Judging Panel
Industry leaders with rich experience in electronics, product engineering, and robotics systems. They bring hands-on expertise to evaluate innovation, creativity, and real-world impact. As judges, they aim to inspire and mentor the next generation of hardware innovators.
Dhananjay Singh​
Position: Senior Civil Servant in the Government of India
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dhananjay-singh-ph-d-19947377
Previous Experience: Commissioned Officer in the Indian Army, Ministry of Defence
Dhananjay Singh is an accomplished public servant, researcher, and leader whose career reflects excellence across government service, academics, and national development. He currently serves in the Indian Revenue Service (IRS), Ministry of Finance, Government of India, where he has been contributing since 2016 in key administrative and strategic roles across multiple states. Earlier, he also served as a Commissioned Officer under the Ministry of Defence, showcasing his strong commitment to national service, discipline, and leadership. His work spans governance, policy implementation, cyber forensics, ethics, and organizational management.
He earned his Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, specializing in AI Ethics, Responsible AI, and Sustainable Supply Chain Management. He also completed higher legal studies at the National Law School of India University (NLSIU), strengthening his expertise in business law, governance, and ethics. Among his notable achievements are the prestigious Duke University USA Fellowship for Future Leaders in Development, appreciation from the Chairman of CBIC, multiple UGC National Eligibility Test qualifications, and publications in reputed journals such as The TQM Journal and Business Standard. His presence as a judge added immense credibility, insight, and inspiration to the event.
Dr. Uma Reddy N​
Position: Professor and Head of the Department - Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-uma-reddy-n
Previous Experience: Professor and Head-ECE, AMC Engineering College
Dr. Uma Reddy N is a highly respected academic leader and researcher with extensive experience in engineering education, innovation, and departmental leadership. She currently serves as the Professor and Head of the Department of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning at New Horizon College of Engineering, Bengaluru, where she leads academic development, curriculum design, and emerging technology initiatives. Prior to this, she served for over a decade as Professor and Head of Electronics and Communication Engineering at AMC Engineering College, along with leadership roles at several reputed institutions in Bengaluru. Her career reflects a strong commitment to quality education, student mentorship, and advancing technical learning.
She holds a Ph.D. from Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU) in Mixed Mode VLSI and further strengthened her expertise through an Executive PG Programme in Machine Learning and AI from IIIT Bangalore. Her transition from core electronics to modern AI and ML domains highlights her adaptability and forward-thinking approach in education. With vast experience in curriculum development, educational leadership, and technical training, her presence as a judge brought valuable academic insight, industry relevance, and inspiring guidance to the event.
Shreekumar​
Position: HardTech + DeepTech for Digital Inclusion and beyond
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shreekumar3d
Previous Experience: Software Architect, Innominds
Shreekumar is an accomplished technology architect, innovator, and engineering leader with deep expertise in embedded systems, Android platforms, high-performance computing, and scalable product design. He has held key leadership roles at Innominds, where he served as Entrepreneur in Residence and Software Architect, driving breakthrough innovations such as the SmartTerminal platform, a multi-user computing solution that enables 16 or more users to share a single computer efficiently. His work has focused on creating cost-effective, high-impact technology solutions for education, industry, digital libraries, and enterprise environments. Earlier, he was a key contributor at Hewlett-Packard (HP), where he worked on scientific visualization, cluster computing, GPU resource management, and open-source scalable visualization technologies.
He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science from University B.D.T College of Engineering and has also earned a Graduate Certificate in Public Policy (Technology and Policy) from The Takshashila Institution with Outstanding Performance. His achievements include a US Patent (2026) for a secure multi-user multimedia terminal system, the Best Paper Award at the Eurographics Parallel Graphics and Visualization Conference, and the HPCWire Reader’s Choice Award for HP’s Scalable Visualization product. With strong expertise in product architecture, innovation, and real-world engineering, his presence as a judge brought valuable technical depth, practical insight, and visionary guidance to the event.
Shivam Kajale​
Position: Co-Founder @ ASTRM Intelligence Labs
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shivam-kajale-23279b88
Previous Experience: Pre-Silicon Verification Engineer at Intel Corporation
Shivam Kajale is an accomplished deep-tech entrepreneur, researcher, and engineer working at the intersection of artificial intelligence, advanced hardware systems, and next-generation autonomous technologies. He is the Co-Founder of ASTRM Intelligence Labs, where he is building AI-native unmanned systems for autonomous and integrated defense applications. Alongside his entrepreneurial work, he has served as a Graduate Research Assistant at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), contributing to cutting-edge research in nanoelectronics, instrumentation, and advanced device systems. He has also gained elite industry experience through roles at Cerebras Systems, where he worked on the Wafer-Scale Engine, and Intel Corporation, where he contributed to verification engineering for the Alder Lake SoC platform.
He earned his Ph.D. in Nanoelectronics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and previously completed a Dual Degree (B.Tech + M.Tech) in Electrical and Electronics Engineering from IIT Bombay. His research portfolio includes work in quantum computing, nanomagnetics, semiconductor systems, and computational materials science, with multiple technical publications to his credit. With a rare combination of academic brilliance, frontier engineering experience, and entrepreneurial vision, his presence as a judge brought world-class technical insight, innovation-focused thinking, and exceptional inspiration to the event.
Dr. Sreejith S​
Position: Associate Professor, Department of Artificial Intelligence & Machine Learning, New Horizon, Bangalore
LinkedIn Profile: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-sreejith-s-8521b714
Previous Experience: Assistant professor at SNS Institutions, Coimbatore
Dr. Sreejith S is a dedicated academician, researcher, and technology professional with strong experience in higher education, engineering instruction, and applied research. He currently serves as an Associate Professor at New Horizon College of Engineering, Bengaluru, where he contributes to teaching, mentoring, and academic development. Prior to this, he held faculty positions as an Assistant Professor at SNS Institutions, Coimbatore, and at reputed engineering colleges in Kerala, building over a decade of experience in technical education. Earlier in his career, he also worked as a Program Analyst at Cognizant, giving him valuable industry exposure alongside his academic expertise.
He holds a Ph.D. from Anna University Chennai in Information and Communication Engineering, reflecting his strong research background in advanced engineering domains. In addition, he has earned professional certifications from IBM in Enterprise Design Thinking, highlighting his interest in innovation-driven problem solving and modern development practices. With expertise spanning teaching, research, and industry-oriented learning, his presence as a judge brought thoughtful evaluation, technical depth, and valuable guidance to the event.