The flagship event of SAEINDIA, BAJA SAEINDIA stands as an apex in collegiate engineering design competitions. A team of Engineering aspirants participate in a competition with a single-seater ATV (All-Terrain Vehicle). It is a comprehensive process of conceptualizing, designing, modelling, analyzing, manufacturing, validating and competing. Each year, BAJA SAEINDIA engages 5,000 to 10,000 engineering students nationwide. With a total of 164 participating teams in season 2024, the event will be organized in 3 parts and it will become more challenging in each phase. This year's theme is “Multiverse of Mobility” as BAJA SAEINDIA aims to diversify and broaden the competition’s scope. The aim is to empower the student fraternity and polish the skills that are needed to overcome diverse challenges, surmount obstacles, gain robust technical expertise, and metamorphose into professionals ready for the dynamic workplace landscape. BAJA SAEINDIA alumni are employed by most automakers all around the world.

BAJA SAEINDIA focuses on exploring options to find feasible solutions with a vision of a smarter, safer and sustainable future. BAJA SAEINDIA is heading towards the hBAJA category as the Hydrogen-based internal combustion engines are certainly a step in the right direction. CNG-based bi-fuel injected engines are introduced for the 2024 season by BAJA SAEINDIA that will slowly progress to Hydrogen. BAJA SAEINDIA introduced aBAJA (Autonomous BAJA) as they wanted to encourage students to take part in the ADAS & AI evolution. BAJA SAEINDIA has successfully introduced this category, with support from various organisations in the industry.

A Press conference has been organised by the host institute, Chitkara University to commence the Virtual Round of BAJA SAEINDIA 2024. The Chair of SAEINDIA EEB Mr I V Rao and Distinguished Fellow at TERI gave the welcome address.

Dr K C Vora, Advisor, BAJA SAEINDIA and Professor of Practice at Chitkara University talk about how BAJA SAEINDIA is playing a vital role in shaping the Mobility Engineers of the next generation. He said, “BAJA SAEINDIA is dedicated to bridging the gap between the Industry and Academia. This competition serves as a proving ground for engineering undergraduates and postgraduates, who in the process of building a single-seater ATV, learn important technical and non-technical skills which make them industry-ready by simulating such an environment”. He further added his view, “This year, the theme is Multiverse of Mobility, where besides mBAJA (with 10 HP IC Engine) and eBAJA (with 9 kW e-Motor and Lithium-Ion Swappable Batteries) categories, we have introduced aBAJA (Autonomous BAJA) and hBAJA (HydrogenBAJA) to be at par with the industry. This will benefit the sponsor organizations since they can select the best team members and give them on-the-spot placement offers in the BAJA SAEINDIA HR Meet.”

BAJA SAEINDIA is nothing without its supporters and partners and Chitkara University for many years has been an inseparable element of BAJA SAEINDIA. Dr. Madhu Chitkara, Pro-Chancellor at Chitkara University Addresses the event, “In our commitment to fostering a skilled society and advancing research and innovation through collaborations with industry and academic institutions, Chitkara University aligns seamlessly with the vision of BAJA SAEINDIA. Our partnership, initiated in 2015, reflects our shared dedication. Serving as the host institute for Virtual BAJA SAEINDIA over the past six years, we take immense pride in our ongoing support for this program. As we continue this journey together, we remain steadfast in our resolve to empower budding engineers, nurture innovation, and contribute to the growth of the automotive landscape in India. Chitkara University is honoured to be an integral part of BAJA SAEINDIA, driving excellence and shaping the future of mobility.”

Students from various engineering backgrounds around the world came together and united to share a passion for learning, embracing new experiences, and embodying a spirit of sportsmanship. Emphasizing the significance of diversity within both BAJA SAEINDIA and the broader mobility industry, Ms Armelle Guerin, Vice-President, Software & ADAS at Renault Nissan Technology and Business Centre India said, “Each BAJA SAEINDIA event marks the convergence of hard work, creativity, and technical brilliance among the young minds. It’s a stage for innovation and cultivating tomorrow’s automotive leaders. Celebrating diversity and collaboration fuels our journey in the automotive industry forward. This year, Renault Nissan Tech is delighted to offer, for the first time, an overall award for the Top, all-girls’ team and the opportunity to do an internship at our Technical Centre. This initiative reflects our commitment to equal opportunities, aiming to inspire and empower the next generation of female engineers.”

The Virtual Round is the second phase of BAJA SAEINDIA, the three-day event from 1st to 3rd December 2023. Several events will be conducted on the first day Virtual Sales Event, Go Green Event, and Virtual Dynamic Event of Maneuverability and the last day followed by the Cost Event, the Virtual Design Evaluation Event, and the Virtual Dynamic all Terrain Performance. The Third Phase of BAJA SAEINDIA 2024 events will be held at three distinct locations to elevate the competition to new heights. Commencing the series, In January 2024 at NATRAX, Pithampur mBAJA and hBAJA will showcase their prowess.

The spotlight shifts to BV Raju Institute of Technology, Hyderabad in March 2024, as eBAJA takes centre stage. The grand culmination takes place at ARAI’s Takwe near Pune, anticipated tentatively in June 2024, and that is set to bring the aBAJA competition to its zenith. The venues are strategically chosen as, they provide a culmination of technical excellence and spirited competition, further underscoring the event's significance in shaping the future of mobility

About BAJA SAEINDIA

BAJA SAEINDIA is an educational quest for engineering college students. It is an out-of-classroom- education system, where a team of engineering students can participate, to get pragmatic exposure to real-world challenges faced in the industry. Originally, it was started by the SAE International as Mini BAJA SAE in the USA, today it is being organized in several countries. In India, since 2007, it has been organized as BAJA SAEINDIA: A Pan India University level engineering competition in which teams of engineering students from universities participate with a self-designed and self-run ATV. The Competition is evaluated over a series of Static, Dynamic and Endurance performances. Over the years, BAJA SAEINDIA has grown rapidly and has become a bigger nationwide event and over the past years, it expanded internationally as well. Young engineering talent to showcase their skills and acquire real-life experience while overcoming obstacles and challenges - critical for their long-term success on this platform.

About hBAJA & aBAJA

BAJA SAEINDIA Organizing Committee initiated the addition of two new categories under the guidance of the Steering Committee. BAJA SAEINDIA effectively introduced the new categories in partnership with various organizations. The recent technology in the mobility Industry has been represented by the hBAJA (Hydrogen BAJA) and aBAJA (Autonomous BAJA). These two categories are to be included in BAJA SAEINDIA 2024 and onwards. It is accessible for engineering students as BAJA SAEINDIA prides itself on being the torchbearer of making technology. The BAJA SAEINDIA aims to achieve a gradual transition from CNG to complete hydrogen-based engines in the coming years. BAJA SAEINDIA team presents a demo for all the teams in India to prove the fruition concepts of hBAJA and aBAJA. While eBAJA was an endeavour sparked by the comments of the Late Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, former President of India, the Steering & Organizing Committee needed to continue to uphold the late President’s legacy of advancing education and learning.

About Chitkara University

Chitkara University is located near Chandigarh. It is the highest high-ranking University in North India and ranked among the top 5% of higher education institutions in India. It has been awarded NAAC A+ accreditation and has also been ranked by NIRF (National Institute Ranking Framework). The Chitkara University offers Undergraduate and Postgraduate courses in Engineering and Technology, Business Management, Planning; Architecture, Art and Design, Mass Communication, Sales and Marketing, Hospitality Management, Pharmacy, Health Sciences, Law, Psychology, and Education for the students. Students studying at the university will be provided with the best start-up support, world-class research excellence, and many internationally renowned opportunities.