Engg college to open AI and robotics lab

Mangaluru: The Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management, in association with Mphasis Foundation, will inaugurate the Mphasis AI and Robotics Lab on its campus on Friday.

The lab will be inaugurated by MC Sudhakar, minister for higher education, government of Karnataka. Principal SS Injaganeri told reporters on Thursday, that the programme will also be attended by S Vidyashankar, vice-chancellor of Visvesvaraya Technological University, and Deepa Nagraj, senior vice-president and global head, ESG, Sparkle Innovation Ecosystem and Communications, Mphasis.

Other dignitaries expected to be present include Sumit Chauhan, head CSR, Mphasis Foundation; Chetan Dixit, vice-president, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission and Bhaskar, regional director, NASSCOM.

According to Injaganeri, the Mphasis AI and Robotics Lab has been established under the corporate social responsibility initiative of Mphasis Foundation in collaboration with Sahyadri Hub for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Foundation, Karnataka Digital Economy Mission, and NASSCOM.

The initiative is aimed at creating a co-creation and innovation ecosystem focused on emerging technologies such as agentic AI, robotics, edge AI, industrial IoT, cloud computing, and automation.

He said the facility is a key component of the institution’s Industry-Integrated Workspaces initiative, which seeks to bridge academia, industry, and innovation. Mphasis Foundation has committed Rs 2 crore over four years for the development of advanced facilities to support industry-ready talent, innovation, startups, and regional technology ecosystems.

The lab is expected to provide students with experiential learning through industry collaborations, live projects, innovation challenges, hackathons, and gig-based assignments. Students will receive practical exposure in artificial intelligence, robotics and automation, embedded electronics, spatial computing, and software development through engagement with industries and startups.

The initiative is aligned with the government of Karnataka’s Beyond Bengaluru programme, and is intended to strengthen regional innovation while positioning Mangaluru as an emerging technology and entrepreneurship hub.

Over the next five years, the programme aims to build a digital talent pool by upskilling students in AI/ML, blockchain, AR/VR, gaming, robotics, and other advanced technologies, while also developing solutions for regional and global challenges.

The initiative will also support pre-incubation, startup mentoring, venture-building opportunities, and MSME-focused problem solving to help students and innovators work on real-world industrial and societal challenges.

A panel discussion on ‘AI Preparedness: Bridging Policy, Talent, and Industry’ will be held as part of the inauguration programme with participation from experts from academia, industry, and innovation ecosystems.