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Oct 17, 2025
NIT Calicut and UD Trucks India Strengthen Industry–Academia Collaboration
UD Trucks India Pvt. Ltd. (UDTIPL), Bengaluru a subsidiary of Isuzu Motors has entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Institute of Technology Calicut (NITC) to install a working model of a truck driveline at the institute as part of its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiative.
The driveline assembly, weighing approximately 1.2 tons, includes an 8-litre engine, six-speed automatic transmission, propeller shaft, and rear axles. It has been installed in the Heat Engines Laboratory of the Department of Mechanical Engineering at NITC.
The MoU exchange and installation ceremony were held at the NITC Boardroom, followed by the formal inauguration of the driveline model by Mr. Paulraj Edwin, Managing Director and Head of Technology, UDTIPL, and Prof. Prasad Krishna, Director, NITC. The event was attended by senior executives of UDTIPL including Mr. Atanu Sengupta (Director – Human Resources), Ms. Poornima Swaminathan (Executive Assistant to the Managing Director and CSR Lead), Mr. Prasad Bodireddi (Lead Engineer), and Mr. Murali Krishna (Manager – Administration), along with the deans, faculty members, staff, and students of NITC.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Prasad Krishna, Director of NIT Calicut, commended the initiative, stating that the collaboration would “bridge the gap between classroom learning and industry practice, enabling students to gain hands-on experience with advanced automotive systems.”
Mr. Paulraj Edwin, Managing Director and Head of Technology, UDTIPL, emphasized the company’s dedication to fostering future engineers, remarking that partnerships with leading institutions like NIT Calicut are vital for promoting innovation and technical excellence in the automotive sector.
Following the inauguration, the UDTIPL leadership team interacted with faculty and students, discussing the company’s technological innovations and exploring future areas of collaboration including research, internships, and skill development programmes.
This collaboration marks a significant step in strengthening industry academia partnerships, aligning educational objectives with the evolving needs of the transport and mobility sectors.
