At a glance
College – Final year, Karunya University, Coimbatore
Place of work – IIT, Mumbai
Department – IIT-B Research Internship wards – IRCC.
Process of application – open from October to November, the application is processed online on the IRCC website followed by an interview
Eligibility – 3rd or 4th year of engineering courses and 10% rank holder in your parent college
Duration of the internship – 6 months
Stipend – INR 10,000 per month
Kind of work – The topic was “Identification of geometric features and pavement distress by image analysis”, worked on creating an automated system to detect pavement cracks and geometric features through image analysis. Also collected some data from NH3 and processed those images in MATLAB’s Image processing toolbox. The project’s application is for the monitoring and maintenance of highways with less or no involvement of laborers
In detail
InterFeel (IF): Please tell us something about yourself. Where are you studying currently? What are your hobbies and interests?
J. Thangaraj (JT): I’m a final year civil engineering student at Karunya University, Coimbatore. Born and brought up in Mumbai, I always wanted to return to this place. So I choose to apply for the IIT-B internship programme. My specialization is Transportation Systems Engineering. I love collecting foreign currencies and am a half marathoner.
IF: Tell us something about your internship including process of application, stipend, duration and place?
JT: I have a handful of friends at IIT-B who always notify me of what happens on their campus. Being updated about the place you want to intern with, would prove helpful any day. Also, checking the IIT-B website once in a while is important. The notification and applications for this programme are usually open from October to November. The application is processed online on the IRCC website.
Eligibility – 3rd or 4th year of engineering courses and 10% rank holder in your parent college.
Duration of the internship – 6 months
Stipend – INR 10,000 per month
Kind of work – It was with IIT-B Research Internship wards – IRCC. The topic was “Identification of geometric features and pavement distress by image analysis”.
IF: Let’s talk about how competitive the selection process was. Which qualities helped you to have edge in the selection process? According to you, what were the key things that selectors were looking for?
JT: The competition was quite tenacious. Competing against the toppers of different colleges is always going to be tough. The project titles available were given beforehand. I went through the background and some basics of the project. I maintained my cool and gave my best in the interview. My interest and previous work in the same field proved to be helpful. They wanted someone who was willing to work hard as well as smart and think like an engineer i.e. ideas that provide breakthroughs. Word of caution – don’t ever lie to the professors in the panel. They are damn smart and intelligent (obviously!).
IF: Lastly, could you please highlight the work/research you carried out during your internship period?
JT: I worked on creating an automated system to detect pavement cracks and geometric features through image analysis. Also collected some data from NH3 and processed those images in MATLAB’s Image processing toolbox. The project’s application is for the monitoring and maintenance of highways with less or no involvement of laborers, taking into consideration the Indian conditions.
IF: What impact do you think this internship had on your intellectual capabilities and mindset? In broader terms, what are your gains and takeaways?
JT: This internship has really had a huge impact on my upcoming career. After this internship, I have more inclination to discuss ideas and approaches to problems. I now try to find engineering solutions. This internship has helped me realize that research is what I should pursue.
IF: What are your future plans after this internship and how much impact this internship will have on it?
JT: Before this internship, I wanted to join the armed forces. But now I have made up my mind to take up research abroad. The contacts and experience I gained at IITB is definitely going to help me get admitted into a good college in the US.
We’d like to wish Thangaraj all the very best for his future endeavors!
