HCL Technologies was honored and celebrated by VIIT as The Best Industry Partner in recognition of its remarkable contributions to the establishment and growth of sustainable Industry-Academia ecosystems at Vishwakarma Institute of Information and Technology (VIIT). This prestigious award was bestowed during VIIT’s 22nd Foundation Day celebration on the 11th of October 2023.Christine Zuzart from HCL Technologies graced this event at VIIT Campus in Pune to accept this accolade.
The collaborative journey between HCL and VIIT spans more than eight years, a period during which we initiated a transformative educational endeavor. The introduction of the Design for Manufacturing course as part of the curriculum for the MTech Mechanical program marked the inception of this exciting partnership. The syllabus for this innovative course was meticulously crafted through joint efforts between HCL Tech and VIIT with valuable contributions from Yogiraj Dama at HCL and Dr. Atul Kulkarni at VIIT. Notably, HCL’s software product, DFMPro, a cutting-edge Design and Manufacturing software, has become an integral tool for VIIT students in their practical assignments. As the years have unfolded, students have greatly benefited from using this software for their industrial case study projects, applying it to real-world scenarios, and honing their skills.
Oliver Wendell Holmes once remarked, “Many ideas grow better when transplanted into another mind than the one where they sprang up.” In 2021, we expanded the scope of our collaboration by venturing into Research and Development activities. Students from the AI&DS and Mechanical departments have enthusiastically engaged in research activities aimed at solving complex industrial use cases. They have gained invaluable experience working on real-life industrial challenges, pushing the boundaries of their academic curriculum, and acquiring new skills in the process. Christine Zuzart at HCL has played an instrumental role, who has passionately mentored and guided students from VIIT throughout this journey. Her active involvement in collaborative faculty and developmental initiatives has left an indelible mark on the institution’s growth and progress, earning her well-deserved appreciation from VIIT. Simultaneously Prof. Suvarna Bhagat, Prof. Prachi Joshi, and Prof. Devika Verma from VIIT have offered unwavering support to this project.
Commitment of key leaders in this collaboration Shri. Bharat Agarwal, Dr. Vivek Deshpande, Dr. Atul Kulkarni, Dr. Parikshit Mahalle from VIIT along with Baburaj Iyer, Saurabh Baranwal from HCL have played pivotal roles in fostering and sustaining the partnership. It is through the harmonious collaboration of industry experts, academicians, and students that we witness the remarkable progress achieved. Together, we are forging a path to success and innovation.