NIT Trichy director receives IEEE Best Teacher Award

NIT Trichy director receives IEEE Best Teacher Award

Dr. Mini Shaji Thomas, director of NIT Tiruchirappalli, received the IEEE Kerala Section 2019 Best Teacher Award in a glittering ceremony in Kozhikode in the presence of Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan of Infosys and Dr. SivajiChakraborti, director of NIT Calicut.

Mr.Satish Babu, Chairperson of the Awards Committee recognized her as “an outstanding teacher who has promoted values-based education that combines academic excellence with compassion and service to humanity.” He further added that she is “an inspiration to students and teachers alike.”

Dr. Mini Thomas in her acceptance speech, emphasized that she chose teaching profession out of love for imparting knowledge to others, as a service to society, although she had many other job offers and opportunities.  She was excited to receive an award for teaching and encouraged the younger generation to aspire to be teachers, as good quality teachers is the need of the hour for all educational Institutions.  It was also heartening that the award ceremony in Kozhikode brought her back to REC/NIT Calicut, after 3 decades, where she started her teaching career.

Recently, during the floods that ravaged large parts of Kerala and caused massive power shut down, Dr. Mini Thomas responded to a call from the IEEE Kerala Section by providing 500 low cost electric distribution boards as minimum power outlet, with the help of NIT Tiruchirappalli students and faculty.

An electrical engineer from IIT Delhi, Mini Thomas is internationally recognized for her work in the areas of Power System Automation and SCADA.  She was head of the electrical engineering department at JamiaMiliaIslamia before assuming charge as director, NIT Tiruchirappalli.

Under her able guidance, NIT Tiruchirappalli has improved in national and international rankings.  A 180-crore Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing was set up in partnership with Siemens.  The institute signed MoUs with Tata Motors for an augmented engineering program.  BHEL, Trichy is developing the prototype of an electrical vehicle at NIT Trichy.  The Institute developed the 5 year strategic plan last year and is on an implementation path now. The campus won two green awards last year and efforts are on towards a more green and sustainable campus.

Photo from left to right

Mr Satish Babu, Awards committee chair, Mr. Kris Gopalakrishnan, Co-Founder Infosys, Mr. Amarnath Raja, CEO, Inapp, Dr. Mini Thomas, Dr. Sameer, Chair, IEEE Kerala Section.