Innovation to Impact

At Plaksha, research is not just a pursuit; it's a way of life.

We are driven by the shared passion of our founders, faculty and students to create transformative change. We seek to tackle the grand challenges facing society and shape a future that is sustainable and full of endless possibilities.

In this endeavour, our faculty lead the way through meaningful research and other contributions. They not only impart knowledge but also actively engage in cutting-edge research to solve real-world problems. Their expertise and commitment to pushing the boundaries of knowledge are truly inspiring.

Here are some of the remarkable projects our faculty have recently been involved in:

Cool Roofs: Prof Vishal Garg, Director of the Indorama Ventures Center for Clean Energy, has been actively working with the Telangana government to create India's first Cool Roof Policy. This policy aims to make the state more heat-resilient by mandating the installation of cool materials, such as reflective paints, tiles or sheets, on roofs across the state.

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Making NOx Harmless: Prof Chaitanya Lekshmi Indira, Associate Professor at Plaksha, has been awarded a patent for developing a catalyst series that can reduce toxic NOx gas (nitrogen oxides) into harmless products.

One of the applications currently being pursued is the development of a ceramic converter that can reduce NOx emissions from automobile exhaust. For this, an R&D collaboration with a petroleum research laboratory is underway.

She has developed a mixed-oxide nanocomposite catalyst series based on earth-abundant materials for gas conversion catalysis. Complete conversion (100%) has been achieved at the laboratory scale.

This innovation is highly significant because it eliminates the need for toxic and expensive heavy metals that are typically used in automobile catalytic converters.

Additionally, the process demonstrates excellent tunability across different temperature and composition ranges, potentially extending the innovation to a wider range of NOx removal applications.

Smart Farms Challenge: Plaksha faculty contribute to both fundamental and applied research. Shashank Tamaskar and Amruta R Behera founded AGMitra Technologies to develop sugarcane growth solutions.

Recently, STPI (Software Technology Parks of India) organized the Smart Farm Challenge – Stage 2 for a Product Development Grant, where AGMitra Technologies received a ₹20 lakh grant for its innovation.

Using technologies such as AI-ML, remote sensing and IoT, the solution enables farmers to predict the optimum time for sugarcane harvest, estimate sugar content and identify mature plots.

Sustainable Farming Solutions: Navjot Kaur was awarded a grant of ₹25.28 lakh from DST iHub – AWaDH to investigate the impact of current agricultural practices on planetary health and co-create sustainable solutions with farming communities.

Through this project, Navjot, in collaboration with a faculty member from IIT Ropar, aims to create holistic impact by engaging farming communities during the early stages of solution and technology development, understanding their challenges through baseline research, and exploring the potential of gene-edited crops to address existing agricultural issues.

This project is the first of its kind, covering multiple districts across Punjab. It will use advanced analytical techniques to present a comprehensive picture of soil and human health in the state.

The project reinforces the idea that sustainable agricultural practices are fundamental to addressing food security while exploring how gene-edited crops can contribute to environmentally sustainable farming.

Each project reflects a commitment to solving real-world challenges and making a tangible difference in people's lives. Together, these initiatives exemplify Plaksha's vision of bridging the gap between academia and industry to create meaningful solutions for the future.

Through their research, guidance and mentorship, our faculty inspire students to dream big, push boundaries and contribute meaningfully to society.

The Content Team at Plaksha University leads storytelling, blog and website content, social media, newsletters and event coverage and press and media coverage. The team writes about the University's initiatives, academic programs, research, innovation, and the impact created by the students, faculty, and collaborators and in the process offer readers a closer look at the people and ideas shaping the future of technology education.