SMVDU VC Flags Off Team for SAE BAJA 2025: Unveiling Electric All-Terrain Vehicle Designed and Fabricated by Students at SMVDU

The Vice Chancellor of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), Prof. Pragati Kumar, flagged off a team of 21 engineering students from School of Mechanical Engineering and School of Electrical Engineering to represent the university at the prestigious SAE BAJA 2025 competition in Hyderabad.

The event, scheduled from 20^th – 25^th  Feb, 25  will witness the participation of universities from across the nation in the challenging motorsport event. Pertinently SAE BAJA 2025 is an event hosted by Society of Automotive Engineers, India. The SMVDU team “Crawlers”, has successfully designed and fabricated an electric All-Terrain Vehicle on campus, showcasing the skills and knowledge gained through their coursework and hands-on experience. Speaking at the flag-off ceremony, Prof. Pragati Kumar praised the team for their dedication and hard work, emphasizing the importance of such competitions in enhancing practical skills and fostering creativity.

“This is a proud moment for SMVDU. The team has put in an immense amount of effort, and I have full confidence in their ability to excel at SAE BAJA 2025. It’s an opportunity for them to showcase their talent on a national platform and gain valuable industry insights.” as the faculty advisors of the event.  The faculty coordinators Dr. Ankush Raina (Assistant Professor, SME) and Dr. Mir Irfan Ul Haq (Associate Prof. SME) informed that SMVDU team is the only team from the UT to J&K to participate in the event. Mr. Chandan Sharma and Mr. Kewal from central workshop, SMVDU assisted the fabrication of the ATV.  Prof.  K.R.Jha (Dean Faculty of Engineering and Head School of Electrical  Engineering), Prof. Balbir Singh (Dean Academic Affairs), Prof. R. K. Mishra (Dean Students Welfare), Dr. Yatheshth Anand (Head, SME), Er. Deepak Byotra (Workshop Superintendent) were present during the flag off and lauded the efforts of the students. The university community from all the departments and sections were present at the event and extended their best wishes to the team as they embark on this exciting journey and represent SMVDU on a prestigious platform. The team, led by captains Mr. Divyansh Kale and Mr. Amod Kumar, expressed their heartfelt gratitude to the university administration and all event sponsors for their unwavering support.

The event was proudly sponsored by Frameinn (a start-up founded by SMVDU alumnus Mr. Dhanajya Singh), T.V. Super Filter Industries, Jammu, and Nature Fab (a start-up founded by SMVDU alumnus Mr. Piyush Singla). Pertinently, the SAE BAJA competition is one of the most sought-after motorsport events for engineering students, where teams design, build, and test off-road vehicles that can withstand challenging terrains and demanding tasks. The vehicle, a culmination of months of research, design, and teamwork, is expected to compete in various technical and endurance challenges at the competition.