In loving memory of Dr. Priya Ranjan: A mentor who treated me like family

MUMBAI: Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute of Technology (VESIT) has added another feather to its cap as fourth-year students from the Department of Automation and Robotics, Harsh Tejwani and Mohammed Ujjainwala, are winners at the prestigious Vishwakarma Awards 2025, held at IIT Indore and organised by the Maker Bhavan Foundation.

The student team, VAYU-SETU, secured first place in the Smart Mobility category for their innovative GPS-denied drone project, winning a cash prize of ₹1,00,000. The project addresses critical navigation challenges in environments where GPS signals are unavailable or unreliable, showcasing advanced problem-solving and real-world engineering application. The Vishwakarma Awards 2025 grand finale was held in the presence of eminent dignitaries including Dr. Hemant Kanakia, Chief Guest; Prof. Suhas Joshi, Director, IIT Indore; and Mr. Gautam Khanna, President and CEO, Maker Bhavan Foundation.

The event marked the culmination of a rigorous, nine-month innovation journey that brought together some of the most promising student innovators from India and SAARC nations. This year’s edition witnessed participation from over 3,600 undergraduate and postgraduate STEM students across India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and Sri Lanka. From an initial pool of 1,000 teams, only 12 finalist teams progressed through multiple rounds of prototyping, technical evaluation, and expert mentoring to reach the final stage.

Speaking on the achievement, Dr. Jayalekshmi M. Nair, Principal, Vivekanand Education Society’s Institute of Technology (VESIT), said, “This remarkable achievement by our students is a reflection of VESIT’s strong focus on experiential learning, innovation, and interdisciplinary excellence. Harsh and Mohammed have demonstrated how young engineers can develop solutions with real-world relevance and national impact. We are extremely proud of their success and grateful to Maker Bhavan Foundation and IIT Indore for providing such a powerful platform for student innovators.”

The Vishwakarma Awards continue to reinforce Maker Bhavan Foundation’s commitment to nurturing practice-ready engineers and future entrepreneurs, while providing structured platforms for innovation, collaboration, and cross-border knowledge exchange.

Your voice can reach the world: At JK Monitor, we firmly believe that every well-researched idea has the power to inspire change beyond geographical boundaries. We are delighted to share an encouraging message from one of our esteemed contributors, Dr. Rakesh Verma (J&K Forest Services). “His article, ‘When Trees Become Rights-Bearing Citizens: A Lesson from Canada for India’s Ecological Future,’ published on JK Monitor, received appreciation from La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus, the French non-profit organisation that founded and promotes the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights.”.  Read the message here
A Profound Loss: JK Monitor Mourns the Passing of Founding Chairman Dr. Priya Ranjan

We at JK Monitor are profoundly saddened by the sudden demise of our Founding Chairman, Dr. Priya Ranjan.IN LOVING MEMORY Dr Priya Ranjan

A brilliant mind who studied at Netarhat Residential School and graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur before earning his PhD from the University of Maryland, Dr. Ranjan chose to return to India and dedicate his life to teaching, research and social good.

His pioneering work in networked systems, AI, robotics and biomedical applications—especially computer-vision tools for early detection of cancer and heart disease—reflected his deep belief that advanced technology must serve humanity.

For more than 15 years at JK Monitor, he remained a loyal friend, mentor and collaborator, marked by rare humility, intellectual integrity and quiet generosity. His passing leaves a void that cannot be filled. Priya, you will be deeply missed. Your life continues to remind us that knowledge finds its highest purpose in the service of others.

— Team JK Monitor

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