( Book Review)
Dreams and Challenges
A Tale of Applied Research in Engineering
A Case study of development of indigenous equipment for Engg. Education & Automotive Testing Machines for Quality Assurance
By
Prof. B. D. Kelkar, Prof. N. K. Gune
Dr. A. B. Kulkarni, Dr. Kanak Sabhapathy
Prof. B. D. Kelkar, my senior colleague and Professor in Mechanical Engineering from Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli sent me a copy of his forthcoming book on ARE’s Dreams and Challenges during transformation of innovations into marketable products . The book narrates a story of efforts by group of enthusiastic engineering faculty in Walchand College of Engineering in building an organization for developing need based educational equipments on commercial scale during 1970 to 2000.
Prof. B. D. Kelkar, nicknamed Bhalaba Kelkar was an idol of innovation and creativity in the college. Late Prof. S. D. Phatak from Electrical Dept motivated Prof. B. D. Kelkar and his colleagues to form an active group for development of innovative educational products. Engineering faculty members from Mechanical, Electrical and Civil Depts joined the group and started working together by giving their technical inputs as well as financial contribution for actual product development. This resulted in formation of Applied Research Centre on 13th December 1968 in the form of partnership which was converted to Private Limited on 5th June 1971.
The vision of ARE was to enrich engineering education & ensure quality of Automotive Components” and main stimuli for such product development was need of import substitution which tallies with governments new slogan of ‘Make in India’.
I was fortunate to be a member in the group and enjoyed the joint discussions, experimental trials and understanding the difficulties in development of product from prototype to final design. This exercise gave us lot of confidence, increased our ability to conceive the intricacy in product design and built a team spirit with awareness about need of interdisciplinary efforts.
The book is divided into 10 chapters, the first part dealing with sources of inspiration, background scenario and initial perception of industrial culture in nearby area. Once the hobby became passion, the design group started thinking seriously to build manufacturing company. Shri. Narayan Gune, with experience corporate business group joined ARE and introduced discipline and procedural systems to help in establishing business culture and deciding marketing strategies.
The book provides a vivid picture of 30 years progress of ARE from small design group to a high quality indigenous educational product development company which offered services to most of the Engineering Colleges in all states of India.
As the company was formed by group of innovators, it was spending considerable resources on research and development of diverse products, which is not the case of any stable manufacturing company. Naturally, the financial problems cropped up and ARE could not keep its growth unabated. Instead, it gave rise to formation many new units with specificity of products and services. This was inevitable considering the unavailability of huge financial support for continuing with multifarious production strategy. However, ARE became a fertile and safe ground for development of many new production units, which in itself is a great contribution of ARE to the industrial growth in India .
The work in ARE also inspired me to start some business. Sensing the bright future for IT, in 2000, I established Dnyandeep Infotech Pvt. Ltd. A website design and software company, though I was from civil engineering branch. I could sustain this business in spite of many difficulties only due to inner urge for innovation developed in me through the experience I gained in working with ARE.
I feel that this book will usher a new wave of innovation and urge of applied research in the minds of faculty members of engineering colleges and give birth to many scattered AREs not only in India but in all developing countries. I congratulate the authors for revealing the initiative and efforts in transforming research group into full scale business with manufacture of quality products which proved capable of import substitution.
I hope that the government shall provide financial assistance for nationwide distribution of this book which will serve as guide to technocrats and teachers in fulfilling the dream of ‘Make in India’.
A Tale of Applied Research in Engineering
A Case study of development of indigenous equipment for Engg. Education & Automotive Testing Machines for Quality Assurance
By
Prof. B. D. Kelkar, Prof. N. K. Gune
Dr. A. B. Kulkarni, Dr. Kanak Sabhapathy
Prof. B. D. Kelkar, my senior colleague and Professor in Mechanical Engineering from Walchand College of Engineering, Sangli sent me a copy of his forthcoming book on ARE’s Dreams and Challenges during transformation of innovations into marketable products . The book narrates a story of efforts by group of enthusiastic engineering faculty in Walchand College of Engineering in building an organization for developing need based educational equipments on commercial scale during 1970 to 2000.
Prof. B. D. Kelkar, nicknamed Bhalaba Kelkar was an idol of innovation and creativity in the college. Late Prof. S. D. Phatak from Electrical Dept motivated Prof. B. D. Kelkar and his colleagues to form an active group for development of innovative educational products. Engineering faculty members from Mechanical, Electrical and Civil Depts joined the group and started working together by giving their technical inputs as well as financial contribution for actual product development. This resulted in formation of Applied Research Centre on 13th December 1968 in the form of partnership which was converted to Private Limited on 5th June 1971.
The vision of ARE was to enrich engineering education & ensure quality of Automotive Components” and main stimuli for such product development was need of import substitution which tallies with governments new slogan of ‘Make in India’.
I was fortunate to be a member in the group and enjoyed the joint discussions, experimental trials and understanding the difficulties in development of product from prototype to final design. This exercise gave us lot of confidence, increased our ability to conceive the intricacy in product design and built a team spirit with awareness about need of interdisciplinary efforts.
The book is divided into 10 chapters, the first part dealing with sources of inspiration, background scenario and initial perception of industrial culture in nearby area. Once the hobby became passion, the design group started thinking seriously to build manufacturing company. Shri. Narayan Gune, with experience corporate business group joined ARE and introduced discipline and procedural systems to help in establishing business culture and deciding marketing strategies.
The book provides a vivid picture of 30 years progress of ARE from small design group to a high quality indigenous educational product development company which offered services to most of the Engineering Colleges in all states of India.
As the company was formed by group of innovators, it was spending considerable resources on research and development of diverse products, which is not the case of any stable manufacturing company. Naturally, the financial problems cropped up and ARE could not keep its growth unabated. Instead, it gave rise to formation many new units with specificity of products and services. This was inevitable considering the unavailability of huge financial support for continuing with multifarious production strategy. However, ARE became a fertile and safe ground for development of many new production units, which in itself is a great contribution of ARE to the industrial growth in India .
The work in ARE also inspired me to start some business. Sensing the bright future for IT, in 2000, I established Dnyandeep Infotech Pvt. Ltd. A website design and software company, though I was from civil engineering branch. I could sustain this business in spite of many difficulties only due to inner urge for innovation developed in me through the experience I gained in working with ARE.
I feel that this book will usher a new wave of innovation and urge of applied research in the minds of faculty members of engineering colleges and give birth to many scattered AREs not only in India but in all developing countries. I congratulate the authors for revealing the initiative and efforts in transforming research group into full scale business with manufacture of quality products which proved capable of import substitution.
I hope that the government shall provide financial assistance for nationwide distribution of this book which will serve as guide to technocrats and teachers in fulfilling the dream of ‘Make in India’.
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