Pune College of Engineering team wins BAJA SAEINDIA 2015

Team Nemesis Racing from College of Engineering, Pune bagged the first prize in the 8^th 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 2^nd and 3^rd 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.