HCLTech Strengthens Industry-Academia Collaboration Through Campus Connect at Vel Tech

HCLTech, a leading global technology company, hosted its flagship Campus Connect event, HCLTech Talks, at Vel Tech Rangarajan Dr. Sagunthala R&D Institute of Science and Technology, Chennai. Over 600 engineering students participated in a session exploring the future of product engineering and next-generation digital transformation.

The initiative reflects HCLTech’s commitment to fostering innovation and talent in academic settings. Since its launch in January 2025, the HCLTech Talks, Campus Connect Program has reached over 7,000 students across India, engaging them through a dynamic blend of virtual and on-campus sessions. Monthly virtual Tech Talks have connected with more than 1,500 engineering colleges, while live, in-person events have enabled over 3,000 students to interact directly with industry leaders on technology and career topics.

The session at Vel Tech was conducted by Prakash Chinnusamy, Global Director – Engineering and R&D Services (ERS) at HCLTech, who delivered an insightful talk on ‘Engineering the Future: Innovations in Digital Products and Platforms.’ He highlighted the evolving landscape of software-driven products, the impact of AI and cloud technologies in engineering, and how future engineers must embrace continuous innovation to thrive in global markets.

“In today’s rapidly evolving technology landscape, the ability to innovate and adapt is more essential than ever. Bridging the gap between academic learning and industry practice ensures that the next generation of engineers is prepared for the challenges of tomorrow. Initiatives like HCLTech Talks are vital for empowering students with the knowledge, skills, and mindset they need to thrive in digital product engineering and drive transformational progress across industries,” said Prakash Chinnusamy.

“It was a privilege to host HCLTech Talks at our campus. The session on career paths in product engineering provided valuable insights based on real-world experience. These interactions not only motivate our students but also give them the mindset and direction needed to confidently transition from academia to the corporate world. We greatly appreciate this partnership with HCLTech and look forward to future initiatives that develop industry-ready talent,” said Dr. Vijayaraman, Dean - Campus to Corporate, Vel Tech University.

HCLTech offers programs such as HCLTech Talks, which aim to provide young individuals with skills, industry knowledge and collaborative learning opportunities relevant to the digital economy.

About HCLTech

HCLTech is a global technology company, home to more than 223,000 people across 60 countries, delivering industry-leading capabilities centered around digital, engineering, cloud and AI, powered by a broad portfolio of technology services and products. We work with clients across all major verticals, providing industry solutions for Financial Services, Manufacturing, Life Sciences and Healthcare, High Tech, Semiconductor, Telecom and Media, Retail and CPG and Public Services. Consolidated revenues as of 12 months ending June 2025 totaled $14.0 billion. To learn how we can supercharge progress for you, visit hcltech.com.

HCLTech Strengthens Industry-Academia Collaboration through Campus Connect at GL Bajaj Institute of Technology and Management

HCLTech, a leading global technology company, held its flagship Campus Connect event, HCLTech Talks at GL Bajaj Institute of Technology and Management in Greater Noida. Over 600 engineering students attended a session on the future of software engineering, exploring new trends and career paths.

The initiative reflects HCLTech’s commitment to fostering innovation and talent in academic settings. Since its launch in January 2025, the HCLTech Talks – Campus Connect Program has reached over 7,000 students across India, engaging them through a dynamic blend of virtual and on-campus sessions. Monthly virtual Tech Talks have connected with more than 1,500 engineering colleges, while live, in-person events have enabled over 3,000 students to interact directly with industry leaders on technology and career topics.

The session at GL Bajaj Institute of Technology and Management was led by Dr. Himanshu Tagra, SDU Head, ERS at HCLTech, who discussed the impact of generative AI (GenAI) on software development.

“Today’s students are not just preparing for the future—they’re actively shaping it. I see a generation deeply curious about emerging technologies like Generative AI and eager to understand their real-world impact. As GenAI continues to transform industries such as retail and healthcare, it’s essential for aspiring engineers to stay agile and evolve alongside these advancements. Success in this dynamic landscape will be anchored in strong technical foundations, self-driven learning, and an openness to continuous change,” said Himanshu Tagra.

"The HCLTech Talks session provided our students with valuable insights into the future of software engineering and the evolving role of GenAI in development. It was heartening to see our students engage so actively, asking thoughtful questions and drawing connections between academic concepts and industry applications. We are grateful to HCLTech for facilitating this dialogue and look forward to more such impactful sessions that inspire and empower our learners," said Prof. Manju Khatri, Director Training and Placement at GL Bajaj Institute of Technology & Management.

HCLTech offers programs such as HCLTech Talks, which aim to provide young individuals with skills, industry knowledge and collaborative learning opportunities relevant to the digital economy.

Larsen & Toubro and IIT Indore Partner for Advance R&D in Renewable Energy Integration and Control Technology

Digital Energy Solutions arm of L&T Construction’s Power Transmission & Distribution business has signed a Memorandum of Understanding with IIT Indore to explore and work on activities through the framework set-up across various avenues of engagement. This initiative will drive industry-academia collaboration to advance research and development in renewable energy integration and control technologies.

Through this engagement, L&T’s Smart Grid Solution Centre of Excellence will be established to collaborate with the students’ Learning & Experience Program at IIT Indore.

The MoU was signed by Prof. I.A. Palani, Dean R&D, IIT Indore and Dr. Jayant Kumar, Head - Digital Energy Solutions, L&T PT&D in the presence of Mr. T. Madhava Das, Whole-Time Director and Sr Executive Vice President (Utilities) of Larsen & Toubro Limited and Prof. Suhas Joshi, Director, IIT Indore. Additionally, this event was attended by Mr. Sunil Kumar Singh, Regional Head of Operations (India & Asia Pacific - DES), Mr. Devendra Vishwakarma, Chief Technology Officer, L&T PT&D Digital Energy Solutions, and IIT Indore faculty members.

Prof. Joshi said “IIT Indore will help in providing key research capabilities, research aspirations through R&D projects, dissertation projects, student projects, incubation projects and so on. We are happy that L&T PT&D has agreed to extend their state-of-the-art Digital Energy Solutions Lab in Chennai and Dallas, USA to IITI students under this program to perform project work and joint research activities.”

Mr. T. Madhava Das said “L&T intends to engage with IIT Indore to promote innovation through entrepreneurial learning and incubation of technologies in the field of Digital Energy Solutions. We intend to undertake collaborative research and development projects in areas of common interest, such as Renewable Energy Management and Control Software, Cloud, Edge and Internet of Things (IoT) Technologies, AI/ML, Embedded Systems, VLSI Circuit and System Design & Power Electronics.”

Larsen & Toubro is a USD 23 billion Indian multinational engaged in EPC Projects, Hi-Tech Manufacturing and Services. It operates in over 50 countries worldwide. A strong, customer–focused approach and the constant quest for top-class quality have enabled L&T to attain and sustain leadership in its major lines of business for eight decades.

Indian Institute of Technology Indore, known as IIT Indore or IITI, is located in Simrol near Indore, Madhya Pradesh. It is an Institute of National Importance established by the Ministry of Education, Government of India in 2009.

HDFC Bank’s CODE Launches ‘Industry Academia’ to Mentor Fintech Startups

HDFC Bank’s Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE) has launched ‘Industry Academia’. The initiative, first-of-its-kind in the country, aims at mentoring and hand-holding fintechs and start-ups incubated at country’s top technical and B-schools.

In all, over 50 such partnerships with institutes are envisaged in phase one of the initiative beginning with IIT-Bombay, IIT-Roorkee and CIIE at IIM-Ahmedabad.

The objective is to identify potential fintech ideas at Incubation and Entrepreneurship cells in these institutes at a nascent stage, and help them evolve into a consumer-ready product. The Bank will use its domain expertise to mentor start-ups on customer experience, reduce time to market and costs, among other things. In turn, the start-ups will get the Bank’s platform to test their ideas in the real world, in addition to expert insights, and knowledge.

‘Industry Academia’ was launched by Prof. Manish Shrikhande, Dean - Incubation and Innovation – IIT Roorkee; Prof. Anand Kusre – Head, Desai Sethi Centre for Entrepreneurship, IIT Bombay along with Mr. Nitin Chugh, Country Head - Digital Banking, HDFC Bank at an event in Mumbai.

This is how the ‘Industry Academia’ mechanism will work:

• HDFC Banks sends proposal to partner institutes inviting start-ups/ideas
• Students share details of their start-up @ www.hdfcbank.com/industryacademia or email it to industry.academia@hdfcbank.com
• HDFC Bank team guides students with promising ideas to make presentation
• Students showcase detailed presentation to Bank panel
• Short-listed start-ups create prototype

“We are delighted to partner with top-tier institutes. We’ve always believed exchange of ideas and knowledge breeds culture of innovation. The CODE Industry Academia is another major step in that direction, and will take the culture of innovation in the country to the next level,” said Mr. Nitin Chugh, Country Head – Digital Banking, HDFC Bank.

"New technology developments are essential for attaining high-priority objectives like inclusion, superior customer servicing and scale. BFSI and Institutes of Technology therefore need to work together to apply new tools to create high value propositions," said Prof. Anand Kusre – Head, Desai Sethi Centre for Entrepreneurship, IIT Bombay.

“The interactions between industry and academia have a great potential for symbiotic growth. Normally the academic research ends at the proof of concept stage with a few scholarly publications and rarely does one find these ideas maturing into a product, or a prototype which is ready for adoption. Sustained interactions with the industry can lead to a more focussed approach towards academic research and encourage taking the next logical step to product development and testing,” said Prof. Manish Shrikhande, Dean - Incubation and Innovation, IIT Roorkee.

HDFC Bank’s Centre of Digital Excellence (CODE) is an endeavour to harness the digital and technology eco-system in India and abroad that helps enrich the experience of its offerings to customers. CODE has many elements; Industry Academia, Digital Innovation Summit and Digital Command Centre to name a few, that reflects the partnerships and sharing of domain expertise, the Bank is seeking with important stakeholders like educational institutions, start-up and fintech companies to enhance its digital banking capabilities, which in the end benefits its customers.

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