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 June 2025. We will issue another newsletter for July 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.

Translational R & D

As part of ongoing efforts in GNSS RF sub-component design, we have initiated the development of a conformal antenna system targeted for the GNSS L1 band. A comprehensive literature survey on various conformal substrates has been completed, enabling informed material selection. Based on this study, a conventional rectangular patch antenna using a polyamide substrate has been designed and simulated. Preliminary results have been achieved, validating the initial design. Further optimisation and tuning are currently underway to enhance the antenna's performance for conformal GNSS applications.

The milestone review meeting for the project titled RF Front-End Technologies for Multi-Constellation GNSS was held on 21st June 2025. The Technical Evaluation Committee, comprising Dr. Y. V. N. Krishnamurthy (Board of Director, IITTNiF) and Shri. L. Ramakrishnan (Ex-Chief Scientist, BEL, Bangalore), along with the CEO, IITTNiF and the Technology Manager  GNSS, assessed the projects progress and reviewed all deliverables presented. The committee appreciated the technical advancements made, particularly the development of the anti-jamming and anti-spoofing antenna system and ongoing RF front-end design work. Discussions also covered aspects of component sourcing, student contributions, and system-level integration. The project was recognised for its strong translational value, integrating advanced RF subsystems with digital baseband techniques, and was approved for progression to the next phase of funding.

GNSS Summer Internship Program 2025

As part of the GNSS Summer Internship 2025, four selected students are currently engaged in a one-month intensive program at IITTNiF, working on key technology development themes. The projects span across metasurface antenna design for GNSS, 6GGNSS co-design, AI/ML-based ionospheric TEC observation models, and FPGA-based GPS data acquisition and modelling. The internship provides hands-on exposure to advanced tools and techniques in satellite navigation, while encouraging innovation and translational thinking. The students are making commendable progress and are on track to deliver technically meaningful and permissible outcomes within the short-term internship duration.

Results Announced for STAR - PNT Summer Internship

Announcement: STAR-PNT Summer Internship Program (Phase 2)  Shortlisted Candidates As part of the second phase of the STAR-PNT Summer Internship Program, IIT Tirupati Navavishkar i-Hub Foundation (IITTNIF), through its network of PNT Labs, is pleased to announce the list of selected applicants for internships across 12 SPOKE institutions.

Out of 340 applications received, 131 candidates have been shortlisted based on the significance and relevance of their profiles. The distribution of shortlisted candidates across the institutions is as follows:

1. Chaitanya Bharathi Institute of Technology, Hyderabad, Telangana  20

2. Cochin University of Science and Technology, Kochi, Kerala  3

3. G. Narayanamma Institute of Technology and Science for Women, Hyderabad, Telangana  13

4. JAIN (Deemed-to-be University), Bengaluru, Karnataka  20

5. Lendi Institute of Engineering & Technology, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh  20

6. MVGR College of Engineering, Vizianagaram, Andhra Pradesh  16

7. Siddhartha Academy of Higher Education (SAHE), Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh  20

8. Santhiram Engineering College, Nandyala, Andhra Pradesh  3

9. Saranathan College of Engineering, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu  9

10. SRM Institute of Science and Technology, Tiruchirapalli, Tamil Nadu  3

11. Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge Technologies (RGUKT), Nuzvid, Eluru, Andhra Pradesh  4

 

We congratulate all the shortlisted candidates and thank every applicant for their enthusiastic participation. Further details will be shared shortly with the selected candidates and respective SPOKE coordinators.

A Webinar "National Webinar on the Navic Chispet for PNT labs" conducted by "NaviTro Coonsultancy and Services OPC Private Limited" for the Participants from Spoke institutes where the PNT labs were established. The webinar is Conducted as a part of Procurement of Navic Chipset from the above said company for the PNT labs. The speaker is Dr Aninadya Bose, founder and Director of a deep-technology startup company NaviTro Consultancy and Services OPC Private Limited working in GNSS/ NavIC applications and solutions. The event experienced a participation count of 50 members across the country which includes Researchers, academicians, students etc.

Dr. Ashutosh Sharma, former Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India, visited IIT Tirupati Navavishkar I-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF) and interacted with the team.

Dr. Roshan K. Srivastav, Project Director of IITTNiF and Associate Professor at IIT Tirupati, along with the Technology Managers, presented an overview of the ongoing initiatives. The discussion included highlights of current projects, in-house translational R&D efforts, and the strategic direction of the Hub.

The team also sought valuable guidance and insights from Dr. Sharma to strengthen innovation outcomes and enhance impact through deep-tech solutions aligned with national priorities.

The event highlighted Sima.ais MLSoC" platform and explored collaborations in AI workload benchmarking, deployment in autonomous systems, and alignment with the Make-in-India initiative.

Key takeaways included proposals for joint workshops, evaluation of IITTNiFs AI/ML prototypes on the platform, and setting up an Edge AI Innovation Pod. The session emphasized hardwaresoftware co-design and academicindustry partnerships in deep tech R&D.

Dr. Abijith D, Technology Manager  Remote Sensing & GIS at IITTNiF, was invited as a distinguished speaker for the internship program titled Mapping the Future of Our Oceans, organized by Sathyabama Institute of Science and Technology in association with the ISRS  Chennai Chapter.

Held on 21st June 2025, Dr. Abijiths session offered deep insights into the role of geospatial technologies in coastal hazard mapping, emphasizing practical applications in disaster risk reduction, climate resilience, and marine ecosystem monitoring. His talk highlighted advancements in satellite-based data analysis, spatial modeling techniques, and GIS-driven decision support systems to tackle the growing challenges along vulnerable coastlines.

The session was well-received by students and faculty participants, sparking dialogue on emerging technologies and collaborative research opportunities in the domain of ocean science and coastal sustainability.

On 18 June 2025, over 40 women school teachers from Sri Lanka visited the IIT Tirupati Navavishkar I-Hub Foundation (TIH) as part of an educational tour to gain insights into the Indian education system. The visit was facilitated by Rashtriya Seva Samithi (RASS), a well-known social service organization based in Tirupati, Andhra Pradesh.

Dr. Roshan K. Srivastav, Project Director of IITTNiF and Associate Professor at IIT Tirupati, led the session and introduced TIHs initiatives. He highlighted key programs such as Vidya GIS for school students, alongside various skill development and training initiatives aimed at nurturing innovation and promoting technical awareness among young learners.

International Conference on Radio Frequency Communication and Networks (RFCoN)

Dr. K. G. Sujanth Narayan, Technology Manager  GNSS, IITTNiF, was invited to serve as a Session Chair at the International Conference on Radio Frequency Communication and Networks (RFCoN 2025), held at SASTRA Deemed University, Thanjavur, on June 1920, 2025. The conference served as a prominent forum for researchers, industry experts, and academicians working in RF systems, antennas, and next-generation communication technologies. Dr. Sujanth chaired sessions covering key domains such as antenna design, AI/ML for RF systems, and autonomous RF platforms, contributing both technical expertise and insights on translational research. Representing IITTNiF at this prestigious platform further reinforced the hubs commitment to advancing innovation in RF and GNSS technologies.

Note

Dr. K Venkata Subbareddy

Technology Manager - Computer Vision, IITTNiF

IITTNiF: Catalyzing Innovation and Talent in PNT Technologies

IIT Tirupati Navavishkar i-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF), established under the DST's National Mission on Interdisciplinary Cyber-Physical Systems (NM-ICPS), is playing a vital role in advancing Positioning, Navigation, and Timing (PNT) technologies in India.

Through translational R&D, IITTNiF is developing impactful solutions to address real-world challengessuch as smart parking systems for urban areas and technologies to mitigate human-wildlife conflicts in forest regions.

On the talent development front, IITTNiF is nurturing the next generation of innovators through initiatives like STAR-PNT and a country-wide network of PNT Labs. These labs are empowering students, researchers, startups, and industries by providing hands-on exposure, infrastructure, and mentoring to drive innovation in critical sectors such as geospatial intelligence, AI-based navigation, and remote sensing.

IITTNiF continues to build a strong ecosystem that supports Indias vision of Viksit Bharat through deep-tech innovation, research, and collaboration.

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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.

IIT Tirupati Navavishkar i-Hub Foundation (IITTNiF)