The Darshak is the newsletter of the IIT Tirupati Navavishkar I-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF), dedicated to advancing Positioning and Precision Technologies (PPTs) such as remote sensing, GIS, GNSS and other non-invasive technologies. These technologies are crucial for analyzing and managing spatial and temporal data, aiding decision-making in sectors like agriculture, natural resource management, and disaster management. The hub also explores new frontiers in indoor positioning, timing and underwater navigation technologies. 

This newsletter covers our activities for January 2025. We will issue another newsletter for February 2025, thereafter, we hope to release The Darshak every quarter. 

IITTNiF fosters innovation through a comprehensive technology lifecycle approach encompassing Knowledge, Development, Translation, and Commercialization. By aligning with initiatives like Make in India and Atmanirbhar Bharat, the TIH aims to enhance self-reliance in PPTs and contribute to the national startup ecosystem.

The National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS) under the Department of Science and Technology, Ministry of Science and Technology, leverages CPS technologies through 25 TIHs across India, each focused on a specific technology vertical.

Incorporated in December 2020, as a Section 8 company under IIT Tirupati, this Hub is fortunate to be located within the impressive IIT Tirupati campus and enjoys full support from IIT Tirupati, including guidance and leadership from the Director of IIT Tirupati and the Hub Governing Body. The leadership team also includes the Project Director, Dr. Roshan K Srivastav, Associate Professor at IIT Tirupati, and the CEO, Major General M. Rajendran (Retd.), who leads a vibrant and energetic team called Team Navavishkar.

The Board of Directors at IIT Tirupati Navavishkar I-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF) includes distinguished individuals such as Prof. K. N. Satyanarayana, the Director of IIT Tirupati; Dr. E. Anil Kumar, the Dean SRC at IIT Tirupati; Dr. Ajit T. Kalghatgi, a Non-Executive Director at Antrix Corporation Limited; Maj. Gen. Dr. R. Siva Kumar (Retd.), the Director Emeritus at Open Geospatial Consortium; Dr. Y. V. N. Krishna Murthy, an Academic Representative from the Indian Institute of Space Science and Technology; and Dr. Roshan K. Srivastav, Associate Professor at IIT Tirupati in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. These experts collectively drive the foundations mission of innovation and growth in the PPT sector.

Mr. Varadrajan Krishna Iyer, is our Senior Advisor, Innovation & Entrepreneurship. He is a Corporate Executive turned global serial tech entrepreneur with multiple exits and currently involved actively in the startups ecosystem.

IITTNiF leverages public-private partnerships to foster innovation and support sustainable growth through advanced technologies under the verticals of Technology Development, Startups and Entrepreneurship, Human Resource and Skill Development, and Collaborations. 

IITTNIF started three Inhouse Technology development projects in three different sectors aligned with Positioning and precision technologies; they are 

1. Digital Twin academia network: This project aims to develop digital twin models of academic institutes using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). As part of this initiative, IITTNIF acquired RGB, LiDAR, hyperspectral, and multispectral data from various academic institutes. In the first module, IITTNIF built 3D models from each dataset and extracted Digital Elevation Models (DEMs) and Digital Surface Models (DSMs) to lay the foundation for creating comprehensive digital twins.

2. VISIONPARK: Computer vision assisted smart parking and Navigation system- This project aims to develop a web tool for monitoring parking slots through a dashboard and navigating, configured using real-time detection of cars in parking slots. As the first phase of this project, IITTNIF developed a car detection module specifically designed for parking slots. 

3. Navavishkar Navigation with LiDAR: This project aims to provide precise location data for efficient navigation of autonomous robots, drones, and other devices. It assists users in navigating complex indoor environments such as large buildings, shopping malls, and hospitals. Phase 1: to acquire its own position, Phase 2: Simultaneous Localisation, Phase 3: Building Image Correlation and Phase 4 : SLAM. Thus, enabling the development of a Navavishkar Navigation Enabled Building (NNEB).

Totally 5 Startups have been Registered under VIKAS incubation Program in different sectors like AgriTech, AI, Space Commerce, GNSS, NAVIC, IOT, Electronics and Geospatial & Infrastructure Development. They are as follows;

1. Sand Bird

2. Quantumweave Intelligence Private Limited

3. Spatial Trade Private Limited

4. Navitro Consultancy and Services OPC Pvt Ltd

5. AccionLAND Private Limited

Hands-on Workshop ArcGIS: In collaboration with ESRI, IITTNIF conducted a hands-on workshop on ArcGIS Pro at the IITTNIF High-Performance Computing Lab. The workshop covered topics such as DEM and 3D analysis, feature extraction from images, and raster classification. A total of five participants benefited from this training

IITTNiF is delighted to announce a collaboration with Magnasoft to address innovative problem statements across AI/ML, Image Processing, and Engineering domains. This partnership includes internship opportunities through the TIH-Chanakya Internship Programs, allowing students to work on real-world challenges. The meeting, held on January 6 and 7, 2025, saw participation from Magnasoft representatives including Mr. Sanjay Das (VC, Head of Technologies), Mr. Sumanth Singh (Head of HR), and Mr. Varadrajan Krishna Iyer (Global Serial Techpreneur and TIH Senior Advisor). Key participants from IIT Tirupati included Dr. Kalidas Yeturu (Associate Professor, Computer Science & Engineering), Dr. Chalavadi Vishnu (Assistant Professor), and Dr. Varun Varghese (Assistant Professor, Humanities and Social Sciences). Representing IITTNiF were Maj Gen M Rajendran (R), CEO; 

Dr. Roshan K Srivastav, Project Director and Associate Professor, IIT Tirupati;  Dr. Venkata Subbareddy, GM & Technical Lead for Computer Vision, along with other Technical Leads, department employees, and TIH interns. This collaboration promises to foster innovation and excellence through combined efforts. Stay tuned for more updates and opportunities.

Strategic Collaboration Meeting between IITTNiF and Magnasoft

We are excited to share that IIT Tirupati Navavishkar I-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF) recently hosted a productive networking meeting with the esteemed faculty members of IIT Tirupati. The primary goal of this meeting was to establish a strong collaborative network between IITTNiF and IIT Tirupati, fostering innovation and synergy.

During the session, both parties explored various avenues for joint research projects, knowledge exchange, and resource sharing. This collaborative effort aims to leverage the combined expertise and resources of both institutions to drive technological advancements and entrepreneurship. The discussions paved the way for new initiatives in areas such as NaVic, GPS, GNSS, and other cutting-edge technologies, reinforcing our commitment to innovation and excellence.

We look forward to the exciting opportunities this collaboration will bring and the impact it will have on the academic and technological landscape.

IIT Tirupati faculties at the Networking Meeting with IITTNiF team

IIT Tirupati hosted a meeting on January 20, 2025, with the PAN INDIA Team, including Mr. Mamidi Narsaiah, Dr. Roshan Srivastav, Project Director, IITTNiF and Associate Professor, IIT Tirupati, Major General Rajendran, CEO, IITTNiF. The agenda, set by the PAN INDIA Team, featured a FARO Scanner demo and presentation, followed by a detailed demonstration of the SBG system. This meeting focused on exploring advanced technological solutions and fostering collaboration between the teams. The event also provided a platform for exchanging innovative ideas and discussing potential future projects, with a shared vision of driving technological advancements and strengthening partnerships.

IIT T-TIH Presentation by Dr. Venkata Subba Reddy (GM) at IITTNiF and Hexagon Forge Strategic Collaboration Meeting

Dr. Roshan K Srivastav, Project Director of IITTNiF and Associate Professor at    IIT Tirupati, was honored as the Guest of Honour alongside distinguished guests such as Dr. Prakash Chauhan, Director of NRSC-ISRO, the Vice-Chancellor, Pro Vice-Chancellor, and Dean of Sri Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education (SAHE). Dr. Prakash Chauhan's commendation of TIH's efforts was truly heartening.

State universities, including SAHE, are stepping up to support TIH's initiatives significantly. They are ready to embrace innovative technologies like NavIC, Digital Twin,

District VidyaGIS, and participate in exciting events like Hackathons. Let's continue to spread our wings and soar higher. A heartfelt thank you to everyone for their unwavering support.

This event was part of the Golden Jubilee Year of Sri Siddhartha Academy of General & Technical Education, Vijayawada, celebrated from January 24-25, 2025! This momentous event marks 50 years of academic excellence, innovation, and community impact.

Honoring Excellence: Dr. Roshan K Srivastav, Project Director of IITTNiF and Associate Professor at 

IIT Tirupati Recognized at SAHE Golden Jubilee Research Conclave

Operation Dronagiri - Phase 1 State / Applications Wise

Operation Dronagiri received 838 applications from startups across 23 states, with Tamil Nadu (135), Maharashtra (122), and Telangana (105) leading in participation.

The majority of applications were in the MVP/POC stage, reflecting the innovative potential of early-stage startups. Most startups were bootstrapped, highlighting their commitment to developing impactful solutions. Additionally, a significant number of applications came from startups established in 2023 and 2024, indicating a surge in recent entrepreneurial activity.

As Operation Dronagiri moves to Level 2 Screening, the initiative continues to foster innovation, aiming to identify and support the most promising startups addressing geospatial challenges.

We are delighted to share the special engagement event at IIT Tirupati students, hosted by Dr. Roshan K Srivastav, Project Director, IITTNiF, Associate Professor, IIT Tirupati, was a resounding success. Held on January 19th, 2025, Lecture Hall Complex (LHC), the event saw the Tech Innovation Hub (TIH) launch

several new initiatives and introduce its team to the students. Over 300 students participated, engaging in an inspiring journey towards innovation and excellence. This event marked a significant step in fostering innovation, research, and skills development within the student community.

Dr. Roshan K Srivastav Presenting TIH Opportunities to IIT Tirupati Students at the Special Engagement Event at IIT Tirupati

LiDAR AOM (Acousto Optic Modulators) Project: IITTNIF is pleased to announce that it is working on a breakthrough technology in LiDAR, known as Acousto-Optic Modulator-based LiDAR. Integrating Acousto-Optic Modulators (AOMs) with LiDAR is a promising approach to develop compact, low-cost, and high-performance LiDAR systems. This integration offers several advantages, including, Miniaturization and Improved Performance. The objective of integrating LiDAR with an AOM is to enhance the precision and control of laser-based measurements and applications. The project aims at enhancing the range resolution greater than 1 cm for a pulse width of 66.7 ps

 using the laser pulse of 850 nm. In phase 1 of the project, we aim at the demonstration of AOM and at phase 2 to perform the phase coding Analysis.

IITTNIF is excited to announce the launch of a special call for students called START-PNT summer internship program. This program offers an extensive internship opportunity for enthusiastic UG and PG students interested in Positioning and Precision Technologies. The program, spanning two to three months, allows students to work on various projects, including dashboard creation, electronic products like line-following robots, path planning for rovers based on positioning, indoor navigation through electronics, and more. Each student will receive a stipend of �5,000 per month.

Workshop on SAR Principles and Applications:

IITTNiF is planning to conduct an executive workshop on Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR): Principles and Applications on February 11th and 12th. The workshop will cover key concepts such as: Real-Time Applications of SAR, Principles of SAR Functionality, Interferometry and Polarimetry, DEM (Digital Elevation Model) Extraction from SAR Images, Biomass Estimation Using SAR Data, This workshop aims to provide valuable insights into SAR technology and its diverse applications in real-world scenarios.

Workshop on Scanpoint IGIS software:

IITTNIF is organizing a training session on Scanpoint IGIS software in February, focusing on vector and raster analysis. The training will cover topics such as digitization, buffer analysis, network analysis, spatial queries, and overlay operations for vector data, along with raster-based techniques like reclassification, terrain analysis, land use classification, and NDVI calculation. Participants will gain hands-on experience with practical exercises and real-world applications of geospatial data processing.

1. Forging Stronger Industry Partnerships: We recognize that collaborative innovation is crucial for accelerating the development and deployment of cutting-edge GNSS applications. Our focus will be on.

Targeted Engagement: Proactively identifying and engaging with key industry players across sectors like transportation, logistics, agriculture, disaster management, and urban planning. This includes established corporations as well as dynamic startups seeking synergistic collaborations.

Joint R&D Initiatives: Facilitating the creation of joint research and development projects that leverage the combined expertise of our incubated startups and industry partners.

Access to Resources: Providing our startups with enhanced access to industry resources, including data sets, testing facilities, mentorship programs, and potential investment opportunities. We will actively work to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application.

Open Innovation Platforms: Exploring the creation of open innovation platforms that bring together researchers, entrepreneurs, and industry stakeholders to collaboratively address critical challenges in the PNT/GNSS domain.

In this regard we have an MoU signed with Magnasoft that is being developed further into tangible solutions for clients and other stakeholders. Similarly, another partnership with Trimble India is progressing towards an MoU that will identify potential R&D challenges facing the PNT/GNSS industry. 

2. Scaling for Global Markets: Developing innovative solutions is only the first step.  Our commitment extends to empowering our startups to scale their ventures and achieve global reach.  

Looking Ahead: The next phase of our TiH development will be marked by a proactive approach to fostering collaboration, driving innovation, and facilitating global scaling.  We are confident that by focusing on these key areas, we can empower the next generation of PNT/GNSS entrepreneurs to build successful businesses that have a profound impact on the world.  We invite all stakeholders to join us on this exciting journey.

This concludes this edition of our newsletter. We appreciate your engagement and support in our ongoing collaborations and innovations. Stay connected for future updates on our initiatives and advancements. We look forward to sharing more in the next edition.

For more information, please visit our website or reach out to us at our office:

IIT Tirupati Navavishkar I-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF)
IIT Tirupati Campus, Yerpedu-Venkatagiri Road,
Yerpedu, Andhra Pradesh - 517619, India

Website: www.iittnif.com
Email: [email protected]