
Team Nemesis
Racing from College of Engineering, Pune bagged the first prize in the 8th
edition of the Baja SAEINDIA 2015 with the lightest weighing vehicle of only
160kgs. Team Predators from D.Y Patil College of Engineering, Pune and Team
Kshatriya from Vellore Institute of Technology, Vellore were awarded 2nd
and 3rd place respectively.
Around 74
teams from engineering colleges across the country were given a brief to build
an off-road buggy. All 74 vehicles were put through a series of challenges,
scrutiny and a gruesome endurance race on an off-road track in the middle of
the Deccan plateau region in Pithampur, Indore. The vehicles were put through a
4.5 kilometre track with numerous obstacles from 60degree inclines to pits
brimmed with water through volcanic deposit rock beds and booby traps for four
hours under the boiling sun. With only around 20 odd teams finishing the race,
Team Nemesis Racing from College of Engineering, Pune went home crowned the
champions.
The highlight
of event was the new track and with natural hurdles spread over 4.5kms. The
track was designed in a manner to pose more challenges and test not only the
success of vehicles but also of those driving that vehicle.

The 2015 Baja
SAEINDIA sponsored by Mahindra & Mahindra featured for the first time an eBaja
category in which 12 colleges participated. On day 1 of the event, only eight
colleges competed in the endurance race. Team Unblockabulls from KL University,
Guntur was declared the first ‘Best eBaja Team’. The eBAJA initiative aims to
provide a platform to leverage the onset of Electric Mobility in India.
About 323
teams had registered in the 8th year of Baja SAEINDIA series, out of which 122
teams had qualified for the finale. However, only 74 teams could make it to the
Endurance round. This year was remarkable as 8000 students from different parts
of the country had worked towards BAJA SAEINDIA 2015 theme ‘Beyond Boundaries’.
Dr. Pawan
Goenka, Executive Director, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd. said, “It’s heartening
to see thousands of students coming together once again to celebrate the spirit
of Baja. This forum gives young engineering talent an opportunity to showcase
their skills, innovate and acquire a real life experience posed with challenges
which is critical to their success in the long term. Mahindra & Mahindra is
delighted to be associated with Baja SAEINDIA 2015 as the title sponsor”.
Dr. Aravind
Bharadwaj, President, SAEINDIA said, "Creation of industry ready skilled
engineers is a prerequisite to achieve the targets that have been set forth in
the Automotive Mission Plan 2016 for India. BAJA is one such initiative from
SAEINDIA that provides an opportunity for students to get hands on learning
experience in vehicle design. The rapid increase in the number of teams from
SAEINDIA clubs in colleges across the country and the unparalleled enthusiasm
of everyone involved with this event is clear evidence that Baja SAEINDIA is
making progress in the right direction"

Rustamji
Institute of Technology, Gwalior bagged the Engineering Design award whereas
SRM University, Chennai and Institute of Engineering and Technology- DAVV, Indore
won the Go Green- Emissions Award. Special awards like Dronacharya award was
given to the team of Sant Longowal Institute of Engineering & Technology,
Sangrur- Punjab and Venus International college of Technology, Gandhinagar. The
Endurance award which assessed vehicles ability to operate at a speed over
rough terrain was however bagged by College of Engineering, Pune followed by
VIT University, Vellore.
The students
walked away with not just a trophy but also a fair amount of prize money as
well which was about Rs 27,00,000/-.
The three-day
event started with basic Static Evaluation round which comprised of Design
Evaluation, Cost Evaluation and Marketing Presentation. In the final round, the
teams showcased their prototype of a rugged single seat, off-road recreational
four-wheel vehicle and were evaluated on various parameters, including
engineering design, cost and technology innovation. The objective of the
competition was to simulate real world engineering design projects and their
related challenges. Each team’s goal was to create a safe, easily transported,
easily maintained and fun to drive prototype without any direct involvement
from professional fabricators. However, the teams were free to design their own
transmissions with the only restriction being the speed limit to 60kmph. The
Dynamic Evaluation Round tested the vehicles for acceleration, speed, hill
climb and manoeuvrability and the Durability Evaluation Round saw the vehicles
undergo endurance tests. The Endurance Event assessed each vehicle’s ability to
operate continuously and at a speed over rough terrain containing obstacles in
any weather conditions.