NIT Surathkal scholar awarded telematics fellowship for research in 5G, B5G technologies

NEW DELHI: Research scholar Aathira G Menon from the department of electronics and communication engineering (ECE) at the National Institute of Technology Karnataka (NITK), Surathkal, has been awarded a fellowship from the Centre for Development of Telematics (C-DOT), the telecom R&D centre of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), through their STAR program.

The centre awards fellowships to support students from top-ranked colleges with a National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) score below 20. NITK has become the only NIT to secure this award.

The “STAR” program offers an amount of Rs 6 lakh per annum for a period of up to four years. The PhD scholar will be provided mentorship from research leaders of C-DOT and access to lab facilities. With this support, the researcher plans to make further contributions to the development of advanced communication systems that will drive the future of connected vehicles.

Under the guidance of her mentors Prabu K and Shyam Lal, the research titled “Next-Gen V2V: Deep Learning-Driven Multipath Profiling and Vehicle Fingerprinting for Enhanced V2V Communication in Smart Cities”, led by Aathira, focuses on improving vehicular applications for 5G and beyond 5G (B5G) technologies.

NITK student’s research

The study aims to increase the efficiency of these systems, ensuring they can support upcoming innovations without wasting existing resources. This research is especially important for the future of smart transportation, like self-driving cars and intelligent traffic systems. By addressing current challenges, her goal is to enhance the way vehicles connect and communicate, making future technologies faster, smarter, and more reliable.

The institute thanked C-DOT for offering this opportunity and for recognizing young talent across the nation. It extended a special note of gratitude to professor Sharnappa Joladarashi, Professor In- charge (fellowships and scholarships), for bringing such opportunities to NIT students. It also thanked the mentors for their invaluable guidance and support in nurturing Aathira’s research.

“This fellowship is a shining example of how industry and academia can come together to empower the next generation of innovators. Congratulations to Aathira for her remarkable achievement!,” NIT Surathkal said in an official statement.