VIT student’s presentation on mirror neurons bags world title

VELLORE: A 21-year-old computer science engineering student of the Vellore Institute of Technology (VIT) university clinched the world title of the Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET) Present Around The World (PATW) 2017 contest held in London last week.

For over 15 years now, the PATW global competition is being held by the IET for young professionals and students in the engineering and technology domains.

Following the Vellore Institute of Technology student Shubham Saraff’s technical presentation at the South Asia Final in Bengaluru in August last, which had participants from nine regions of the continent, he was selected for the finals of the Institution of Engineering and Technology  in London.

Shubham delivered his technical presentation on ‘Mirror Neurons’ and conceptualised a new technique to treat neurological disorders like stuttering that affects over 300 million people worldwide and currently has no effective cure.

“I will integrate my learning through my understanding of the human brain and my knowledge about computer science,” said Shubham.

His journey to the world title was quite remarkable, starting with a university level round held in March, followed by a zonal round and the local network final in April. Then he took part in the South Asia Final from which he was selected for the last round.

Shubham was the youngest among the global top five contestants who were selected out of thousands of candidates from 150 countries.

He competed against finalists from the American continents, Asia Pacific, UK and Middle East and Africa regions and most of them were doctorate holders.

Shubham has now been invited to present a paper on Artificial Intelligence at the Cambridge University in January 2018.

A licensed scuba diver, he is also a recipient of several International awards for academics including a Merit Scholarship Award and Distinction in Speech from the Trinity College of London.