In The Spotlight
In the Spotlight: February – A Month of Science, Innovation, & Applause!
At BITS Pilani, we embrace the spirit of Innovate, Achieve, and Lead, knowing that today’s science shapes tomorrow’s technology. Our students, faculty, researchers, and alumni turn ideas into innovations and push the limits of knowledge.
Honoring Excellence Across Campuses:- Vice Chancellor's Awards – For significant research impact, industry applications, and technological developments. Director's Awards – Recognizing top citation papers, review papers, and pioneering research. Best Thesis & Special Recognition (Goa Campus) – Honoring PhD scholars for exceptional thesis work and staff for institutional excellence. Congratulations to all the awardees! Your dedication continues to inspire, innovate, and lead the way forward!
This February, we celebrated Women in STEM and National Science Day, honouring faculty across all campuses for their contributions to research, PhD scholars for their outstanding thesis work, and staff for their excellence and commitment to the institute.
BITS Exclusive
Celebrating Collaboration: The GENESIS Agreement Exchange
A monumental moment at PRAVAAH 2025 as we marked the official exchange of the GENESIS Agreement with our 𝟲𝟱 𝗘𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗣𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗻𝗲𝗿𝘀, a collective force driving India's next wave of startup innovation. This partnership stands witness to the power of collaboration, shared vision, and commitment to fostering entrepreneurship across the nation. Through GENESIS, we are building a strong, resourceful, and inclusive ecosystem that empowers startups with funding, strategic guidance, and a 𝗱𝗲𝗲𝗽 𝗳𝗼𝗰𝘂𝘀 𝗼𝗻 𝗲𝗻𝗮𝗯𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗧𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝟮 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗧𝗶𝗲𝗿 𝟯 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘂𝗽 𝗲𝗰𝗼𝘀𝘆𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗺, which is at the heart of GENESIS. This milestone is not just about agreements, it’s about a nationwide movement to nurture transformative ideas and create India’s next generation of global startups. A big congratulations to all our partners—together, we are shaping the future of India's startup landscape!
Breaking barriers: Women pioneering the future of STEM
Women Are Learning To Raise Voice
EdexLive with BITS Pilani brings to you these trailblazers in STEM
Celebrating International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2025
Research Stories
NPJ Clean Water work on Heavy Metal Detection
Our NPJ Clean Water work on "𝗛𝗲𝗮𝘃𝘆 𝗠𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗹 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻" posted in The Hindu (Feb 19, 2022) and Deccan Chronicle Holdings ltd (Feb 15, 2025). The work included electrochemical sensor with modified carbon thread electrodes for simultaneous detection of Cadmium, Lead, Copper and Mercury in linear range of 1-100 microMolar. IoT integration for enhancing user experience, quantification and enabling remote monitoring. DeepLearning to augment heavy metal ion classification with high accuracy. Real samples were tested in 3 Hyderabad lakes (HussainSagar, Kapra, and Shamirpet Lakes) and results are within permissible limits. Work was implemented by Amrutha Lahari with support from Nikhil Kumawat and Dr. Khairunnisa Amreen under the guidance of Prof. Ponnalagu R N and Prof. Sanket Goel. The work was supported by Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF), Department Of Science And Technology (Dst), Government of India.
Student Spotlight
Celebrating Excellence in Research!
We are proud to share that Anna Mariya Shajan and Boyina Kalyan, research scholars from the Department of Civil Engineering, have secured first place in the quiz competition at the Eighth National Finite Element Developers’ / FEAST Users’ Meet (NAFED 08), organized by ISRO at IIT Hyderabad on February 1, 2025. Their achievement reflects their deep understanding and expertise in computational mechanics and finite element analysis.
Adding to this success, Anna Mariya Shajan has also been honoured with the Best Paper Award for her outstanding research on Adaptive Phase-field fracture modelling of functionally graded materials, co-authored by Prof. Raghu Piska and Prof. Sundararajan Natarajan. This work contributes significantly to the field of fracture mechanics and material modelling. Their achievements bring immense pride to BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, showcasing the cutting-edge research and academic excellence our scholars continue to pursue.
Faculty Spotlight
BITS Pilani Hyderabad Develops Affordable Earthquake Resistant Technology
What if building constructions could be made more secure, and at a more affordable price?
Dr. Mohan S C and his team at BITS Pilani Hyderabad managed to do just that. They constructed a low-cost base isolation technology that allows buildings to survive earthquakes, particularly in high-risk regions. This innovative design reduces the magnitude of ground movement that is transferred through a tructure, thus making it easier and cheaper for many people to access earthquake safety features. It’s not only constructing buildings better, but it’s also saving lives and making the world a safer place. This Demonstrates BITS Pilani’s commitment to real-world impact through innovation!
Breaking Barriers in STEM: Prof. Mridula Goel on Science & Entrepreneurship
In an exclusive Women Entrepreneurs Review feature, Prof. Mridula Goel, Founding Lead, BITS Pilani Center in Bengaluru highlights the disparity in STEM fields—with higher enrolment in life sciences but lower representation in engineering. She emphasizes that underemployment isn’t due to a lack of aptitude, but limited opportunities and socio-cultural barriers. With rising government support for innovation and entrepreneurship, she urges a shift from job seekers to job creators, fostering an ecosystem where STEM-driven startups thrive.
For real change, accessible funding, mentorship, and inclusive policies are key to empowering talent in STEM. Universities and industries must work together to create opportunities beyond traditional career paths. Supporting research, incubation, and entrepreneurship will unlock untapped potential and drive meaningful innovation. Innovation knows no limits, and the time to act is now!
Prof. P. Sankar Ganesh
The iSTAR device which was developed by Prof. P. Sankar Ganesh along with his group, is a unique single-stage anaerobic digestion method which converts organic waste into methane rich biogas at a conversion efficiency of 85%. This compact system treats municipal waste alongside landfill leachate and food waste to produce clean biofuel together with nutrient dense biofertilizer.
iSTAR has proven to be easy to operate, scalable, and industry ready as it produces equivalent biogas to 92 LPG cylinders a year from just 100kg of organic waste a day. The ease of operation is enhanced even further with the addition of the smart remote monitoring system that measures and controls pH, temperature, and pressure in iSTAR. Its unique simplistic design enables easy installation and maintenance making it well suited for urban and rural communities, restaurants, institutions, and industries. Driving real-world impact through sustainable innovation!
Alumni Spotlight
Anudeep Durishetty – A Story of Perseverance & Victory!
Anudeep Durishetty, a proud alumnus of BITS Pilani, is on a journey from dream to struggle, from failure to victory, personifying resilience and determination. Leaving a well-paying job to pursue his passion for UPSC, he faced disheartening failures and moments of self-doubt. But with great effort, he reached the position of AIR 1 in the IAS exam 2017 in his 5th attempt.
Hailing from Metpally, Telangana, he turned failures into a success story and now finds himself serving as a Collector in Hyderabad, inspiring millions. The journey of Anudeep is something that signifies 'dreams, determination, and never-give-up attitude.' We are proud of him and celebrate his incredible achievement! More power to you, Anudeep.
Suhane Pal
BITSian Bonds: A Legacy of Giving
BITSians turn nostalgia into impact, giving back with generosity and purpose. Golden Homecoming – Batch of 1974 Reuniting at Pilani (Feb 21-23, 2025), the Batch of 1974 celebrated 50 years of memories. Special thanks to Mr. Pukhraj Kachhwaha, the first donor to the Golden '74 Batch Scholarship Endowment Fund.
₹1 Crore Gift – Batch of 2005 (BITS Goa) :During their February 14–16 reunion, the Batch of 2005 made history at the Goa Campus by pledging to fully fund a 100% scholarship for a girl student—the first-ever Batch Gift of its kind!
Events Gallery
ASMMI 2025
Accelerating Sustainable Infrastructure! The Department of Civil Engineering, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani, Pilani Campus organized ASMMI 2025 (Feb 17-19),
Bringing together academia, industry thought leaders and researchers to foster sustainable infrastructure innovation. Padma Shri Laxman Singh (Secretary, Gram Vikas Navyuvak Mandal Laporiya, Jaipur) launched the event, focusing on environmental protection. Prof. Manoranjan Parida (CRRI & President, Indian Road Congress), Guest of Honour, delivered a talk on sustainable transport infrastructure. Dignitaries of prominence were Prof. Prof. V Ramgopal Rao (Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani), Prof. Sudhirkumar V Barai, Prof. Dipendu Bhunia (Ph.D, Aff.M ASCE, L.M.ICI), and Prof. Subhasis Pradhan (Organizer & Convener, ASMMI 2025). Supported by ANRF-SERB, Springer Nature, ICI, Y Access Equipment, EarthconSystems, and Spotlite, the conference promoted the academia-industry interface. A panel discussion on Bridging Academia & Industry in Sustainable Infrastructure was attended by Prof. Rajiv Gupta, Prof. A.P. Singh, Col. Soumyabrata Chakraborty, Mr. Rajiv Goel, and Col. Naresh Sharma, emphasizing the importance of collaborative innovation. The conference ended with a valedictory session, in which Mr Rajiv Goel and Col. Naresh Sharma were felicitated for their efforts. Prof. Brij Pandey, Ph.D.(Organizing Chairman, BITS Pilani Dubai Campus) gave a vote of thanks, recognizing the contributions of all participants, speakers, and organizers in making ASMMI 2025 a resounding success.
6th Annual Conference in Economics and Finance (ACEF) 2025
The Department of Economics and Finance at BITS Pilani, Hyderabad Campus, successfully hosted the 6th ACEF.
The 6th Annual Conference in Economics and Finance (ACEF) from February 4-6, 2025, in collaboration with Indian Council of Social Sciences Research (ICSSR) and State Bank of India (SBI). This year’s edition featured a Pre-Conference Workshop on AI-ML applications in economics, time series econometrics, and causal inference, alongside technical sessions covering Development Economics, Trade, Banking, Energy, and more. Eminent speakers, including Prof. Prachi Mishra, Prof. Sushanta Mallick (Queen Mary University of London), and Prof. S. Rangan, delivered thought-provoking keynote lectures on sovereign credit ratings, shadow loans, and financial misreporting research. With over 35 participants from prestigious institutions such as IIT Kanpur, IIT Madras, IGIDR, Shiv Nadar University, and University of Hyderabad, ACEF 2025 fostered meaningful discussions and academic collaboration. The conference concluded with best paper awards and a valedictory ceremony, marking another milestone in advancing research in economics and finance. A heartfelt thank you to our sponsors, ICSSR and SBI, for their generous support!
ARTEX 2025
BPDC's premier art festival, ARTEX 2025, was successfully held on February 25th and 26th, 2025, under the theme "LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION."
This highly anticipated event, organized by the SHADES club, showcased the diverse artistic talents of students, Faculty ,Staff and Alumni. The festival commenced with an auspicious lamp-lighting ceremony, graced by our esteemed Director Prof. Souri Banerjee, Prof . Sandip Deshmukh Dean, Student Welfare Division (Institute-wide), Prof.Geetha, Associate Dean Student Welfare and Prof.Vijaya Ilango, Faculty-in-Charge, SHADES club of BPDC. After the lamp lighting Prof. Vijaya Ilango welcomed everyone and provided an overview of the event. Prof. Souri Banerjee shared words of wisdom , motivated and commended the students for their exceptional talents. Prof .Sandip’s words made the event memorable followed by Prof Geetha’s appreciation of our budding artists. Vote of thanks was given by the Vice president of Shades club Ms. Drisya Manikkath.
Preparations for ARTEX 2025 began in January 2025, with the SHADES club office bearers recruiting and organizing volunteers into specialized teams :Decor Team & Marketing Team . The event's success was a testament to the dedication and hard work of all involved, from the organizers to the participating artists. ARTEX 2025 proved to be a resounding success, bringing together the BPDC community in a vibrant celebration of art and creativity. The event not only showcased the immense talent within the institution but also fostered a spirit of artistic appreciation and cultural enrichment.
Awards
Thrilled to Announce 1st Place Win at ASCE CISSC - 2025!
Congratulations to Bhuman Pandita & Ojasva Goyal for securing 1st place at ASCE CISSC-2025 under the mentorship of Prof. R. Srinivas & Prof. Vinay Chamola! Their project, "AI-Powered UAV Crop Disease Diagnostics," pioneers AI-driven precision agriculture with 98.66% accuracy, federated learning, and precision-based pesticide spraying. A true testament to innovation & hard work—wishing them continued success!
Acknowledging Excellence in HR Leadership!
We’re delighted to share that Mr. Ravi Mishra, CHRO at Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani has been recognized as a Top HR Icon at the World HRD Congress 2025, held on 18th February at TajLands’ End, Mumbai! With 133+ countries represented, this honor celebrates his people-first leadership and transformative HR vision, shaping a culture of growth, inclusivity, and excellence across BITS Pilani’s campuses.
Congratulations to Mr. Ravi Mishra!
Prestigious H.L. Bhalla Young Scientist Award 2025
Congratulations to Sonia Guha from BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus for winning the Prof. H.L. Bhalla Young Scientist Award 2025 and the Best Poster Presentation Award at the 23rd CRS Symposium! Her research on CRISPR-Cas delivery for corneal dystrophy also earned her a CRS Travel Grant to present at CRS 2025 in Philadelphia, USA. Wishing her continued success in advancing gene therapy!
Innovation & Collaboration
A Remarkable Milestone in AI & Education at BITS Pilani Dubai Campus
We are thrilled to share the incredible success of the Global Minds Exchange – AI Conference, held on February 19, 2025, at @BITS Pilani Dubai Campus!
This prestigious event brought together 50 educators from 11 countries —UAE, India, Russia, Burundi, Rwanda, Egypt, Morocco, Yemen, Tanzania, Kazakhstan, and DR Congo—creating a truly global platform for knowledge exchange. Presided over by Professor Souri Banerjee, Director of BITS Pilani Dubai, the conference highlighted the importance of AI education and responsible AI practices. We were honored to collaborate with Dr. JITENDRA MATLANI, Chairman of JM Group & Global Ambassador of Peace, in organizing this impactful event. Insightful presentations by Prof. Elakkiya R, Prof. Ujjwal K Chowdhury (Vice President, Global Media Education Council), and rof. James Bamwesa (Africa Chancellor, VEIU) on AI and Green Education sparked engaging discussions, fostering meaningful connections and groundbreaking ideas.
BITS Pilani Secures NABARD Grant for Sustainable Fodder Innovation
Dr. Sushil Yadav (Pharmacy) & Prof. Srikanta Routroy (Mechanical Engineering) have secured a NABARD grant for their project,
“Design of Fodder Pellets Using Locally Available Leaves: An Approach to Doubling Farmer Income.” This multi-disciplinary research aims to develop nutrient-rich, cost-effective fodder pellets, improving livestock nutrition, reducing feed costs, and boosting farmer income. By combining pharmaceutical and mechanical engineering expertise, the project advances sustainable agriculture and rural livelihoods.
Exciting Research Milestone at BITS Pilani Dubai!
We are proud to announce that Prof. Shrikant Charde, Prof. Mainak Dutta, and Prof. Neeru Sood from the Department of Biotechnology.
The Department of Biotechnology, Birla Institute of Technology and Science, Pilani (BITS Pilani)-Dubai Campus, have been awarded an Industry-Sponsored Research Project in collaboration with Pattern Intellectual Labs LLP, India.
This project focuses on designing and evaluating innovative clinical nutritional supplements aligned with global regulatory standards, ensuring their potential for worldwide registration. Research will be conducted both at our state-of-the-art labs on campus and the R&D facility of Pattern Intellectual Labs LLP.
BITSAT 2025 Application
Deadline - 18 April 2025
Stay updated with the latest BITS Pilani Admission Test (BITSAT 2025) announcements—directly from the official source.
Disclaimer: BITS Pilani admissions are strictly based on the BITSAT exam, and application forms link are only available on the official website – https://bitsadmission.com/. There are no other entry methods, no agents, and no partner organizations. Beware of any unauthorized entities claiming otherwise.
