Dr. V. Venkatesan is the HOD of Automobile Engineering at GKM College of Engineering and Technology, Tamil Nadu. He holds an M.E. degree in automobile engineering from Madras Institute of Technology and a Ph.D. from SSN College of Engineering. He has more than 20 years of experience in teaching and research. Furthermore, he is the research supervisor at Anna University and guides three research scholars. In addition to that, he has also published many national and international journals.

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You have held key positions at education institutes throughout your professional career. What are the key factors that keep you connected with the education sector?

The education sector is not merely an industry; it is a thriving hub of boundless information, ever-present difficulties, possibilities for learning, and pathways towards societal and national development. It also offers lots of chances to work with professionals, industry experts, scientists, entrepreneurs, and innovators. My two passions are research and teaching. The ability to work with students while simultaneously engaging in real-time product development and addressing societal issues has kept me deeply committed to the education sector.

Being the head, what is your philosophy of leadership? 

As a leader, I believe in challenging my team by assigning new assignments that enable them to explore inventive solutions outside their comfort zones. I constantly advise my staff to set realistic objectives and give them the freedom to learn on their own, but I'm always here to offer advice and assistance when needed. I highly appreciate the opinions of my team members, and I only make important decisions after carefully considering and consulting with them.

Being the senior faculty member of GKM, how do you strategize about the key programs and plans for the marketing and administration of your school?

We promote our institute through a strategic marketing approach, showcasing our strengths and achievements through a variety of events conducted both offline and online, utilizing our social media platforms. On the administrative front, we prioritize staying informed about the latest industrial and educational trends and requirements.

Any insights into how your college could be more welcoming to students of different races or economic backgrounds?

Economically weaker students are selected based on the cut-off and provided with government scholarships and GKM Trust Scholarships every year. We would like to ensure that our students are ready for jobs in multinational organizations.

What do you think your roles and responsibilities to the college and the students are?

I demonstrate a vision to empower fellow teaching faculty to implement departmental strategies, foster a culture of research, manage people well, assure quality assurance, and encourage the transfer of knowledge.

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What do you think should be the college’s top priority over the next 10 years?

The top priority should be to establish ourselves as a leader among the top technical institutions in Chennai and Tamil Nadu. Furthermore, to nurture and develop top-tier talent for the industry.

When you first came to GKM, what was your vision for the college? Has it evolved, and how far along in implementing that vision are you?

On a broader scale, my vision has been to significantly influence the future by shaping young minds. This led me to focus on cultivating socially conscious and reflective engineers. I have devoted the last 20 years to this cause, and many of my students are now well-known figures in their homes and other countries.

What do you see as GKM’s greatest strengths?

A green campus in Chennai city, state-of-the-art facilities for Marine Engineering courses, and experienced and dedicated faculty members have been the major strengths of GKM over the years.

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth and the aspiring students?

I encourage my students and young people to have faith in themselves. Stay loyal to yourself, your parents, teachers, and friends. Once you achieve your goals, continue doing good work for others.

How do you tend to establish a healthy relationship and environment in your institute/ university?

To foster healthy relationships within my institute, I prioritize providing an open communication platform. This allows everyone to interact freely, build trust by sharing their issues, and collaborate effectively towards achieving our objectives.