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‘Engineers must give importance to innovation’

ON RECORD: Vice-Chancellor of Manipal University Rajasekharan P. Warrier (second from right) releasing the souvenir at the national conference on ‘Advances in Mechanical Engineering’ , in Manipal on Tuesday. Director of NIT-K, Surathkal, Sandeep Sancheti (second from left) is seen.

Manipal: Director of the National Institute of Technology, Karnataka (NIT-K), Surathkal, Sandeep Sancheti said on Tuesday that engineers should give importance to innovation.

He was speaking as the chief guest at the inauguration of the three-day national conference on “Advances in Mechanical Engineering” (AIM-Engg 2008) organised by the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering of Manipal Institute of Technology (MIT), here.

Dr. Sancheti called upon engineers to “think out of the box and do something new”.

He regretted that there was now more concentration on paperwork. “Importance should be given to the testing and training aspects of engineering,” he said. Stating that engineering had become interdisciplinary, he said that it was necessary for mechanical and manufacturing engineers to have knowledge of other branches also. “Unlike in the past, engineering can no longer be studied in watertight compartments,” he said.

The field of engineering was progressing rapidly. Fields such as robotics and nanotechnology had a lot of potential. “Engineers should give equal importance to environmental and social aspects,” Dr. Sancheti said. Vice-Chancellor of Manipal University Rajasekhar P. Warrier said that a multidisciplinary approach was essential to develop new products. Engineers and doctors could come together and develop a new product. Technology and innovation should help the poor people of the country. “Welfare of the people at the bottom of the pyramid is essential. Innovate a stove that consumes less wood rather than sending a man to the moon or becoming a nuclear power,” Dr. Warrier said.

Pro Vice-Chancellor of Manipal University S.S. Pabla said that academia should keep pace with developments in technology. Manipal University revised the syllabi of the Manipal Institute Technology (MIT) every six months to incorporate the latest advances. “In spite of this, we are five years behind the changes. Conventional universities are at least 15 years behind,” Dr. Pabla said.

Co-convener of the conference L. Raj Rodrigues welcomed the gathering. Head of the Department of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering N.Y. Sharma gave an overview of the conference. Co-convener B. Rajendra proposed a vote of thanks.

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