Young Minds, Seasoned Mentors Power The Quiet Revolution Of E-Mobility

T Murrali
11 May 2025
07:00 AM
5 Min Read

Backed by Naan Mudhalvan, forward-thinking institutions like SREC, and committed industry mentors, India’s electric mobility transition is gaining talent, traction, and momentum.


Naan Mudalvan

On April 26, 2026, the campus of Sri Ramakrishna Engineering College (SREC), Coimbatore, part of SNR Sons Trust, crackled with the current of new-age ambition as it became the stage for a dynamic exchange on the future of electric mobility. As part of the Sigaram Thodu Skilling Bootcamp, under the 'Naan Mudhalvan' initiative by the Government of Tamil Nadu, six experts from the mobility industry converged for a thought-provoking panel discussion titled “Careers in EV: What Roles Will Define the Next Decade?”

MobilityNxt, a rising EdTech player in mobility skilling, led the design and execution of a 25-day immersive EV Boot Camp under the Sigaram Thodu initiative. Bridging the gap between engineering education and EV industry readiness, MobilityNxt handled everything—from curriculum design and expert sourcing to lab infrastructure and industry engagement. Hosted at SREC, the boot camp trained 46 engineering students from across Tamil Nadu, offering hands-on exposure to EV powertrains, diagnostics, battery systems, and real-world EV assembly.

Set against the vibrant backdrop of a transitioning automotive landscape, the event offered more than just industry anecdotes—it was a real-time transmission of perspective, purpose, and possibility for over 100 eager engineering students in their pre-final and final years. With the world charging ahead toward a greener, smarter future, this initiative was both timely and transformative, delivering frontline insights on the roles, skills, and mindsets that will define tomorrow’s electric mobility workforce.

As leaders unpacked the nuances of EV careers—from battery analytics and drivetrain software to thermal systems and AI-driven diagnostics—classrooms gave way to conversations, and curiosity sparked into career clarity. For the young minds in attendance, this wasn’t just another campus event; it was their first serious connection to the high-voltage future of clean tech mobility.

Naan Mudhalvan

At the heart of this initiative lies Naan Mudhalvan, Tamil Nadu’s flagship skilling programme designed to reshape the State's talent landscape. Launched with a vision to bridge the persistent gap between academia and industry, it has already empowered over 13 lakh students across diverse domains—from Artificial Intelligence and clean energy to the fast-evolving world of electric mobility.

As a significant partner in this mission, SREC hosted a month-long EV Bootcamp that brought technical rigour and real-world application to the fore. Long known for its academic excellence and industry-ready pedagogy, the institution transformed into a living lab for students selected from 11 State-run engineering colleges across Tamil Nadu.

Naan Mudalvan
Robotics lab

Speaking at the event, Soma Rajeshwaran, Assistant Vice President, Naan Mudhalvan, TN Skills, emphasised the importance of hands-on exposure in deep tech areas like electric vehicles—calling it not just a necessity, but a national imperative. He highlighted that such focused skilling efforts are not only transforming the capabilities of future engineers but also enabling direct placements through initiatives like ‘Sigaram Thodu.’

By fusing state-backed policy with academic will and industry insight, the bootcamp didn’t merely train students; it positioned them as frontrunners in India’s green mobility revolution. At a time when global industries are pivoting to sustainable technologies, Tamil Nadu’s Naan Mudhalvan initiative is ensuring that its youth are not just job seekers, but future shapers in the electric age.

Key Points From Panel Discussion

The panel at SREC's EV Bootcamp wasn't just an exchange of industry insights—it was a living map of tomorrow’s career terrain, carefully charted by six diverse voices shaping India’s mobility transformation. Each speaker, drawing from rich professional ground, offered students not just advice—but clarity, conviction, and direction.

Rakesh Bidre, Global Delivery Manager at TCS, provided the macro view from an OEM’s lens. Framing the evolution of EV talent, he noted that engineers of the future won’t be boxed into mechanical or electrical silos—they will be systems thinkers. In India, he said, the real edge lies in designing for affordability and sustainability, and this ability to engineer with constraint is what will define global competitiveness.

From under the dashboard, Santhosh Ayyamperumal, Director at Pixel Expert, spotlighted an often-overlooked domain—Human-Machine Interface (HMI). “The screen is now the dashboard,” he mentioned, painting a future where UX design becomes central to vehicle loyalty. He urged students with a flair for creativity and psychology to see HMI as a convergence of art and engineering—a career path where interface is influence.

Dr S Chidambaranathan, CEO of Vasantha Advanced Systems, took students into the heart of the electronics supply chain, underscoring the explosive demand for talent in embedded systems and PCB assembly. Tier-1 suppliers, he noted, are not just supporting OEMs but are innovating independently, creating tech at par with global standards.

Adding a chip-to-wheel perspective, Damodaran Subramanian, CEO of ChipEdge, connected VLSI and EDA to the pulse of electric vehicles. “No EV can run without silicon,” he said, reminding the audience that the real intelligence in mobility comes from deep integration of hardware and software. For students passionate about electronics, this was a call to enter the very brains of modern mobility.

Bringing in the data-driven layer of manufacturing, Madhan Thiruvenkatachalam from Litmus.io highlighted how DataOps is transforming EV production floors into smart, responsive ecosystems. For those with a passion for both coding and industrial environments, he pitched a compelling vision: a world where factories behave like living, learning systems—and engineers who can manage data flows will be their neural architects.

Speaking from media standpoint, T Murrali, Managing Editor of Mobility Outlook, urged students in a fast-evolving world to stay curious, informed, and articulate. Engineers who can not only build but tell the story of innovation will become the true voices of the industry, he said—proving that storytelling, too, is a form of engineering.

Together, these voices didn’t just share knowledge—they lit pathways. From silicon to sustainability, from screen design to data flows, the panel revealed that the electric future isn’t just about vehicles—it’s about versatile, vision-led careers across the mobility spectrum.

Naan Mudalvan
Six-seater battery-powered electric vehicle

Insight Meets Inspiration

What truly set this panel apart was its spirit of mentorship over monologue. Far from a passive lecture, the experience was deeply engaging—each speaker lingered long after the session, fielding questions over lunch and offering personalised guidance. For many students, it wasn’t just an event; it was the spark that ignited clarity and confidence about their place in the EV ecosystem.

That spark was further fuelled by a post-lunch lab tour showcasing SREC’s depth in its laboratories. From autonomous palletisers and underwater robots to collaborative cobots, the institution’s innovation culture was on full display. Equally compelling were projects in dynamic wireless charging, solar-powered EV battery systems, regenerative braking converters, and AI-enabled tracking and diagnostics—all pointing to a future where students aren’t just job-ready, but industry-redefining.

Innovation In Motion

The EV narrative at SREC isn’t confined to guest lectures or lab projects—it’s now driving across campus. In a significant display of initiative and ingenuity, a seven-member student team from the Department of Mechanical Engineering has designed and built an indigenous six-seater battery-powered electric vehicle for intra-campus use. Today, it quietly ferries faculty, students, and guests—an everyday reminder of what practical learning can achieve.

What makes the project exceptional is not just its outcome but its process. From design and structural analysis to material procurement, fabrication, and testing, students took complete ownership—guided by industry partner Mechnido Pvt Ltd, Coimbatore. The team also focused on cost optimisation, completing the project at just INR 2.6 lakh, a fraction of the INR 6.25 lakh typically needed for such vehicles.

SREC’s emphasis on industry-academia integration is equally evident in its forward-thinking curriculum. In collaboration with Mahindra Technical Academy and MathWorks, the institution offers a one-credit industrial course on Software-Defined Vehicles (SDVs)—a domain that represents the confluence of automotive engineering, electronics, and software. The most recent cohort of 30 students benefitted from expert sessions led by Dr Shankar Venugopal (Mahindra & Mahindra), Dr Ramana Anchuri, and Tharrini Raj (MathWorks), exposing them to future vehicle architectures and intelligent mobility systems.

With a supportive skilling ecosystem like Naan Mudhalvan, a forward-thinking academic environment like SREC and industry leaders who generously invest their time, India’s transition to electric mobility is in capable hands. The future isn’t just electric—it’s deep-tech powered, mentor-led, and student-driven.

Also Read:

When Vehicles Learn In Real Time, Continental Keeps Data Highway Secure

Share This Page