Sahyadri College Launches Industry Integrated Centres With Corporate Giants

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Mangaluru : A significant milestone in strengthening industry-academia collaboration was marked at Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management on 23rd May 2026 with the inauguration of the Industry Integrated Centres of Discover Dollar, MResult Technologies Pvt Ltd and Allcargo Group. The centres were inaugurated by Dr. Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil, Minister for Medical Education & Skill Development, Government of Karnataka, along with Shashi Kiran Shetty, Founder and Chairman, Allcargo Group, in the presence of Manjunath Bhandary, Chairman, including professors from the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Mumbai – Prof. Vivekanand Khanapuri, Dean-Sponsored Research & Industrial Consultancy and Prof. Balkrishna E. Narkhede, Chairperson-Infrastructure Planning and Development, Mr. Raman Madhok, Managing Director of Kahani Designworks Private Limited, and Director at Open Spaces Consulting and Ms. Indrani Chatterjee, Group Chief HR Officer, Allcargo Logistics.

The inauguration ceremony commenced with the plaque unveiling and ribbon-cutting ceremony of the Industry Integrated Centres by the esteemed guests. Following the inauguration, presentations on their respective organizations and innovations were delivered by Mr. Subramanya Rao, CEO, Discover Dollar; Mr. Akshay Shetty, Head of AI, Zynthora AI; Mr. Rajesh Kotian, CEO, Datavex AI; Ms. Padmashree Alva, Vice President, MResult Technologies Pvt Ltd; and Mr. Shreyas Kotian, Product Lead, FlocCare. The leaders and representatives of the participating companies were then felicitated by the dignitaries in recognition of their contribution towards strengthening industry-academia partnerships and empowering students through experiential learning initiatives.

The formal inaugural programme was later held at the newly inaugurated conference hall, “Shashikiran”, which commenced with a ceremonial lamp-lighting ceremony in the presence of dignitaries, industry leaders, faculty members and students.

Addressing the gathering, Dr. Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil, expressed his happiness at being part of the occasion and appreciated the remarkable growth and contribution of Manjunath Bhandary, towards the field of higher education. He stated that Manjunath Bhandary had built Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management with immense dedication, sacrifice and vision, transforming it into one of the progressive educational institutions in the state.

The Minister highlighted that Karnataka has always maintained a progressive outlook by creating an ecosystem that encourages private institutions to establish professional colleges, making the state one of the most preferred destinations for medical, engineering and professional education.

Emphasizing the importance of skill development alongside academics, Dr. Sharanprakash Patil appreciated the various initiatives introduced by Manjunath Bhandary at Sahyadri, including science talent hunts and industry-oriented programmes aimed at enhancing student competencies. Referring to the growing concern over the skill gap among graduates, he noted that the Industry Integrated Centres established at Sahyadri were playing a significant role in bridging the gap between academia and industry. He further stated that the Government of Karnataka is actively working to restructure the curriculum to make students more industry-ready, and observed that many such progressive practices have already been incorporated at Sahyadri. In his concluding remarks, he suggested establishing International Language Labs, given the vast global opportunities available to students.

Later, addressing the gathering, Shashi Kiran Shetty expressed that he was overwhelmed and lost for words on seeing the newly inaugurated conference hall being named “Shashikiran” in his honour. He appreciated Manjunath Bhandary for his passion, vision and commitment towards building an institution that nurtures some of the finest young minds. He remarked that Sahyadri is making sincere efforts to ensure that students gain the maximum benefit from choosing the institution for their higher education. Appreciating the institution’s dedication towards nation-building, he particularly lauded the community outreach initiatives undertaken by Sahyadri to address societal issues, stating that such programmes are unique and help in shaping students into responsible citizens and compassionate human beings.

Speaking about the rapidly changing global landscape, Shashi Kiran Shetty referred to the tremendous volatility witnessed across the world over the last five years due to the COVID pandemic, global economic uncertainties, US tariff issues, geopolitical conflicts and technological disruptions driven by Artificial Intelligence. Sharing his experience from a recent visit to Silicon Valley, where he interacted with students and innovators, he observed that mankind is on the verge of witnessing an extraordinary future powered by technology and AI. He noted that the future of routine and basic jobs would become increasingly uncertain, and educational institutions must therefore focus on developing future-ready leaders capable of adapting to rapid technological transformations. In this regard, he appreciated the efforts of Sahyadri in integrating industry exposure into the curriculum and preparing students for emerging global opportunities.

Highlighting India’s demographic advantage, Shashi Kiran Shetty stated that India would contribute a major portion of the global workforce in the coming years, while several other countries are facing ageing population challenges. He further remarked that the innovative educational model adopted by Sahyadri should be replicated by other institutions across the state. He also urged the professors from the Indian Institute of Management Mumbai to collaborate with Sahyadri, contribute towards its initiatives and also take back the best practices implemented at Sahyadri to IIM Mumbai.

Addressing the gathering, Prof. Vivekanand Khanapuri, stated that the team from IIM Mumbai had visited Sahyadri to share knowledge and insights on logistics and supply chain management, one of the rapidly growing sectors with immense global opportunities. He remarked that while institutions generally focus only on the supply side by producing quality graduates, Sahyadri has gone a step further by integrating real-life industry problems and practical exposure into the learning process, thereby effectively connecting the demand side of industries with academics. Highlighting the significance of the logistics and supply chain sector, Prof. Vivekanand Khanapuri noted that the logistics and supply chain sector generates employment for nearly 22 million people globally and contributes significantly to economic growth. He also spoke about the growing role of e-commerce industries and their increasing dependence on efficient logistics and supply chain systems. Expressing confidence in Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management, he stated that the institution would identify and capitalize on emerging opportunities in this sector and contribute meaningfully towards its development.

In his presidential address, Mr. Manjunath Bhandary, Chairman, stated that the primary reason for inviting Dr. Sharanprakash Rudrappa Patil, Minister for Medical Education and Skill Development, Government of Karnataka, was to showcase the innovative educational model implemented at Sahyadri so that similar initiatives could be replicated across institutions in the state. He emphasized that Sahyadri had proactively taken steps to bridge the gap between academia and industry by introducing industry-integrated learning initiatives and compulsory skill labs for students. He mentioned that accountability and academic credits had been attached to the skill labs to ensure active student participation and meaningful learning outcomes.

He credited Dr. Sharanprakash Patil for supporting and encouraging such initiatives in professional education. Speaking about the newly inaugurated conference hall, Manjunath Bhandary said that it was named “Shashikiran” in honour of Shashi Kiran Shetty, Founder and Chairman, Allcargo Group, in recognition of his immense contribution to society and the valuable support he extended to Sahyadri during crucial phases of the institution’s growth. He also appreciated Shashi Kiran Shetty for facilitating collaborations with Indian Institute of Management Mumbai and helping Sahyadri gain industry-oriented perspectives in curriculum design and skill development initiatives.

Concluding his address, Manjunath Bhandary spoke about the institution’s future vision and stated that the next major milestone for Sahyadri would be attaining the status of a deemed-to-be university, which, he said, would be achieved through strengthening the institution with impactful initiatives, industry partnerships and academic excellence.
The inaugural programme concluded with the felicitation of all the distinguished guests in recognition of their valuable presence and contribution towards strengthening industry-academia collaboration and skill-driven education initiatives at Sahyadri College of Engineering & Management.