Alumni members of National Institute of Technology - Tiruchi (NIT-T) holding key positions in tech companies across the globe have responded overwhelmingly through their knowledge support, innovative devices, fund mobilisation, and production of personal protection equipment for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic.

An associate of Global Consortium of Cell Therapy Companies, Stempeutics, an Indian stem cell company of which B. N Manohar, an alumnus of ECE 1977 batch is the Chief Executive Officer, will shortly be supplying clinical-grade Mesenchymal Stem Cells (multi-potent stem cells found in the bone marrow used for making and repairing skeletal tissues) to those in need. Manufactured in the Manipal GMP facility under approval of Drug Controller General of India, the multi-potent stem cells have been found to reduce the symptoms of pneumonia induced by COVID-19 and halt its advancement to Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome, NIT-T Director Mini Shaji Thomas said.

S. K. Ramesh, an alumnus of 1981 batch ECE holding a senior position in California State University, Northridge, is involved along with his colleagues in creation of life saving face shields and other personal protection equipment for donating the same to healthcare workers in hospitals throughout Southern California.

Blooom Energy, founded by K. R. Sridhar, who had completed his mechanical engineering degree from the then Regional Engineering College Tiruchi, and subsequently did his masters degree in Nuclear Engineering, and Ph.D. in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign, has undertaken the task of repairing ventilators on a bulk scale in partnership with Stanford Health Care.

Chief Innovation Officer at Dulso, United Arab Emirates, Madhumohan Sreeram, an alumnus of NIT-T who had completed B.Tech in Chemical Engineering in 1982, has been in the forefront in carrying out sanitisation of the municipality of Dubai after identifying a suitable disinfectant QUATPLUS TB, which is a Quaternary Ammonium Compound product approved by United States Environmental Protection Agency and American chemistry councils Center Biocide Chemistry (CBC) and has been listed in their recommended EPA pre-approved products for COVID-9 disinfection application.

Richard Sekar, an alumnus who had completed Production Engineering in 1983 leads Warriors Against Virus a team of 371 volunteers in the Bay Area, USA, for stitching facial masks for hospital requirement. IcarusNova, of which Sapna Behar, an alumna (1990, EEE), is the Director and Founder, has partnered with LifeSignals to design a wireless biosensor-based patch, with ISO 13485 accreditation, for early detection and continuous monitoring of COVID-19 symptoms. The patches when affixed on the chest area can monitor the temperature, breathing rate, trace ECG and heart rate as a real time data. The data can be transferred to the users phone through an app. The system reduces the risk of contamination between patients and other individuals.

Admiral Superintendent of Naval Dockyard, Vishakapatnam, Sreekumar Nair (ECE, 1986), has led a team to design an innovative portable multi-feed oxygen manifold using a six-way radial header fitted to a single cylinder. This becomes essential when the existing hospital facilities for critical care management becomes limited and a need arises for catering to multiple patients. Rapid trials have been done at Naval Hospital INHS Kalyani. The entire assembly could be set up within 30 minutes.

Appreciating the efforts of the alumni members, Prof. Mini Shaji Thomas said the various contributions in diverse sectors was a matter of pride.

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Robust response by NIT-T alumni to tackle Covid-19 pandemic - The Hindu