SRM University-AP convened the “4th Research Scholars’ Summit” on campus under the theme “Inspire, Ignite, Innovate”, uniting doctoral researchers, academic leaders, and interdisciplinary experts from institutions across India.
The inaugural assembly gathered Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ch. Satish Kumar, along with Deans from all academic schools, along with Prof. Ranjith Thapa, Dean Research, and Prof. Jatindra Kumar Dash, Dean, Academic Affairs . Associate Dean for PhD Programmes Dr Rangabhashiyam Selvasembian introduced the summit, tracing the evolution of its fourth edition and highlighting its role in encouraging scientific exploration through cross-disciplinary study. Addressing the audience on institutional growth, Prof. Ranjit Thapa detailed the expanding research ecosystem at SRM University-AP, emphasising how structured mentorship supports faculty and scholars in achieving high-impact output.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Ch. Satish Kumar delivered a speech highlighting the deeper purpose behind scholarly gatherings. He stated that the summit serves as a venue to display student talent alongside institutional research strength, emphasizing that meaningful inquiry extends beyond paper presentations. He noted that building personal connections, learning from peers across disciplines, and establishing cultural as well as academic collaborations form the core of scientific progress. He encouraged doctoral candidates to build networks that cross institutional boundaries, observing that shared insights often generate unexpected scientific discoveries.
Following the inaugural remarks, Dr Harish Puppala introduced the Chief Guest, Dr P Venkat Raju, former Deputy Director at NRSC/ISRO and former head of the Water Resources Group. Delivering the keynote address on satellite remote sensing in global scenario management, Dr P Venkat Raju presented extensive operational insights into space technologies developed at ISRO. His address covered satellite applications across land resource inventory, natural resource accounting, and agricultural monitoring platforms supporting national programs like the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. He further detailed space-assisted interventions in water informatics, glacial lake inventory in the Himalayas for early warning systems, urban mapping under the AMRUT scheme, rural asset geotagging, and real-time disaster management tools integrated into the National Database for Emergency Management.
The summit proceeded with an interdisciplinary panel discussion titled “People, Planet, Peace: Designing Smart, Safe, and Future-Ready Cities”. The panel brought together distinguished domain leaders, including Dr Rajiv Pandey from ICFRE, Ms Farida Tampal from WWF India, Ms M Sri Gowri Shanthi from APCRDA, Dr M Ganga Devi from KVK Guntur, Dr K Naga Ratna from the Amaravati Meteorological Centre, and Dr Julio César Díaz Calderón from American University. The discussions examined urban growth models, environmental conservation, meteorological risk assessment, and sustainable infrastructure planning, offering scholars actionable research perspectives on urban resilience.
This academic gathering reinforces SRM University-AP’s commitment to building an advanced global research ecosystem that connects doctoral inquiry with pressing societal and industrial needs. By bringing together national science agencies, global academic institutions, and interdisciplinary scholars, the university continues to expand its global academic footprint and advance solutions with regional and global impact.
