The Hindu Business Line : Engineers urged to look beyond info tech

Mangalore, Dec. 30 Speakers at the fourth global convention of NITK (National Institute of Technology Karnataka) Alumni Association at Surathkal near Mangalore have stressed the need for students to look beyond information technology in the engineering stream, as there are plenty of opportunities in other subjects and in R&D (research and development) activities.

Inaugurating the convention on Saturday, Dr A.R. Upadhya, Director of the National Aerospace Laboratories, Bangalore, said that engineering education is at the crossroads. There is life beyond IT in the engineering stream, and students should recognise this factor, he said. Avenues are available for students in R&D activities also, and alumni associations play an important role in propagating this message among students, he said.

Prominent roles

Mr M.D. Mallya, Chairman and Managing Director of Bank of Maharashtra — who passed out from NITK (the then Karnataka Regional Engineering College) in 1974 — said that engineers should also focus on R&D activities and on core engineering subjects. India is on the threshold of becoming an economic superpower. In such a situation, engineers will play a prominent role, he said.

Mr Ashok Kheni, Managing Director of Nandi Infrastructure Corridor Enterprise (NICE) Ltd, Bangalore — who passed out from the institute in 1972 — spoke on some of the emerging industries. The entertainment industry will witness a big growth in the years to come, and there is a need to focus on this area, he said.

In this regard, his company has plans to set up a studio on 300 acres of land near Bangalore. He said that his intention is to make Bangalore a centre of the entertainment industry.

Prof Sandeep Sancheti, Director of NITK, spoke on the occasion.

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