The IGS-AISAT Award, for the best M Tech thesis in Geotechnical engineering in Kerala was awarded to Aleena Tom of Saint Gits College of Engineering, Pathamuttom for her exceptional work on  ‘Experimental and numerical model study on Combined piled raft foundation’. The award which comprised of a citation and a cash prize of Rs. 10,000/-, was presented to her, by Prof. Dr. S.R Gandhi, Director SVNIT Surat and Former Professor IIT, Madras during  an august function at the sixth Praphulla Kumar Lecture on 14th October 2017 at IMA Hall, Kaloor, Ernakulam. The event was jointly organized by Indian Geotechnical Society Kochi Chapter and Association of Piling Specialists, Kochi. Mr. M.D Nair, Chairman, IGS – Kochi Chapter , Dr.Babu T. Jose, Patron,  IGS – Kochi Chapter & Director-AISAT, Rev. Fr. Denny Mathew Perringat, Manager, AISAT, Rev.Fr. Joseph Rajan Kizhavana, Assoc.Manager AISAT, Dr. Anil Joseph, Secretary, IGS Kochi chapter  and Mr. B.  Chandramohanan, President, APS – Kochi were the dignitaries present for this blissful event. The annual lecture was delivered on the topic “Foundation problems in Kochi-Case studies” by Dr. S.R Gandhi, an exceptional talent who has contributed to the growth of Geotechnical Engineering in the country with his excellence in research on Foundation engineering.

The selected finalists from a lot of 25 candidates presented their M.Tech theses before the judges for the final evaluation on 13th October 2017 at AISAT. The authors of the best five theses among the finalists were honored with certificates of appreciation and mementos.

The AISAT – GRACE award for the best B Tech project was also presented at the same function in the presence of Er.Abhilash Joy, President,GRACE-Kochi. The Mokshagundam Visvesvaraya ever rolling trophy and a cash prize of Rs. 20,000/-, for the best project was bagged by the team consisting of Ms. Karthika Sivan, Ms. Sreelakshmi Dineshand Ms. Revathy Venugopal of Sree Narayana Gurukulam College of Engineering, Kadayirippu. The winners of second prize worth Rs.15000/- were Ms. Ancy C. Baby,Ms. Fesin and Ms. Mariya Skariya of Muthoot Institute of Technology and Science, Varikoli. Ms. Ajitha V.N, Ms. Ardra R. Nair, Ms. Aswathi Sisupalan and Ms. Athira Mohan of Sree Narayana Gurukulam College of Engineering, Kadayirippu came third to receive a cash award of Rs.10000/-. Citations were also awarded to the project guides of the winners.