Indian Institute of Technology Madras (IIT Madras) Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula is launching a first-of-its-kind podcast series focused on career options for Students in Science and technology. A new episode will be aired every week.

Titled ‘Prof. Mahesh Podcast. Future. Simplyfied’, it aims to inform students and parents of the exciting prospects in various disciplines and aims to simplify career choices in science, engineering, and technology fields.

The Podcast would be available on Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms. It reflects IIT Madras’ mission to create impactful educational tools beyond the classroom. By providing credible, up-to-date guidance, “Prof. Mahesh Podcast. Future. Simplyfied.” promises to become an essential resource for students, parents, and educators navigating decision-making in the modern STEM landscape.

A video byte of Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula explaining the need for such podcasts can be viewed and downloaded from the following link - https://drive.google.com/file/d/1GhECWgfycx67AwWpTJDCw_WR-WkaqqW-/view

Supported by IIT Madras Global (the Office of Global Engagement at IIT Madras), the podcast will stand out for its educational depth, practical advice, and student-centric approach. It arrives at a crucial moment, as technology and career paths evolve faster than ever, leaving many young people searching for reliable guidance.

Addressing a Press Conference in the campus today (8th May 2025) to mark the Podcast launch, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “We want to create pathways for bright students to be able to go into any discipline and make a difference to society by following their passion.”

Congratulating Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula on the podcast launch, V. Kamakoti added, “Prof. Mahesh has been a fountainhead of ideas for the Institute. This latest venture spearheaded by him will fix the information asymmetry problem in the country, where parents and students are taking decisions without fully realizing the career potential in each discipline.”

Highlighting the need for such podcasts, Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, who is also the Head of the Center of Excellence on Sports Science and Analytics, IIT Madras, said, “I want to take the stress out of career decision-making and help students, parents, and well-wishers make informed, confident choices. It is time to cut through misinformation and ensure that credible information is available to all stakeholders about different paths in science and engineering, especially in a growing country like India.”

With decades of experience mentoring students, Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Emeritus), IIT Madras, understands the confusion and anxiety surrounding career decisions in STEM. As a former Dean of Alumni and Corporate Relations at IIT Madras, he turbocharged the institute's fundraising from Alumni, Corporate Firms and philanthropists, raising over Rs. 1,200 Crore in the last six years. This is the highest fundraising for any educational institution in India.

Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula also led the team that launched Shaastra, the Nation’s first tech magazine from a top Indian educational institution that provides an Indian perspective on global science and technology developments. This magazine received appreciation from the-then Vice President of India Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu.

Prof. Mahesh Panchagnula also co-created Nirmaan Pre-incubator in the Institute, which has already supported more than 125 start-ups. He also oversaw the growth of IIT Madras Incubation Cell, one of India’s top Deep-Tech Incubator, as Faculty In-Charge.

The new podcast seeks to bridge the gap between academic aspirations and real-world opportunities by offering:

O Expert Interviews: Conversations with leading professionals and innovators.

O Student Q&As: Real questions answered, busting myths and clarifying doubts.

O Career Insights: Simplyfied breakdowns of emerging trends in India and abroad.

O Multilingual Access: Summaries available in Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and English.

The First Episode is being launched today (8th May 2025). The Featured Guests and topics are

O Prof. Madhura Swaminathan (ISI Bangalore): ‘Emerging Trends in Agricultural Intelligence-How Does Food Get on Our Table?

O Prof. Balaraman Ravindran (IIT Madras): ‘Emerging Trends in AI and Data Science’

O Where to Listen: Spotify, YouTube, Apple Podcasts, and all major platforms

PODCAST LINKS

YouTube full podcast: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfMaheshPodcast
(this channel will have the full length podcast)

YouTube podcast clips: https://www.youtube.com/@ProfMaheshShorts
(this channel will have multiple clips from the podcast, each between 2 to 5 mins)

Instagram channel: https://www.instagram.com/profmaheshpodcast
(this channel will have clips only