XLRI Delhi-NCR partnership with ATS India
INDEA, under the aegis of the XLRI Centre for Automobile Design & Management (XADM), India's first dedicated school for automobile design and management, has announced a strategic partnership with ATS India (Automotive Test Systems). This collaboration marks a significant milestone as the school takes shape. As part of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), ATS will oversee the end-to-end project management, including the design, setup, and commissioning of the proposed design studio and prototyping facility in the school, further solidifying its pioneering role in the automotive education landscape.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by Mr. Avik Chattopadhyay, Chairperson of XADM and Founder of INDEA, and Mr. S. Ramanathan, Managing Director of ATS India. The responsibilities cover specifying the required software, hardware, servers, equipment, and civil infrastructure such as electricity and water supply. Additionally, the MoU envisages selecting top-tier vendors and partners, along with securing long-term maintenance contracts to ensure sustained operational efficiency. This collaboration aims to optimize resource utilization for testing and research, while fostering knowledge sharing and capacity building between the two organizations.
Speaking on the occasion, Dr Fr K.S. Casimir, Director of XLRI Delhi-NCR said, “The partnership with ATS is a significant step in the direction of building a world-class design facility as part of the design school. We value their expertise and experience. Together, we will bring the best brands in the business as partners in setting up an institution for the greater good that will do the nation proud”
Avik Chattopadhyay, Chairperson - XADM and Founder – INDEA added “To create a global benchmark, one needs the best domain experts and we at XADM are privileged to have ATS as one at the initial stages of the setting up of India's first dedicated automobile design school. They will get the best from across the world for the design and prototyping facilities that are core to the school. Ramanathan and the ATS team share our dream and commitment towards building a world-class institution”
S. Ramanathan, MD of ATS India further added “The setting up of the state-of-the-art centre focusing on Automotive Design Management by XLRI is a first in India. It’ll give an opportunity for the students to learn the nuances of designing and developing as well as managing an automotive ‘protoshop’. They’ll get to learn design management, parts manufacturing, vehicle integration as well as basic testing and validation. It will benefit the industry in a big way, especially start-ups who can come & use these facilities for their product development. We expect this project to set up a great example of industry-academia collaboration in the automotive space and are really happy to be associated with such a prestigious project”.
Upon completion, the facility will be commissioned under the guidance of XADM and XLRI Delhi NCR, positioning it as a premier destination for automotive design education and research. This collaboration marks a significant step forward in bridging the gap between academic knowledge and industry practices, equipping students with the skills and expertise needed to excel in the rapidly evolving automotive sector. It will create the required world-class environment for the faculty, students and industry to co-create sustainable and inclusive mobility solutions for the greater good.
