Applied research, engineered with industry.
KCIRI turns applied research into working products — autonomous vehicles, e-mobility, renewable energy and aerospace systems — built shoulder-to-shoulder with the industries and defence labs that put them to work.
See what we build Autonomous Campus Utility Vehicle · SAE L4 · CAMPUS MOBILITY
Trusted by industry & defence
Between the lab bench and the factory floor.
The industrial research arm of Kumaraguru Institutions — faculty, student researchers and industry engineers working on the same problems, in the same building.
KCIRI is the industrial research arm of Kumaraguru Institutions — a focused ecosystem where faculty, students and industry solve real engineering problems together.
It supports R&D organisations and industry through faculty and student expertise, delivers industry-backed project-based learning, and stands up sponsored research, product and competency centres — bridging the gap between the student and the industry.
Founded on Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam Memorial Day, in remembrance of the scientist-President who believed research belongs in the hands of the young.
Vision
Exemplary leadership in applied research and specialised skill development, through a vibrant ecosystem of industry and academia.
Mission
- Support R&D and industry with faculty and student expertise.
- Industry-backed, project-based learning for UG & PG.
- Sponsored research, product and competency centres.
Focus areas
- F-01Autonomous Vehicles
- F-02E-Mobility
- F-03Renewable Energy
- F-04Smart Systems
- F-05Internet of Things
- F-06Design & Manufacturing
Four ways to work with us.
Whether you arrive with a research question, a product idea or a team that needs new skills — there is a defined path into KCIRI.
Industrial Research & Consultancy
Applied research and product-development support for industries, DRDO labs and MSMEs — from problem to validated result.
Innovation & Project Development
Novel, disruptive products taken from concept to working prototype by KCIRI's engineers and student researchers.
Skill Development & Manufacturing
Industry-sponsored competency centres and project-based learning that build hands-on capability on campus.
Advanced Learning Programmes
Industry-backed certifications aligned with Skill-India and Make-in-India, guided by an advisory council of experts.
Research you can see, touch and drive.
Tri-Sonic Wind Tunnel
FACILITY · CFDA wind tunnel spanning subsonic, transonic and supersonic regimes — Mach 0.4 to 4 across 30–40 second runs for aerospace-vehicle testing.
UV Disinfectant Bot
PROJECT · BOTAn autonomous robot that sanitises workspaces with UV-C light — built during the COVID-19 pandemic to keep shared spaces infection-free.
Reverse Engineering of a Seeker Head Gimbal System
DRDL, DRDOFull reverse engineering of a seeker head gimbal — kinematics, metrology, 3D models and manufacturing drawings for indigenous manufacture.
Numerical Analysis of a Tri-Sonic Wind Tunnel Nozzle System
DRDL, DRDODesign of a variable Mach number nozzle system spanning subsonic, transonic and supersonic operation, developed through theory and CFD.
Tractor Electrification — Powertrain Integration
Robert Bosch, CoimbatoreA diesel tractor converted to a reliable electric machine for industrial use — powertrain mounts designed, integrated, validated and tested.
Autonomous Campus Utility Vehicle
PROJECT · AVA driverless campus utility vehicle supporting manual, remote and autonomous modes, built around AI perception, RTK GPS and CAN communication.
Main Rotor Lead-Lag Damper for Helicopters
HALIndigenous design and development of the main rotor lead-lag damper used on ALH and LUH helicopters, for rotor stability on the ground and in flight.
Tester for the IL-76/78 Engine Control Unit
5BRD, Indian Air ForceThe first tester of its kind developed in India for the engine control unit of the IL-76/78 heavy lift aircraft — six units supplied.
Repair of the Gun Control Unit of a Fighter Aircraft
5BRD, Indian Air ForceIndigenous recovery of obsolete high-value fighter aircraft units — six restored, validated and returned to operational service.
All 33 projectsDedicated labs, built with the industry that uses them.
Each centre runs design, testing and skilling alongside its industry partner.
Centre of Excellence in Advanced Design
Brings a “science to engineering” culture to modelling, visualisation, CFD and crash analysis across aerospace, automotive, marine and energy.
KCT–EZON Centre for Renewable Energy
Solar installations and vertical-axis wind turbines — spanning gear and motor design, remote monitoring, embedded systems and inverters.
Innovation Centre for E-Mobility
Three divisions under one roof: EV product development for industry and defence, motor/battery/charging testing, and hands-on EV skilling.
KCIRI Avionics Research Centre
Established to serve the national “Atmanirbhar Bharat” vision by tackling field challenges faced by the defence services — schematic development, circuit simulation and performance analysis, with life-cycle support for legacy systems.
KCIRI Envitest Technology Centre
Environmental qualification under one roof: a shock and vibration test facility, thermal chamber and heating oven for proving components and assemblies against service conditions.
Electroplating & Surface Engineering Facility
Research on electroplated nickel-phosphorus, nickel-boron and nickel-tungsten nano-crystalline layers on steel — characterising hardness, wear and corrosion behaviour for industrial surfaces.
- FLAGSHIP · TRI-SONIC WIND TUNNEL
Mach 0.4 to 4, in one test section.
KCIRI's most distinctive facility, and the reason aerospace work lands here.
- 013 regimes
Subsonic, transonic, supersonic
Three speed regimes produced in a single test section, rather than across three separate facilities.
- 020.4–4 Mach
The tri-sonic envelope
The full envelope from Mach 0.4 through Mach 4, covering the range aerospace vehicles are characterised across.
- 0330–40 s
Run duration
Each run holds flow for thirty to forty seconds — long enough to capture a complete aerodynamic data set.
- 04CFD
Backed by simulation
Physical runs are paired with the Centre of Excellence in Advanced Design's high-performance computing for CFD correlation.
The people who run the ecosystem.
28 engineers, researchers and research fellows across CFD, FEA, embedded systems, propulsion, CAD and manufacturing — led from industry, academia and defence.
Vasantharaj C
Rear Admiral Mohandoss V (Retd)
Premkumar PS
Kavitha Prabhu
Alexander A
Praveen UK
Krishnakumar P
Muthukeerthana S
Karthi A
Abishek M
Gautham V
Ganesan VG
John Samuel S
Vijayakrishna S
Meignanakumar B
Santhosh Kumar S
Suhail Ahmed S
Sanjay N
Lesanth KR
Manoj S
Arunvetrivel C
Udhayakumar S
Pandi Udayakumar S
Vijaysunder Y
Madhav S
Guru Karthikeyan S
Adithyaa A
Kartheeswaran R
What's happening at KCIRI.
Tri-sonic wind tunnel reaches Mach 4 in settling-chamber trials
Performance analysis of the settling chamber confirms stable flow across the subsonic-to-supersonic envelope.
2 Sept 2025E-MOBILITYInnovation Centre for E-Mobility opens EV testing support to industry
Motor, battery, controller and charging-station testing is now available to partners, alongside on-campus EV skilling.
27 Jun 2025RESEARCHKCIRI extends R&D consultancy to DRDO labs and MSMEs
New engagements span precision mechanics, embedded control and simulation for defence and small-manufacturer partners.
Trusted where the work is hardest.
Defence labs, national programmes and industry partners bring KCIRI problems that have to work the first time.
A trusted partner to the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.
The KCIRI Avionics Research Centre, launched at the 8th Annual Day.
Control systems, FEA, materials, power electronics and machine learning.
From autonomous vehicles to design and manufacturing.
Bring us a hard engineering problem.
Research, consultancy, product development or a competency centre of your own — start a conversation with the KCIRI team.