The Chronicles

Monthly Newsletter of NICMAR University Pune

Nurturing Ideas and Shaping the Built Environment of Tomorrow!!

August 2025, Volume 3, No. 8

Greetings to the NICMAR University Family,

It is a pleasure to reach out to you through this communication. As the Interim Dean of Infrastructure and Planning, I am proud to share some exciting developments happening across our campus.
NICMAR University, Pune has always stood for excellence in education, especially in construction, real estate, infrastructure, and project management. We continue to focus on innovation, sustainability, and creating the best possible learning environment for our students and faculty.
Over the past year, we have taken major steps to improve our campus. From upgrading our buildings to adopting the latest technologies, we are working hard to create a space that supports both learning and sustainability. These efforts are helping us set new standards in educational infrastructure.
Our academic blocks now offer modern spaces for research, collaboration, and innovation. We’ve also made great progress in making our campus eco-friendly. Our new buildings are being designed with energy-efficient systems, water-saving technologies, and sustainable materials.
We are especially proud to announce that part of our campus has received IGBC Platinum Certification—a top honour for green buildings in India. This shows our strong commitment to building a sustainable and responsible campus.
Alongside this, our digital transformation efforts are shaping the future of our academic environment. Smart classrooms, better communication networks, and strong data systems have made the campus more connected and efficient.
Looking ahead, we will keep improving and innovating. We want to build a culture where everyone—students, faculty, staff, and alumni—feels inspired to share ideas and be part of NICMAR University’s growth.
Thank you all for your continued support and dedication. Together, we are building a campus that promotes learning, growth, and well-being.

Dr. Amol Pawar
warm regards,
Dr. Amol Pawar
Interim Dean
Infrastructure and Planning
Ph. D. Induction Program - Batch July 2025

The Fifth Batch of Ph.D scholars were inducted on July 09, 2025 to the University. 12 research scholars joined the course, this marks the beginning of an exciting path of inquiry, discovery, and academic excellence. Dr Laishram Boeing Singh Professor – IIT Guwahati acted as the Chief Guest for the Programme. Dr Singh said that Ph.D. journey should be driven by passion, not compulsion. Passion fuels learning and growth, compulsion can take a toll on one’s well-being. Drawing from his own experience, he emphasized how this journey taught him valuable lessons—not just academically, but emotionally—especially in learning how to cope with rejection and persevere with purpose.

Annual Leadership Summit

Dr. (Mrs.) Sushma Kulkarni, Vice Chancellor of NICMAR University, Pune, participated in the Annual Leadership Summit 2025 organized by the Indo Universal Collaboration for Engineering Education (IUCEE) from July 10 to July 12, 2025, in Goa. Dr. Kulkarni contributed to the summit as a facilitator, actively engaging in discussions focused on transformative leadership in higher education. The summit brought together academic leaders and change-makers from across the country to deliberate on innovative strategies for academic excellence and global collaboration.

From Theory to Practice: Applying Design Thinking, Education Research and Project/Problem Based Learning

Centre of Excellence for Academic Practices organized Five Days Faculty Development Programme on, ‘From Theory to Practice: Applying Design Thinking, Education Research and Project/Problem Based Learning’ during 30th June 2025 to 4th July, 2025. This five-day faculty development program attempted to bridge the gap between educational research and classroom implementation by exploring the powerful, evidence based active learning strategies such as design thinking, project/problem-based learning, team-based learning etc. At the end of this five-day FDP, participants were able to get practical insights on designing and implementing effective sessions and modules using evidence-based principles and best practices for their specific educational context and research. They also created an action plan for integrating these active learning approaches into their current teaching and research practices including specific implementation timelines, resource requirements, and methods for measuring success. The resource persons for the FDP were: 1) Mr. Basavraj Hooli, Senior Adviser, CDAC-Pune, Founder Director, Graceful Growth Consulting India Pvt. Ltd., 2) Dr. Briju Thankachan, Executive Director of EdTech Society and a Visiting Faculty at the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and 3) Dr. Rahul Ralegaonkar, Professor, VNIT, Nagpur. A special session on ‘Mentoring Ph.D. students for impactful research output’ was organised in collaboration with Department of Research. The session was delivered by Dr. Rahul Ralegaonkar. The FDP was attended by participants from external colleges as well.

Driving Zero-Waste Change: Mr. Anil Gokarna

On 23rd July 2025, the School of Energy and Environment at NICMAR University, Pune had the honour of hosting Mr. Anil Gokarn, CEO of ProEarth India Ltd., for an insightful and thought-provoking session on sustainable waste management. Mr. Gokarn presented ProEarth’s innovative zero-waste model, showcasing how they serve over 15,000 households daily and divert nearly 300 tons per month of waste from landfills — the equivalent weight of 20,000 elephants! Working with housing societies, corporates, institutions, gram panchayats, and municipalities, ProEarth is truly driving change from the ground up. Since 2014, their focus has been clear: eliminate waste at the source through composting, garden waste collection, and dry waste recycling. The highlight? “Segregation at Source is the First Step.” And yes, Zero Waste is the Future. The session also introduced the upcoming Go Green with Tetra Pak 2.0 campaign, soon to be launched on our NICMAR campus.

Industry Talk by Ms. Neha Dugal on 'How to Run a Construction Company'

Ms. Neha Dugal, Senior Vice President & General Manager at Batson-Cook Terxas, LLC, USA, delivered an insightful Industry Expert Talk on the topic ‘How to Run a Construction Company.’ During the session, she shared valuable perspectives on key areas such as Business Development, Marketing, Finance, and Human Resources in the U.S. construction sector.

IQAC- Workshop on 'Psychological Counselling of Students'

The Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) organized a workshop on "Psychological Counselling of Students", for all faculty members with an aim to initiate a dialogue on various mental health related issues faced by students, and how faculty members can guide and support them to address such issues. A certain degree of knowledge about psychological counselling can equip faculty members to offer appropriate counsel to students, identify warning signs of distress and show the right path to tackle the issues in a timely manner. With this rationale, the workshop was conducted by Shamla Anand, an expert counsellor in the field of psychological counselling and student support. The speaker highlighted the growing psychological challenges faced by students, including stress, anxiety, peer pressure, academic burnout, and adjustment issues. The interactive workshop included real-life case studies, Q & A interactions, and practical strategies that faculty can implement in their day-to-day engagement with students. Faculty members actively participated and expressed appreciation for the relevance and timeliness of the topic.

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Birthday Celebrations

As we reopen post vacations continuing our tradition of celebrating birthdays as a way to honour the incredible people we work with, we celebrated the birthdays of our May, June, and July born colleagues in the month end.

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Students Explore Electric Mobility at EMotorad

MBA and FBE students visited EMotorad Pvt. Ltd., Pune, on 23rd July 2025, gaining firsthand exposure to the dynamic world of electric mobility. EMotorad, a leading manufacturer of electric bicycles, opened its doors to students for a comprehensive industrial walkthrough. The visit offered valuable insights into automated manufacturing operations, quality control practices, and battery development. Students observed the assembly line, component integration, and the battery aging process that ensures product reliability. This experiential learning opportunity deepened their understanding of innovation, sustainability, and precision in the e-mobility sector.

Enhancing Public Speaking with Humour

Mr. Sahil Horane, a renowned stand-up comedian, conducted an engaging session for third-year IMBA students on 30 July, focusing on the use of stand-up comedy techniques to enhance public speaking. He shared valuable insights on incorporating storytelling, humour, timing, and body language to create a stronger connection with the audience. Mr. Horane highlighted how humour can make presentations more impactful and memorable. The interactive session encouraged students to explore creative ways of communication. His practical tips offered a fresh perspective on building confidence and audience rapport through laughter and presence.

Empowering Tomorrow’s Leaders Through Life Skills

On 11th July 2025, IMBA students participated in a powerful workshop on Life Skills and Personality Development led by renowned trainer Ms. Hyacinth Arya. The session focused on essential soft skills such as self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and effective communication. Through engaging activities and real-life simulations, students explored their personal values, strengths, and interpersonal skills. Ms. Arya’s dynamic and interactive style inspired students to reflect, grow, and build confidence. The session was a step forward in NBS’s mission to develop well-rounded, purpose-driven professionals.

From Ideas to Impact: IMBA Students Dive into Content Creation

IMBA students attended an engaging session on Content Development and Blogging led by Dr. Preeti Mulay, on 10th July 2025. The session focused on building a strong digital presence and crafting compelling blog content. Dr. Mulay shared practical tips on audience engagement, content structure, and the importance of consistency in online branding. Students learned how to express their ideas effectively and position themselves in the content-driven digital landscape. The interactive session sparked creative thinking and encouraged students to explore blogging as a powerful professional tool.

We are proud to announce the successful conclusion of this year’s placement season, achieving an outstanding 99.17% placement rate! We witnessed enthusiastic participation from both domestic and international recruiters. International companies from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) — including Bahrain, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates — once again reaffirmed their trust in NICMARians. Organizations across diverse sectors such as Engineering Construction, EPC, Commercial Construction, Construction Chemicals, Management Consulting, Risk Advisory, Infrastructure, Sustainability & Environment, Supply Chain & Logistics, Oil & Gas, Real Estate Advisory, and Project Management marked their presence in this placement season.
This continued confidence from industry leaders stands as a testament to NICMAR's reputation as a preferred hiring destination and our unwavering commitment to nurturing a robust talent pipeline for the Construction, Real Estate, Infrastructure, and Project Management sectors. The trust and faith shown by our recruiters instil a deep sense of confidence and enthusiasm as we gear up for the upcoming 2025–26 placement season. Once again, a big congratulations to all our students who will proudly represent NICMAR on truly global platforms!

Chief Patron

Dr. Anil Kashyap

President and Chancellor,
NICMAR University, Pune

Patron

Dr. Mrs. Sushma S. Kulkarni

Vice Chancellor, NICMAR University, Pune

Advisor

Dr. Rahul Deshpande

Dean QA, NICMAR University, Pune

Editor

Dr. Vandana Bhavsar

Associate Professor, NICMAR University, Pune

Editor

Dr. Soumi Rai

Associate Professor, NICMAR University, Pune

Assistant Editor

Dr. Shripada Patil

Assistant Professor, NICMAR University, Pune

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