SRM GROUP ACHIEVES WORLD CLASS PLACEMENTS, TOP OFFER OF RS.1 CRORE FROM AMAZON, GERMANY

SRM Institute of Science & Technology (SRMIST), the flagship deemed university of SRM Group of Universities, has created a record among all private and deemed universities in India, when one of its final year engineering students was offered a Rs.1 crore per annum CTC package recently by Amazon, Germany. SRMIST has also shown tremendous growth in the overall placement metrics, both in quantity as well as quality of the offers. Around 1050 companies have visited SRMIST campuses this season and successfully placed over 10,000 SRM students this placement season. And the numbers will rise more as the placement season is still continuing at SRM. This is an accelerating growth as last year the total placements were around 8000 students and in the year before it was around 7000. Quality of placements is also on a sharp upswing. During this season, over 4000 students have got Super Dream Offers (of Rs.10 Lakh+), and Dream Offers

(of Rs.5 Lakh+) and so far there have been over 5200 unique offers. Top recruiters this year include Amazon, Google, Morgan Stanley, Toyota, Ernst & Young GDS, Deloitte, JP Morgan, TCS, Wipro, Cognizant, Capgemini, Honda R&D, IBM, Fidelity, Barclays, Walmart, John Deere, Philips, Bank Of America, Siemens, Hitachi, Air Asia, MediaTek, KPMG, Loreal and more. There was a sharp increase of 30-40% in the number of students getting placed in the above 10 Lakhs per annum category, as compared to the previous years. In the most lucrative CS/IT category, SRMIST almost touched an average of 9.5 LPA, with most of the students preferring high paying product companies. Without doubt, the campus placements at SRMIST and its other universities like SRM-AP are turning world-class, thanks to the world-class best practices they follow in selecting & training faculty, furthering research, and developing state-of-the-art academic infrastructure both physical and digital.

When young Puranjay Mohan was asked how he could set a record among all private & deemed universities by bagging the highest ever Rs. 1 crore package from Amazon Germany, he credited it to the updated curriculum followed at SRMIST. According to this brilliant young achiever, in most universities and engineering colleges there is a big gap between what they study and what they are expected to do at the workplace, but over here at SRMIST he says he has not felt that gap at all, as this final year student is raring to go and prove himself at Amazon Germany, his recruiter from day one onward.

He has been offered a Software Development Role (in Embedded Systems as a Linux Kernel Developer) with a whopping CTC of Rs. 1 crore per annum. This high profile achievement was announced by none other than SRMIST’s Founder Chancellor Dr. TR Paarivendhar, who is also a Member of Parliament, at a press meet held at Ramada Plaza Chennai, recently. Also present during the announcement were Pro Chancellor (Academics) Dr. P. Sathyanarayanan, Vice Chancellor Dr. C. Muthamizhchelvan, Registrar Dr. S. Ponnusamy and Director (Career Centre) Mr. Venkata Sastry.

Honouring Puranjay with the Illustrious Student Award, Dr. TR Paarivendhar said, “Puranjay will be a role model for others. He is not only an exemplary student, but what is unique about him is that he is not from the Computer Science or IT branches but from

Electronics and Instrumentation.” Dr. P. Sathyanarayanan added that, “Last year, two of our students were placed for Rs.50 lakhs each and this year the highest offer is Rs.1 Crore. It is a very proud moment for SRMIST. This is the highest offer made in any private university in India.”

How does SRMIST, SRM-AP and other SRM campuses achieve such placement success? Much of this achievement is due to the kind of world-class exposure that SRM campuses give to its students. Ever heard of Materials Genome? It is the cutting-edge of materials science, in which the varied and minute aspects of functional or engineering materials are described conceptually like in the genomic structure used in biology. This throws open interesting possibilities like the accelerated, automated & iterative development of new functional and specialized materials using Artificial Intelligence technologies like machine learning! This is dizzying stuff for even some of the world’s finest universities. Recently, over one hundred scientists and professors from sixteen countries came together to discuss and analyze the developments in this sector in an international conference on materials genome. But it was not hosted by MIT or Harvard, but a private university in Andhra Pradesh - SRM University at Amaravati!

In India, it is never easy for a private sector higher education group to be taken as seriously by students, teachers & recruiters, like how they view the world’s top-class institutions. But that is what SRM Group has now achieved with its deemed and private universities, with feats like the recent materials genome conference. As another example, consider what some SRM engineering students achieved recently. Even while large 2-wheeler manufacturers - both traditional brands and startup firms - were scrambling to create viable electric vehicles, these SRM students went on to develop an electric bike by leveraging the university’s tie-up with a leading battery manufacturer. The students develop such ambition as the university is forever keeping them abreast with the latest technological breakthroughs in every field!

SRM’s Distinguished Lecture Series is a prime example for this, which has seen participation frrom IITs, NITs, IISERs, leading domestic & overseas universities, CSIR, DST, DBT, DRDO, DAE, ISRO, NARL, MoES etc. Recently, the 14th edition of this Lecture Series saw a highly knowledgeable talk from Dr Chennupati Jagadish, distinguished professor in Physics in the Research School of Physics and Engineering at the Australian National University. He addressed the students on 'Semiconductor Nanostructures for Optoelectronics Applications'.

At the same time, SRM takes care to inculcate compassionate values in its students as well as projects. Assisted by a noted external organization, SRM has initiated a Thought Lab itself for imparting value education to students, who in turn go on to do many charitable activities to the economically challenged communities around them, like distributing winter wear. The Group’s foundation and its medical college hospital also excel in philanthropic initiatives like its recent health card which provides discounts for the needy sections of the population.

SRM Group of Universities are growing and spreading their great roots into the communities and industries around them. Its flagship deemed university, SRM Institute of Science & Technology (SRMIST), near Chennai, continues to be a powerhouse in engineering and medical education and research, with its number one position in placements.

SRMIST’s medical wing, SRM Medical College Hospital & Research Centre (SRM MCH&RC) had become internationally renowned as one of the select few centres for Covaxin trials. It has also entered into several tie-ups with pharma majors.

The Group’s newest university, SRM University, Andhra Pradesh, is also scaling similar or even greater heights by achieving 100% placements for its maiden batch itself, and by starting two Centres of Excellence with industry majors like Titan’s Tanishq Division and Amara Raja Batteries. No wonder then that SRM is getting tie-ups and recognitions from the likes of Harvard & Stanford.

Stanford University needs no introduction, and when Stanford speaks, the world listens. Such has been the overall achievement level of this institution that, even while it is not part of the Ivy League, it boasts of real-world achievements that span not only academia and research, but the startup ecosystem. Stanford is indeed the cradle where some of the world’s greatest tech businesses were born. Stanford University had recently selected the top 2% of the world’s scientists in various sunrise fields including energy, biotechnology etc.

Only 91 scientists were chosen worldwide for their research achievements in biotechnology, and Dr. Imran Pancha of SRM University, AP, was one among them. Dr. Pancha is a professor of SRM-AP’s Department of Biological Sciences, and had won this selection in 2020 too.

Similarly, when Stanford selected 178 scientists as the top 2% of researchers excelling in energy and related fields, SRM University, AP, had two reasons to smile. Dr Karthik Rajendran and Dr Lakhveer Singh both from SRM-AP’s Department of Environmental Science made the rare cut. This goes on to say much about the diligence with which the SRM management and Vice-

Chancellor Prof. VS Rao has been choosing faculty for this most promising new private university in the Indian landscape. Prof. Rao himself is a distinguished researcher who made his mark in US and elsewhere, and made sure that 100% of faculty at SRM-AP should be PhD holders to start with.

With such worldclass brains to teach and mentor students, it is no wonder really that SRM University, AP, is going great guns in placements too. While most private universities would struggle to place their first batches, SRM-AP had no issue recently in placing 100% of its students in its very first batch. The maiden convocation for BTech students of SRM-AP was an unforgettable event that was simultaneously conducted physically and online, with renowned international figures like New York University’s President Prof. Andrew D Hamilton, and Dr. Sethuraman Panchanathan, Director of the US National Science Foundation (NSF) gracing the high-voltage event.

The first batch of BTech students has received 100 percent placement with an average salary of Rs 7 Lakh per annum, which is a commendable record when compared to peers. The highest offers were for two Computer Science & Engineering students by PVP Inc., Japan, for Rs. 50 lakh per annum. And it was not only about career placements. SRMAP students also excelled in academic placements, with as many as 24 students opting for higher studies in top universities including University of Michigan, New York University, Georgia Tech, and King's College London (Madison Campus).

The SRM Andhra Pradesh Convocation was also attended by Chancellor Dr T R Paarivendhar, and President Dr P Sathyanarayanan. These leaders have come to exemplify the unique vision behind SRM University, AP, as well as the other older and larger institutions in their stable, especially SRM Institute of Science & Technology (SRMIST), a deemed university near Chennai with multiple campuses, which was earlier named SRM University.

SRMIST has been achieving high volume of placements year after year, and that is why when the SRM Group started a new university in Andhra Pradesh, it was armed with a wealth of experience on how to train and groom students to be fit enough to be chosen by world-class Indian and multinational companies. However, being a greenfield project, SRM-AP also brings in several new innovations by itself to emerge as one of the top universities in the world.

For instance, during the last 3 years, SRM-AP faculty members have published over 700 research papers in scopus indexed journals such as Nature, Nature Communications and other such reputed research publications. Despite its young age, SRM-AP is a powerhouse in research achievements. The faculty is already working on 42 funded research projects with an outlay of Rs 20.13 crores funded by the Indian government and various industry giants. 42 patents have been filed, 32 published and three granted in the past 3 years symbolizing the momentum and brilliance of research here. This year alone faculty from the Engineering and Science departments have been granted six DST SERB projects and Ramanujan fellowships.

The university has also signed agreements with various educational institutions, research and industrial establishments in India and across the world. These include Harvard Business School Online, Australia’s Lindus University, Taiwan’s Asia University, CSIR’s Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT). With IICT, the university has plans to pursue frontline chemicals research. SRM University, AP, has also tied up for niche knowledge transfer with Titan’s Tanishq division and Amara Raja Batteries.

Healthcare is one field were SRM Group continues to make great inroads. SRMIST is home to a world-class medical college and its teaching hospital, SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (SRM MCH&RC). Recently, the School of Public Health (SPH) at SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), Kattankulathur, celebrated the successful completion and dissemination of the key findings of the National Family Health Survey (NFHS5) for the state of Tamil Nadu and Puducherry at (SRM MCH&RC).

NFHS-5, the fifth in the NFHS rounds, provides information on population, health, and nutrition for India and each of its states/union territories (UT) and also provides data at the district Level. NFHS5 includes some new topics, such as preschool education, disability, access to a toilet facility, death registration, menstrual hygiene etc. The scope of clinical, anthropometric, and biochemical testing (CAB) has also been extended to include measurement of waist and hip circumferences and the age range for the measurement of blood pressure and blood glucose has been expanded.

The SRM Group continues to push its research initiatives in all domains, and especially in the medical field. SRM Institute of Science and Technology (SRMIST), through its Faculty of Medical & Health Sciences had recently set up a

5000 square feet Research Facility in SRM called the ‘Centre for Clinical Trials & Research’. This world-class facility is located at SRM Medical College Hospital and Research Centre (SRM MCH&RC), and will function as a clinical trial research center capable of handling clinical trials of drugs, vaccines, and medical devices.

The facility has two wards with 12 beds and several rooms for sample collection, processing, data documentation, and monitoring. It has state-of-the-art equipment for preserving serum samples at -80 degrees Celsius and -20 degrees Celsius deep freezers, high-speed centrifuge, facilities for electronic data capture with high-speed internet, thermohygrometers, and data security is maintained with controlled access.

With such new infrastructure in place, SRM MCH&RC which has already come in 46th position in research, is likely to better its ranking. Students and faculty can do any type of clinical trials at this centre like the recent COVAXIN trial done here. The hospital was earlier awarded the clinical trial of COVAXIN, and for that there was a requirement for a virology lab, which was met by SRM itself by developing a world-class lab that was done entirely in-house.

The SRM Centre for Clinical Trials & Research is headed by Professor of Pharmacology Dr. Satyajit Mohapatra, and supported by a team of investigators from all major branches of medicine including Clinical Pharmacology, General Medicine, General Surgery, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Pediatrics, Cardiology, Pulmonary Medicine, Nephrology, Anesthesia & Critical Medicine, Dermatology etc. The same team had earlier successfully conducted the COVAXIN Clinical Trials (Phase 1, 2 and 3), making SRM MCH&RC the only hospital in Tamil Nadu which successfully undertook it.

During the last ten years when SRM MCH&RC started focusing more on research, over 35 sponsored and academic clinical trials have been done here. Grants have been obtained from various funding agencies such as ICMR, BIRAC, DBT, DHR-ICMR National, and International Pharmaceutical companies such as Sanofi-GSK, Genova Pharmaceuticals etc to carry out these research activities.

The competency-based MBBS curriculum being followed at present in SRM MCH&RC gives the student exposure to Clinical Research in the prefinal year. Students can choose it as an elective subject, and they get exposure to the current Clinical Research and Trials in this Centre.

And it is not only in medicine, but in all fields including engineering and material science that SRM Group of Universities are making great R&D strides. Recently, two Centres of Excellence was started at SRM University, AP, which was inaugurated by Dr. VK Saraswat, Member, Niti Aayog. Established to promote translational research, the first one is SRM Amara Raja Centre for Energy Storage Devices, which has been set up in collaboration with Amara Raja Batteries Limited, Tirupati, with the objective of application-oriented research in renewable energy and emobility.

The second CoEx is the Centre for Pioneering Studies in Gold & Silver, which is a flagship R&D project with Titan Company Ltd (Tanishq Division) to develop novel gold alloy for contemporary jewellery design. The centre also aims to work on projects in collaboration with Waman Hari Pethe & Sons, Mumbai, and other jewellery manufacturers across India to produce high strength 22 Karat gold and to develop tarnish free silver alloys.

During his visit, Dr. Saraswat also proposed to develop a Value Addition Centre in SRM University-AP to promote translational research. The centre would be strengthening the relationship between industry and academia to work on product engineering to deliver market relevant products.

With several such initiatives in place, it is no wonder why deemed and private universities from the SRM stable are already making waves in world-class placements for its students.