MVGR Launches PNT Lab in Collaboration with IIT Tirupati Navavishkar i-Hub Foundation

Bangalore, April 4, 2025 — In a major boost to innovation and skill development in navigation technologies, MVGR college of Engg (A) has been selected as one of only 25 locations across India to host a Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) Lab, under the prestigious IIT Tirupati Navavishkar i-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF) initiative.

The lab was formally launched during the NavIC Game Changer Seminar, held on April 4, 2025, in Bangalore. The event highlighted the lab’s role in promoting indigenous research and development in the rapidly evolving domain of positioning and precision technologies.

Empowering Innovation in Navigation Technology

IITTNiF, a Section 8 company established under the Department of Science and Technology (DST) through its National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), is committed to making India self-reliant in Positioning and Precision Technologies (PPT). With a vision to become an internationally recognized innovation hub, IITTNiF supports initiatives aligned with key national missions such as Make in India, Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyaan, and the Start-up India ecosystem.

The newly established PNT Lab at our institute aims to:

  • Encourage product and prototype development in PNT-related technologies.
  • Support undergraduate and postgraduate students in innovative research.
  • Facilitate human resource and skill development through targeted training programs.
  • Act as a catalyst for industry-academia collaboration in the PNT sector.

PNT: Powering Future Industries

PNT technologies are crucial for numerous sectors including automotive, aerospace, maritime, urban governance, robotics, and geospatial mapping. These technologies rely on advanced systems such as satellite-based navigation (e.g., NavIC – Navigation with Indian Constellation), inertial sensors, computer vision, and sensor fusion, ensuring high spatial accuracy and real-time data processing capabilities.

Participation in National Seminars

As part of the launch, representatives from our institute participated in two key national-level seminars organized by IITTNiF in Bangalore:

  • NavIC Seminar 2025 (April 4):

A platform for researchers, industry leaders, academia, and policymakers to converge and explore advancements in indigenous navigation technologies. The seminar emphasized collaboration and fast-tracking the adoption of NavIC in real-world applications.

  • GeoCities 2025 (April 5):

Focused on digital governance through geospatial intelligence, this seminar highlighted groundbreaking technologies that can transform Indian cities into data-driven, transparent, and citizen-centric urban spaces.

Prof. P. S. Sitharama Raju, Director, and Prof. Ramakrishnan Ramesh, Principal of MVGR College, extended heartfelt congratulations to Dr. A. Varaprasad, Principal Investigator from the Department of Civil Engineering, and Dr. K. Praveen, Co-Principal Investigator from the Department of Mechanical Engineering, for their exemplary leadership in advancing 20 innovative projects under the PNT Lab.

The leadership also acknowledged the unwavering dedication of all mentoring faculty members involved in these projects, including Dr. VR. Sankar Cheela, Dr. Sarat Kumar Sahu, Dr. K. S. Ravi Kumar, Dr. P. Sudheer, Dr. A. Varaprasad, Ms. M. Swarna, Dr. M. K. Naidu, Dr. K. Praveen, Dr. P. Srinivasa Rao, Dr. B. Srinivas, Dr. M. Siva Subramanyam, Dr. P. Surya Prasad, Dr. P. Sateesh, Dr. S. Chandramouli, Mr. P. Pavan Kumar, and Dr. Ch. Kalyan Chakravarthy.

Prof. M. Siva Subrahmanyam, Coordinator of Research and Consultancy, emphasized that the upcoming state-of-the-art PNT Lab facility is set to significantly enhance research and innovation on campus. He highlighted its role in inspiring active student participation and fostering technological advancement and academic excellence across disciplines.

With the establishment of the PNT Lab, MVGR reaffirms its commitment to cutting-edge research, national innovation goals, and the development of skilled professionals ready to shape the future of smart, connected technologies.

For more details, visit https://iittnif.com.