Innovation that Makes a Difference
Turn ideas into impact through real-world research, invention, and entrepreneurial thinking. Our research culture encourages curiosity, creativity, and collaboration — empowering students and faculty to pioneer solutions that shape the future.
Research & Innovation
At Indira College, research and innovation are not confined to laboratories—they are embedded in the culture. We empower our students and faculty to imagine, investigate, and implement solutions for real-world challenges. From internationally recognised research outputs to cutting-edge prototypes, our ecosystem supports every stage of innovation
Research Highlights 2024-25
Seed Funding Initiative
The Seed Funding program at ICEM is designed to catalyze innovative research by providing initial financial support to faculty members since 2022. This initiative aims to nurture early-stage ideas, encourage interdisciplinary collaboration, and strengthen the institution's research ecosystem. Through a structured proposal and evaluation process, ICEM empowers researchers to transform concepts into impactful projects that align with academic and societal goals.
Sanctioned Seed Funding Projects for 2025-2026
| S.No | Name of the Faculty | Department | Topic | Amount Sanctioned |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Dr. Saurabh Gupta | Mechanical Engineering | Sustainable parabolic solar cooker for rural area | ₹60,000/- |
| 2 | Prof. Pranali Khatake | Mechanical Engineering | Smart Material Filters used for automobile oil filtration process | ₹40,000/- |
| 3 | Prof. Ashwini Admane | Mechanical Engineering | Heating Water using the waste heat from domestic refrigerator condenser | ₹40,000/- |
| 4 | Prof. Ashwini Gaikwad | Mechanical Engineering | Dielectric Heating for Drying agriculture Produce and Food | ₹40,000/- |
MSME Idea Hackathon 5.0
Smart and Sustainable MSMEs – A flagship initiative launched by the Hon'ble President of India
Overview
MSME Idea Hackathon 5.0 is a flagship initiative under the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, launched on June 27, 2025, by the Hon'ble President of India, under the MSME Champions Scheme (Incubation Component of the MSME Innovative Scheme).
The theme "Smart and Sustainable MSMEs" focuses on promoting inclusive innovation aligned with Viksit Bharat @2047 and Atmanirbhar Bharat, harnessing India's diverse talent pool aged 18–60 years to address pressing national challenges.
Key Objectives
- •Promote inclusive innovation aligned with Viksit Bharat @2047 and Atmanirbhar Bharat
- •Harness India's diverse talent pool aged 18–60 years to address pressing national challenges
- •Transform high-potential ideas into scalable MSME-driven ventures
- •Provide access to funding, mentorship, and incubation support
4-Stage Evaluation Process
Host Institutes (HI)
HIs shortlist ideas using expert panels (3–5 experts from diverse domains) and submit shortlisted applications
Ministry of MSME (PMU)
First-stage screening for completeness and eligibility; forwarded to DESCs
Domain Expert Selection Committees (DESC)
Thematic DESCs (from Industry/Academia/Government) evaluate ideas and recommend to PMAC
Project Monitoring & Advisory Committee (PMAC)
Final authority to approve/reject ideas; approved ideas receive financial assistance
Five Themes for Ideas
Theme
Hackathon 5.0
Low-carbon Footprint Solutions/Technologies
Decentralized renewable energy, efficient integration into low-carbon pathways for MSMEs
Theme
Hackathon 5.0
Stealth, Surveillance, and Cyber Defense Technologies
Stealth UAVs, low-observable materials, electronic warfare, AR/VR combat training, AI-enabled surveillance
Theme
Hackathon 5.0
Innovation in Adoption of Industry 4.0 & 5.0
Automation, robotics, cyber-physical systems, digital twins, collaborative robots (cobots), plug-and-play automation kits, GIS-based tools
Theme
Hackathon 5.0
Innovation for Business Upliftment in Coastal & Hilly Areas
Climate-resilient business models, disaster-ready infrastructure, AI-powered risk forecasting, community-based early warning systems
Theme
Hackathon 5.0
Smart and Resilient Supply Chains
Logistics optimization, inventory management, AI-based demand forecasting, collaborative supply chain platforms, IoT-enabled smart warehousing
Event Highlights
Poster
Team
Winners
ICEM Funded Projects
Indira College of Engineering and Management, Pune secured funding for 5 Winning Proposals with a total amount of ₹66.5 Lakhs
| S.No | Incubatee Name | Institute | Idea Title | Theme | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Deep Dinesh Biswas | ICEM AI & DS | Social Engineering Simulator Chatbot for Cybersecurity Awareness (SE bot) | Stealth, Surveillance, and Cyber Defense Technologies | 10 Lakhs |
| 2 | Adhiraj Jagtap Anantharao | Pawar College of Engineering & Research, Pune - CS | UmbraSight An End-to-End Dark-Web Monitoring Threat-Intelligence Platform | Stealth, Surveillance, and Cyber Defense Technologies | 14.5 Lakhs |
| 3 | Garima Kushwaha | ICEM Computer Engineering | AerialLink A Hybrid High-Altitude Drone Relay System for Coordinating Swarm Drones in Search and Rescue Operations | Stealth, Surveillance, and Cyber Defense Technologies | 15 Lakhs |
| 4 | Joshna Lowrence Monteiro | ICEM MCA | HygieCoin- A Reward-Based Smart Disposal System for Incontinence waste | Innovation in Adoption of Industry 4.0 & 5.0 in MSME ecosystem | 15 Lakhs |
| 5 | Samruddhi Santosh Morde | ICEM AI&DS | WildSentinel -Smart Bio-Digital Wildlife Defense Grid for Hilly MSMEs | Innovation for business upliftment and sustainability in coastal and hilly areas | 12 Lakhs |
Celebrating the winners of MSME IDEA Hackathon 5.0 – where bold ideas become impactful solutions for India's future. Congratulations to all the Winners!
MSME Hackathon 4.0
The MSME Idea Hackathon 4.0 is a premier national-level innovation initiative by the Ministry of Micro, Small & Medium Enterprises (MSME), Government of India, under its MSME Innovative Scheme. Designed to empower India's youth, the hackathon solicits cutting-edge ideas from individuals aged 18–35 to solve real-world challenges across diverse sectors—fueling the vision of a "Viksit Bharat @2047".
Selection & Support Process
- Host Institute Evaluation: Each HI assembles expert panels to shortlist promising ideas.
- Ministry Screening: Shortlisted ideas undergo further evaluation by the Ministry of MSME.
- Funding & Incubation: Selected ideas receive up to ₹15 lakhs for development support.
Impact & Achievements
- Massive Reach: 29,000+ submissions, 400 ideas awarded funding
- National Recognition: Results announced by Hon'ble President of India
- ICEM Success: Three innovative proposals secured funding
ICEM Funded Projects
Utilization of Images for Monitoring Construction Progress
Gajendra Thakur - AI&DS Branch
₹13.5 Lakhs
Emotion Detector
Sumit Kumbhar - Alard College of Pharmacy
₹13.5 Lakhs
Hydrobot
Shon Rakesh Gaikwad - Trinity College of Engineering & Research
₹14 Lakhs
Research Information
- Overview
- Publication
- IPR
- Research Activities
- Research Policy
- Research Committee
- Conferences
1. About the R&D Cell
Indira College of Engineering and Management is committed to inculcate research culture among faculty, researchers and students. The R&D Cell aims to develop and promote research and development activities to realize the vision and mission of the college. The research areas of academic, practical and social significance will be identified and thus contributing to the nation development.
The research policy defines the applicable rules and regulations to be adhered while carrying out various research activities and norms related to safe and ethical conduct of research. The R&D Cell provides guidance to faculty members and students consistently to write research papers, research projects and IPR activities. The management encourages all faculty members and students by providing financial assistance for research paper presentation, attending national/international conferences, publishing books and filing copyrights and patents. To encourage innovative ideas and competitive projects, the Institute provides Seed funding to the research projects to develop prototype and testing.
2. Objectives
- To identify and inform all researchers about the research opportunities available in academic, industry, government and research organizations.
- To provide a conducive environment and motivation for undertaking interdisciplinary projects and research.
- To facilitate the presentation of research work in national/international conferences and enhance publication standards.
- To establish centers of excellence in association with industries and undertake joint research projects.
- To establish long-term relationships with research organizations to widen funding and research scope.
- To encourage participative research and promote internal funded projects and consultancy services.
- To acquire membership of renowned professional bodies and build global institutional linkages.
- To ensure quality and uphold high standards of ethics and integrity in all research activities.
3. Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs)
- MoU with Consortium of Technical Education for innovative programs and research initiatives.
- MoU with Shashitek Company, Bangalore for internships and real-time tech projects.
- MoU with Cyber Secured India for cyber security and digital forensics training.
- MoU with RWTH Aachen University, Germany for collaborative research projects.
- MoU with Sahyadri Pratishthan Gad Samvardhan Samiti for environmental and heritage awareness.
- MoU with India First Robotics Innovation and Research LLP for robotics training.
- MoU with IQAC Cluster India to support NAAC accreditation improvement.
- MoU with Gryphon Consultancy for training and placement opportunities.
- MoU with Edukerron to develop and monitor academic work plans and projects.
- MoU with Global Reach for international study tours, lectures, and workshops.
- MoU with MIT-ADT Incubator Forum for startup mentoring programs under NITI Aayog.