Tuesday, Aug 17, 2010
First edition of innovation awards presented to eight student teams


Chennai: Governor Surjit Singh Barnala on Monday asked engineering institutions to set up more incubation centres on their campusesto encourage more and more students to come up with ideas. Distributing the All India Manufacturers Organisation (AIMO) innovation awards to eight student teams of ‘TECHKNOW 2010' of different engineering colleges, he said engineering institutions and universities should work with a mission to build the spirit of research and enquiry, creativity and innovation and entrepreneurial and leadership qualities in the students. AIMO and other industrial bodies should take it as their onerous responsibility to act as a catalyst and help the youth towards realising the goals, he said. Mr. Barnala also distributed Sir Visvesvaraya Industrial Awards to City Union Bank Ltd., Hyundai Motor India Ltd., Grundfos Pumps India Pvt. Ltd., and Marg Ltd. for their contribution to nation building.

In his presidential address, P. Mannar Jawahar, vice-chancellor, Anna University called upon the industries to collaborate with colleges and universities so as to convert the innovative ideas of the youth into a product to have a wider reach.

Srinageshwar, chairman, AIMO (TNSB) said this is the first edition of the innovation awards. The first prize consisting of Rs.1 lakh and citation was bagged by Velammal Engineering College, second prize (Rs.50,000) went to Sona College of Technology and third prize (Rs.25,000) was secured by M. Kumarasamy College of Engineering.

Consolation prizes of Rs.10,000 each was given to the student teams of Sona College of Technology, T.J. Institute of Technology, M.N.M. Jain Engineering College, Prathyusha Institute of Technology and Management and Sri Ramanujar Engineering College.