“Vidya, that is, knowledge, is not enough. Knowledge is only the potential; when you add entrepreneurship, it becomes power.”

ON AI AND HUMAN DECISION-MAKING:

Speaking about the role of AI in Operation Sindoor, General Dwivedi emphasised that technology and artificial intelligence do not work in isolation, with human experience and judgement continuing to play a central role. He said, “In this, the artificial intelligence did not work alone. It was the experience which worked with it. So, what is important is that together, we become powerful, the machine cues data and then humans decide. So, the machine is there to support you, but humans are the ones who will decide when to act, where to act, and when to stop.”

He also spoke about how the pace of planning and execution is changing with AI, saying, “Earlier, we used to look at 80 per cent of planning. Once you finish planning, then you look at execution. But in view of the artificial intelligence, your pace is so fast that you have to have concurrent planning and execution.” Connecting this shift to the adaptability of the younger generation, General Dwivedi said, “You are 36 crore Generation Z who are going to take this India forward. So, you don’t have to just know AI. You have to ride the AI like a horse rider, and AI and humans have to collaborate, for which Indians are always the best adapters.”

ON THE VISION OF VIKSIT BHARAT 2047:

Speaking about the future of national security and the role of young technology professionals, General Dwivedi said that a future Operation Sindoor would require collaboration between the armed forces and civil professionals. “As far as Operation Sindoor is concerned, now, if you are looking at 2.0, whenever it comes in the future, it will be a combination of the uniformed warriors and the civil warriors like you.”

“The next war will not have any borders. It will be there in the economic field. It will also be addressing your aircraft, airlines, airports, railway stations, and banking.”

He further highlighted the role of technology graduates in securing digital infrastructure. “Besides helping the Indian Army, you will be fighting the UPI in case somebody is carrying out an attack on that. So, payments defects and, of course, the affordable solutions to counter the drones. The smartphone will be the front line, and your code will be a shield or a coverage. So, Viksit Bharat 2047 will be in labs and startups which you are going to create in the future.”

APPRECIATING THE INITIATIVES AT VIT BHOPAL UNIVERSITY:

General Dwivedi also highlighted VIT Bhopal University’s STARS programme, saying, “If there are people from such a wide variety of backgrounds, then my kudos to VIT, which has brought everyone together. And that’s why I must compliment the STARS (Support the Advancement of Rural Students) Scheme programme of VIT, through which so many students from different places are studying here.”

He also appreciated the university’s approach to creativity and alternative approaches, referring to its No-Bag Day. “That is something great. It was something very creative, and I have never seen it at any college or university.”

The address concluded with General Dwivedi urging the graduating students to translate their knowledge into action and innovation. He emphasised that the next phase of India’s growth will be shaped by young professionals who can combine technology, entrepreneurship and human judgement to build solutions for the country. His message placed the graduating students at the centre of India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.

The fourth edition of Race2Space, one of the world’s prominent university-level rocket propulsion competitions, was organised by the University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, and hosted at the Westcott Space Cluster, Westcott Venture Park, Buckinghamshire. Supported by the UK Space Agency and Buckinghamshire, the 2026 edition brought together 75 teams comprising approximately 530 students from over 22 countries, including the USA, Mexico, Australia, France, the Netherlands and South Korea.

Competing in the highly challenging Hybrid Rocket Engine category, which featured 49 teams, Team Agnipaksha successfully demonstrated the performance and reliability of its propulsion system during the competition’s on-site testing and symposium window.

Race2Space challenges university teams to design, manufacture and test their own rocket engines, demonstrating engineering capability, safety readiness and technical performance before industry experts.

Reaching the hot-fire stage is itself a significant technical and safety milestone, as engines must clear rigorous design, structural and facility safety requirements before ignition. The Race2Space organisers recognised Team Agnipaksha for successfully completing two hot firings of its hybrid rocket engine.

The achievement was powered by Project HyPE, a 7 kN-class hybrid rocket engine developed by approximately 40 students from diverse disciplines, including Aerospace, Mechanical, Electrical and Computer Science. Founded in July 2025, Team Agnipaksha has rapidly progressed from developing smaller propulsion systems to successfully demonstrating an advanced hybrid rocket engine at an international professional testing facility.

Prof. Satish Kumar Modh, Vice-Chancellor, VIT Bhopal University, said, “Team Agnipaksha’s successful international campaign and its world rank of 8th among hybrid rocket teams represent an important milestone for VIT Bhopal University. This achievement reflects our commitment to innovation, advanced research and student-led technological development, while enabling our students to showcase their capabilities on a global platform.”

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Prashant Gopalakrishnan, Faculty Advisor, Sr. Assistant Professor and Programme Chair, Aerospace Engineering at VIT Bhopal, said, “Two clean hot fires is a serious result. What got the team there was not the boldest design on paper, but the discipline to simplify, to choose what they could validate in the time they had, and to be honest about what they could manufacture. VIT Bhopal University provided the team with an enabling environment to translate its ambition into a successful outcome and demonstrate its capabilities on an international platform.”

The design underwent extensive engineering validation, including finite element analysis and a staged qualification programme involving cold-flow testing, proof-pressure testing and static-fire testing, before the team travelled to the United Kingdom for the international competition.

Team Agnipaksha’s earlier achievement included the successful static firing of an L-class solid rocket motor that reached a peak thrust of 1,500 N. Project HyPE represents a significant leap in the team’s technical journey, marking an order-of-magnitude increase in propulsion scale and its transition from solid to hybrid rocket propulsion.

Shreyas Hiregoudar, Team Captain, Team Agnipaksha, said, “We built this (rocket engine) with what we had, when there were plenty of reasons to stop. Seeing it fire twice, at a professional facility, alongside teams from around the world, was worth each one of those late nights.”

The achievement marks an important milestone for VIT Bhopal University’s continued focus on innovation, hands-on research and advanced technological development across disciplines, including the aerospace sector.

Highlighting the university’s commitment to fostering innovation, Prof. Satish Kumar Modh, Vice-Chancellor, VIT Bhopal University, said, “Our objective is to cultivate a robust ecosystem where students and faculty not only generate groundbreaking ideas but are also fully empowered to safeguard and commercialize their intellectual contributions.”

Chief Guest, Prof. Mukesh Kumar, IIT Indore, quoted, “Protecting intellectual property is the ultimate bridge transforming research into high-impact global assets in the AI era.”

Dr. Gyan Prakash Mishra, Registrar, VIT Bhopal University, commended the initiative for contributing to the university’s growing culture of research and innovation. Dr. Shiv Manjaree Gopaliya, Convener of the conclave, highlighted the importance of creating greater awareness around IPR and encouraging researchers and innovators to consider intellectual property protection at an early stage of the innovation process.

On Day 2, Prof. Abhishek Rawat, IITRAM Ahmedabad, discussed the considerations involved in choosing between Industrial Designs and Patents for innovative products while Ms. Hainsi Kanwal, Trademark Attorney, highlighted the significance of Geographical Indications (GI) in protecting traditional knowledge and products while creating opportunities for their wider commercialisation.

The conclave was supported by Dr. Akshara Makrariya, R&D Head, VIT Bhopal University alongside IPR Cell members Dr. Preetam Suman, Dr. Monica Sankat, and Dr. Ankur Beohar

Over the two days, the conclave featured expert-led sessions covering key areas of intellectual property, including Patents, Trademarks, Copyrights and Industrial Designs. The sessions focused on providing researchers and students with practical insights into protecting and leveraging their innovations.

The innovation, led by faculty inventor Dr. Pushpdant Jain along with a team of student researchers—Manas Sahu, Megha Gupta, Swastik Kaurav, Praful Baghel, Aditya Vikram Singh, and Bhanav Lenka—reimagines the conventional desk lamp as an integrated productivity solution for modern workspaces. Designed to address the needs of students, professionals, and remote workers, the product combines lighting, organization, and digital utility within a single compact device.

The registered design features an adjustable desk lamp equipped with dedicated storage compartments for stationery, a mobile phone holder, and a multifunctional base incorporating a clock and built-in speaker system. By integrating multiple everyday functions into one product, the innovation aims to create more efficient, organized, and user-friendly work environments.

The achievement reflects VIT Bhopal’s emphasis on translating classroom learning and research into practical solutions with real-world relevance. Increasingly, the University’s innovation ecosystem is enabling students and faculty members to work together on projects that move beyond academic exploration to create technologies and products with commercial and societal potential.

Commenting on the achievement, Dr. Pushpdant Jain said, “Innovation is most impactful when it solves everyday challenges. This design emerged from the idea of creating a smarter and more organized workspace by combining multiple functionalities into a single product. The registration is an encouraging recognition of the collaborative efforts put forth by the team.”

The University’s Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Cell played a key role in facilitating the design registration process. Through mentoring, awareness initiatives, and filing support, the Cell continues to strengthen VIT Bhopal’s intellectual property portfolio and encourage a culture of innovation-driven research.

Over the years, VIT Bhopal has steadily expanded its focus on patents, copyrights, and design registrations, creating an ecosystem where innovation is actively encouraged and protected. The latest design registration further reinforces the University’s commitment to nurturing future-ready innovators capable of developing solutions that address emerging societal and industry needs.