Hyderabad, 20th February 2025: BAJA SAEINDIA, now in its 18th edition, has firmly established itself as the crown jewel of SAEINDIA’s initiatives. Celebrating its rich legacy of engineering innovation and excellence, the event kicked off today at BV Raju Institute of Technology, Narsapur. The much-anticipated eBAJA SAEINDIA 2025 event marks a significant milestone—celebrating 10 glorious years of eBAJA, an initiative that has become a beacon for electric mobility and sustainable engineering.

Following the resounding success of Phase 3 for the gasoline and HCNG-powered buggies in the mBAJA and hBAJA categories, held at NATRAX Pithampur, which saw the participation of over 60 teams and was inaugurated by Shri Nitin Gadkari Ji, Minister of Road Transport and Highways of India, who flagged off the first-ever HCNG powered buggy in India. The spotlight now shines on the eBAJA category, an epitome of engineering excellence, brings together bright minds from across the nation to showcase their skills in designing and building electric all-terrain vehicles (ATVs).

The inspiration for eBAJA comes from the visionary Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, the then president of India, whose belief in the power of youth and technology led to the inception of this transformative initiative in 2015. His dream of fostering innovation and sustainable solutions among the youth of India found a perfect platform in eBAJA. Over the last decade, eBAJA has grown from a nascent idea into one of the most prestigious platforms for engineering students to push the boundaries of innovation and develop efficient, eco-friendly vehicle solutions.

The theme for BAJA SAEINDIA 2025, “Fusion 4 Future,” embodies the synergy of four distinct categories: mBAJA, eBAJA, hBAJA, and aBAJA. This theme highlights the event’s dedication to four fundamental principles: Technology – Showcasing diverse mobility solutions. Diversity – Bringing together teams from across the nation. Sustainability – Promoting eco-friendly mobility innovations. Connectivity– The future of the automotive industry lies in enhanced connectivity, which enables vehicles to communicate with each other, with infrastructure and with external devices.

The Press Conference kicked off with an inaugural note by Mr. Balraj Subramaniam, Chairman, Organising Committee, BAJA SAEINDIA 2025, reflecting on the journey of BAJA SAEINDIA he said “The 18th edition of BAJA SAEINDIA is particularly special as it celebrates 10 years of the groundbreaking eBAJA category. What started with just 8 teams in 2015 has now expanded to over 85 teams in the eBAJA category. This remarkable growth highlights the event’s dedication to sustainable mobility, innovation, and engineering excellence, evolving from a single-category competition to a multi-faceted platform that challenges and inspires the next generation of engineers.”

Mr. Aditya Vissam, Secretary of Sri Vishnu Educational Society; shared his excitement about hosting the event, stating, "BAJA SAEINDIA has always been a platform that nurtures young engineering talent, and we at BVRIT are proud to host this prestigious event for the second time. Seeing eBAJA grow to an all-time high of 85+ participating teams this year is truly remarkable. We extend a warm welcome to all teams and look forward to an exciting showcase of innovation and engineering excellence."

Mr. Shravan Kumar, Territory Manager, Hyderabad, BPCL; reflected on BPCL’s long-standing association with BAJA SAEINDIA, stating, “BPCL has been a proud partner of BAJA SAEINDIA since its inception, not only by providing the nation’s best premium fuel, Speed, to the participating teams but also by supporting the event with top awards and fulfilling all fuel requirements, whether Petrol or Diesel. As we reflect on this 18-year association, we take immense pride in our unwavering commitment to this prestigious event. On behalf of BPCL, I extend my heartfelt gratitude to our media friends for their invaluable support in promoting BAJA SAEINDIA across local and national platforms.”

Mr Sivakumar Sudhachandran, Dy GM at Autoliv India was introduced as Safety Ambassador and Ms Deepti Singh was introduced as the Diversity Ambassador of BAJA SAEINDIA. She said, “Diversity Ratio in BAJA SAEINDIA was 17% in 2024 and has increased to 24% in 2025 and we are targeting 35% in 2026.”.”

Diversity stands as one of the core pillars of BAJA SAEINDIA, emphasizing inclusivity and encouraging greater participation of female engineers in the competition.

Highlighting the significance of this principle, Ms. Simona Adelina Popovici, Vice President – Human Resources at Renault Nissan Technology & Business Centre India, shared her insights, reflecting on the event’s commitment to fostering a diverse and dynamic environment, “At Renault Nissan Tech, we are deeply committed to fostering Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in the mobility industry. Over the years, we have actively encouraged female participation in BAJA, and it is inspiring to see young women stepping into the world of mobility. We are proud to continue presenting the ‘All Girls Team Award,’ recognizing outstanding innovation and perseverance of women in BAJA. We remain dedicated to nurturing the next generation of engineering talent. It is a proud moment for us to see many BAJA alumni contributing to Renault Nissan Tech’s success, reaffirming the impact of this platform in shaping industry-ready professionals & new technology”

BAJA SAEINDIA has consistently nurtured talented participants who have gone on to make a mark globally, contributing to innovative technologies. One such success story is that of Mr. Parashuram Paka, who participated in the inaugural edition of BAJA SAEINDIA in 2007 from Hyderabad.

Today, Parashuram Paka is the Founder and Managing Director of Gravton Motors. Recognizing his entrepreneurial journey, Parashuram now serves as the Startup Ambassador for BAJA SAEINDIA 2025, helping students pursue their own entrepreneurial paths. Speaking about his journey, Parashuram remarked, “At Gravton Motors, we believe in a future where electric vehicles are synonymous with both performance and sustainability. As a Start-Up Ambassador for BAJA SAEINDIA 2025, we share this vision with the next generation of engineers, empowering them to create innovative solutions for a cleaner, greener tomorrow. We believe that together, we can drive excellence and accelerate the transition to sustainable transportation."

Over the next four days, teams will face intense evaluations, beginning with the crucial Technical Inspection & Brake Test before moving on to dynamic events such as acceleration, maneuverability, sled-pull, and suspension & traction. Select teams will also compete in the Finals of static events, including Design, CAE, Cost, Sales Presentation, Sustainability, and Innovation. All efforts will culminate in the most anticipated challenge—the flagship 4-hour endurance race on 23rd February 2025, where teams will put their year-long hard work to the test in a thrilling battle on the racetrack. Additionally, BAJA SAEINDIA features the unique Dronacharya event, where a panel from Industry and Academia will recognize and honour the best faculty advisor.

Mr. VinothKumar Balasubramaniam, Convener of eBAJA SAEINDIA 2025, expressed his gratitude, stating, “BAJA SAEINDIA has always been more than just a competition—it is a launchpad for young engineers to turn their passion into profession. With the HR Meet, we are creating a bridge between students and the industry, ensuring they are equipped with the right skills and opportunities to excel in their careers. We are grateful to our industry partners and academic institutions for their continued support in making this platform a success.” He concluded the event with a vote of thanks, acknowledging the efforts of all stakeholders in fostering innovation and engineering excellence.”

About BAJA SAEINDIA

BAJA SAEINDIA is an educational pursuit for engineering college students, an out-of-classroom-education system, where engineering students can participate as a team, giving them pragmatic exposure to real-world challenges as faced in the industry. Originally started in the USA by the SAE International as Mini BAJA SAE, today it is being organized in several countries. In India, it is being organized as BAJA SAEINDIA: A student-level competition in which teams from universities all over the country conceptualize, design, analyze, fabricate, validate, and run an all-terrain vehicle. This is evaluated over a series of Static, Dynamic, and Endurance events. Over the years, BAJA SAEINDIA has grown in numbers and has become a bigger event nationally and over the past years, expanded internationally as well. It serves as a platform for young engineering talent to showcase their skills and acquire real-life experience while overcoming obstacles and challenges: critical for their long term success.

About B V Raju Institute of Technology (BVRIT)

B V Raju Institute of Technology (BVRIT) in Narsapur, Greater Hyderabad, stands out as a prestigious engineering institution known for its excellence in education and innovation. Found in 1997 by Padmabhushan Dr. B.V. Raju, and guided by the current Chairman, Sri K.V. Vishnu Raju, the Institution is part of the Sri Vishnu Educational Society (SVES), which oversees 13 educational institutions across Telangana and Andhra Pradesh, covering diverse fields like Engineering, Pharmacy, Dental, Polytechnic, and Schools. BVRIT is home to several state-of the-art labs and Centers of Excellence, such as the Assistive Technology Lab, AICTE Idea Lab, Cloud Computing Center, Garuda Aerospace CoE, Vishnu Space Engineering Center, and JNTUH-recognized Research Centers. These facilities provide students with the resources to innovate, conduct research, and develop their skills.

A significant milestone for BVRIT, was hosting the eBAJA SAEINDIA 2024 event last year, which saw participation from over 70 teams and more than 2,000 participants. This marked BVRIT as the first institution in South India to bring this prestigious event. The excitement continues, as BVRIT Narsapur prepares to host the eBAJA SAEINDIA 2025 once again, in collaboration with Vishnu Motorsports and under the auspices of the Sri Vishnu Educational Society. This institution’s continued commitment to academic excellence and hands-on learning sets it apart as a leading force in engineering education.