NIT Srinagar Alumnus Develops Device To Generate Power From Ocean Waves

IIT Madras

SRINAGAR: An alumnus from National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar in collaboration with Indian Institute of Technology (IIT Madras) has developed a device called Sindhuja-1 aimed to generate electricity from the Ocean waves.

Karthik Sunkara, a 2016 pass-out from the Civil Engineering Department of NIT- Srinagar had thought of generating power from the waves in oceans in 2020 February.

Later in December 2020, Karthik worked on the project in collaboration with the Ocean Engineering Department of IIT-Madras, as the institution was also researching the same idea of generating electricity from sea waves.

Director NIT Srinagar, Prof Rakesh Sehgal congratulated Karthik Sunkara. He said it is a proud moment for the entire institute. He said alumni are ambassadors of our institute and urged them to take the institute to greater heights.

“Great institutes, across the world, have become great with the contribution of their alumni. We hope our alumni would engage with us and make NIT Srinagar always proud of their achievements,” Prof Sehgal said.

Registrar NIT Srinagar Prof. Syed Kaiser Bukhari extended his best wishes to Karthik Sunkara and his entire team. He worked under my guidance during his B.Tech project and was a keen observer of things,” Prof Bukhari said.

He described Karthik as a great philanthropist, who worked tirelessly during the 2014 floods in Kashmir.

“Our alumni network has always brought great glory to our institution. They have set the example of being successful and have inspired us to have a clear conscience, the courage to speak the truth, and the importance of being authentic,” he said.

Professor Bukhari said alumni have established themselves as successful individuals in almost every field across the globe, and that is what makes us prouder.

Karthik had also launched his startup called Virya Paramita Energy (VPE) and had signed a joint development agreement with IIT-Madras to take the project forward. They then developed a device called, ‘Ocean Wave Energy Converter’, or Sindhuja-1, to generate power from the waves.

In November 2022, they deployed the device 6 km off the coast of Tuticorin in Tamil Nadu and placed it at a depth of 20 meters.

In his message, Karthik said their startup is working on Wave energy. We are trying to produce electricity from Ocean waves which can be used for various needs such as power needs, seawater desalination, sea surveillance, coral reef nourishment, navigation buoys, etc.