Winston D’sa, a second-year aviation enthusiast from the Mechatronics branch, commented “I participated in the event because it was of great interest to me. I wanted to know how things work high up in the sky. I hope that in the future, we can fly faster and higher and be more eco-friendly.”

Enthusiasts were given two attempts each to simulate their flight. The functioning of various components and aspects of an aircraft, such as engine function, transmission, levelling of flaps, airspeed, altitude, fuel, compass, and visibility, was shown in an attempt to recreate a flight in real life. The system was programmed to advise the pilots to maintain 70% throttle during the initial climb or to maintain 250 knots or less when flying less than 10,000 feet. 

This event was a must-visit for all budding aviation enthusiasts as they were able to use their skills to do something they were passionate about. Once enthusiasts came in, they were on the edge of their seats for a gripping adventure.

A participant maneuvers the craft.

ICARUS

Deepali Vengala | Staff Writer

Aeroverse’s ICARUS was a glider-making competition held on day three at the Boxing Arena. Although TechTatva was coming to an end, none of the participants showed any signs of slowing down. 

The ten teams that participated were enthusiastic and well-versed in aerodynamic concepts and the craft of model-making. Each team was given a sheet of Balsa wood and a few tools to achieve one primary objective; to design a glider with a 40 cm wing span. “It was a lot of work, and thrilling, but overall, we had a lot of fun!” was what a participant had to say.  

There were several parameters that were considered for the glider design. The uniqueness of its shape, the ability to fly closest to the target location, and for sustaining flight for the longest time. The judges scored each glider on these criteria and more to determine the winning team.

A team ready to test their glider.

Image Credits: Photography and Videography, TechTatva’22