Arvind Ramanandan

An electronics and communications engineering graduate of Chennai’s Sri Sairam Engineering College, Arvind Ramanandan has been awarded the University of California Dean’s Distinguished Fellowship Award of Rs.55 lakh ($121,597). This scholarship entitles him to commence a doctoral programme in electrical engineering at UCal, Riverside, skipping the usually mandatory intervening postgraduate programme. On August 18 Ramanandan emplaned for the US where he intends to continue his research activities for four years to earn his Ph D. Ramanandan’s research is centred around the esoteric subject ‘Estimation for non-linear systems’. His interest in tracking non-linear systems was kindled in college. “I did my final year project on simulating a missile detection system which predicts the path of an incoming missile, minimising the effects of acceleration and measurement errors. It integrates a GPS (global positioning system) and INS (inertial navigation system) using a recursive Kalman filtering algorithm,” he explains. While working on his project, Ramanandan searched the internet diligently and discovered that Prof. Jay A. Farrel of UCal was also researching the same subject. He began corresponding with him and expressed a wish to join his research team while enrolled in a Master’s programme. But after reviewing his project work, Farrel invited him to research for a Ph D, all expenses paid. “My work will prove useful in blocking high speed missiles launched by an enemy. For this, pinpoint accuracy is required to track the path of the missile. This research has broader possibilities and can be used to control the dynamics of cars supported by GPS satellites’ measurement data, to steer them from the starting point to destination without user intervention. A car can also be programmed to take the shortest route to a notified destination which would greatly improve road discipline and reduce fuel consumption,” he says. Ramanandan is convinced this field of research has great possibilities in India. “I want to bring back the knowledge I acquire in the US to India which is currently suffering severe air and road traffic congestion. The solution to such problems is in the development and deployment of technology rather than mere good intentions,” says Ramanandan with wisdom contradicting his youthful years. Right on! Hemalatha Raghupathi (Chennai) Shweta Chandra Rana  Ranked fourth in Asia in the under-16 category, Delhi-based Shweta Chandra Rana is India’s fastest rising tennis star. Following a strict diet (no colas/ burgers/ ice-creams) and practice regime, she plays a good six hours every day and travels an average 16 days per month for national and international tournaments. Following a title victory in the under-16 category in the Gurgaon Super Series in Haryana in June, Shweta is optimistic about putting up a good fight at the Syrian Open followed by the Malaysian Open. She hopes to end this year with a good show in the Asian Masters in Melbourne, where she will compete against Asia’s top eight juniors. A class VIII student of Pragati Public School, Delhi, Shweta hit her first winner when barely five and won her first tournament at the age of 11 years.…