The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Thiru. M.K. Stalin, on Wednesday, handed over a sponsorship of Rs. 15 Lakh through Tamil Nadu Startup and Innovation Mission (StartupTN) to a team of innovative students from the State to participate in the Monaco Energy Boat Challenge (MEBC) 2023 in Monaco City, Europe, from July 2 to 8. In the event held at his chamber here, the Hon’ble Chief Minister briefly interacted with the 10-member team from Kumaraguru College of Technology, Coimbatore, encouraging them to give their best and bring laurels to the State.
The team named “Team Sea Sakthi” is the only team from India to compete in the internationally acclaimed 10th edition of the MEBC, organised by the prestigious Yacht Club De Monaco (YCM), promoting green innovation in the Yachting Industry by encouraging students and researchers to build boats emphasising zero-emission propulsion and sustainability. With their custom-designed energy boat Yali 2.0 – a Hydrogen Powered Energy Boat with an Indigenous Propulsion System by the students to suit their requirements for the competition – will compete 16 teams from different countries.
Team Sea Sakthi has qualified for the international challenge for the second consecutive year after emerging 6th in the previous challenge, where they bagged the “Communication Award”. The students from various engineering streams built Yali 2.0 at KCT Garage, a student-empowered technical forum incubated in the institution. The boat with its carbon fibre fabricated cockpit has a 8.4kWh Lithium-ion battery as pre-set primary energy source and a 2kW fuel cell & 400W solar panel as a secondary energy source.
The team comprises of students Gerontious Leo L., Anjana Prasad, Swaminathan C., Anandh B., Naveen V., Vikash S., Hemalatha V., Yugabharathi M., Sneha N. andShri Sanjanaa S.E. and their faculties Kiranlal S. and Nishanth Sivaswamy. On Wednesday, the student innovators expressed confidence that their learnings from last year, support from the Government and encouragement by the Hon’ble Chief Minister have motivated them to give their best and return with laurels.
The momentous occasion was carried out in the presence of the Hon’ble Minister for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises Thiru. T.M. Anbarasan; Secretary to Government, MSME Department, Thiru. V. Arun Roy I.A.S.; StartupTN Mission Director and CEO Thiru. Sivarajah Ramanathan, and other higher officials.
Posted in News, States
