Dr. Sovan Mohanty is an Associate Professor in the Dept. of Electronics and Communication Engineering at the SRMS College of Engineering and Technology (SRMS). He is a Chartered Engineer and educator by practice. He received his Ph.D. from Galgotias University, Greater Noida. His expertise and interests include Radiofrequency and Microwave Engineering, Design and Analysis of millimeter wave antennae, Analog and Digital Communication, Semiconductor devices, and the Internet of Things. Before joining SRMS, he worked in the Aviation industry for more than 18 years in various departments of Communication and Navigation in fighter aircraft, Air Traffic Control, Avionics laboratory, Planning, installations, etc. His research interests are in the design of microwave and millimeter wave circuit components, Communication networks, Time harmonics electromagnetic fields, etc.

Shri Ram Murti Smarak College of Engineering and Technology

Being a senior faculty of the ECE dept, what are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

My role is to ignite intellectual stimulation in students and to create a strong foundation for rigorous academic study. To encourage the fusion of hand and mind by promoting learning by doing. My responsibility is to motivate students and instill curiosity in them to tackle global challenges and work for society through playful imagination and active questioning. To guide students to become impactful leaders by practicing wisdom such as mindfulness, inner stability, and positive strength.

How do you tend to establish healthy relations with the students and fellow faculty?

I believe honesty, consistency, gratitude, and truthfulness are the key to communication and professional relationship. A healthy relationship with students and fellow faculty comes by taking justice, compassion, and truth as the basis. Hope, optimism, resilience, and self-efficacy are the positive psychological capital that binds our team.

How do you try to bring in a practical approach toward subjects and make them industry-oriented?

My experience in the aviation industry and aviation laboratory for more than eighteen years, system-based engineering problem solution comes naturally to me. SRMS has the most modern laboratory, advanced software, and resourceful library. It helps to explore new intellectual frontiers. We collaborate closely with the Siemens Center of Excellence as a source of industry orientation.

What are the best practices offered by the department to the students which help them gain the necessary skills?

The department offers intellectual and creative excellence by having a highly qualified teaching fraternity with a strong passion for teaching. The department conducts regular short-term certification courses, industry visits, conferences, webinars, guest lectures, etc., to generate, disseminate, and preserve knowledge. The department motivates and guides students to participate in various technological and cultural festivals, sports, club activities, etc.

How do you strategize the curriculum and how often does it get updated to make it befitting for the students? 

We strategize our curriculum through debate, dialogue, and the free expression of all the faculty members and students. We update it based on feedback mechanisms and students' performance so that students can thrive and grow.

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What are your views on the placements and higher education of the students from your department? How does your department prepare students for higher education?

With core engineering knowledge, hands-on experience, and industry collaboration, our placement record is excellent. We promote higher education in the top university around the globe. We try to connect our alumni in particular industries and countries with current students to motivate and guide them to prepare for placements and higher education.

How do you help your student cope with the competition being so high in the outside world?

To cope with turbulence, change, and competition we stress developing a learning mindset, the power of visualization, self-belief, optimism, fearlessness, etc. From the first year onwards, we try to cultivate the habit of task orientation, strong relationships at work, empowerment, authenticity, team building, strong trade knowledge, and hard work. It will help them to build confidence and diversity of challenges coming their way.

Do you have any extracurricular activities/ programs to enhance the skills of the students or expose them to real-world challenges?

SRMS has indoor and outdoor sports infrastructure, a music room, various clubs, and a central library to look after the extracurricular activities. Various intra and inter-college competitions are organized regularly to enhance the skills of the students.

What are the challenges you faced/ are facing to uplift the quality of education in your department?

It is difficult to get live training opportunities and internships on various industrial projects in the electronic industry of high repute. Maintaining the level of motivation in students is indeed tough. Keeping abreast of the dynamism of the electronic industry is always difficult.

When you came to college, what was your vision and how are you trying to achieve the same?

When I joined SRMS CET my main aim was to instill ancient Indian wisdom like philosophy, spirituality, management, psychology, and ethics and to combine it with engineering education. To develop intelligence quotient, emotional quotient, and spiritual quotient in students so that the knowledge can be transferred smoothly in Science, Technology, and Engineering from the current generation to the next generation. I wish our next generation can tackle global challenges and translate ideas into action and make India economically and spiritually strong. Currently, I am still working on it.