NIE gets ALPHA Innovation and Tinkerers’ Lab

Mysuru: The National Institute of Engineering (NIE), Mysuru, inaugurated its state-of-the-art ALPHA Innovation and Tinkerers’ Laboratory at the NIE North Campus in Koorgalli on May 21.

This landmark initiative, supported by Maker Bhavan Foundation (MBF), Lenovo and Motorola, brings together hardware prototyping and advanced AI/ML computing under one roof, accessible 24×7 to students and faculty.

The Innovation Lab was inaugurated by Prof. Timothy A. Gonsalves, Board member of Maker Bhavan Foundation, Professor Emeritus and Founding Director of IIT Mandi while the Tinkerers’ Lab was launched by Shailendra Katyal, Vice-President & Managing Director, Lenovo India.

ALPHA (Advanced Laboratory for Programming, Hardware, and Analytics) marks a significant leap in experiential engineering education. It is Karnataka’s first twin-lab model, integrating High-Performance Computing Systems and Electromechanical Prototyping Tools, bridging theory and practice for over 4,500 engineering students.

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Rohini Nagapadma, Principal of NIE, said, “This laboratory is more than just equipment — it’s an ecosystem where students will learn to solve real-world problems using both tactile  making and AI infrastructure.”

Damayanti Bhattacharya, CEO of Maker Bhavan Foundation, said, “With the ALPHA Lab, we are not just building a space but building a mindset. Our goal is to ignite a culture of invention, where students learn by doing, think fearlessly, and solve real-world problems with confidence.”

Katyal added, “At Lenovo, we are proud to collaborate with NIE Mysuru and the Maker Bhavan Foundation to empower the next generation of innovators. By bringing advanced AI/ML capabilities into a hands-on learning environment, ALPHA Lab will enable students and faculty across disciplines to engage in real-world problem-solving, cutting-edge research, and meaningful innovation.”

Prof. V. Balaji, Project Head of ALPHA, said, “This is a landmark achievement for NIE — the first CSR and Foundation-funded initiative of its kind in the institute’s history.”