SRM University Andhra Pradesh is working on a flagship project to develop hydrogen-infused railway engines in partnership with the Indian Railways, its Pro Vice-Chancellor D Narayana Rao said in Amaravati on Thursday.

Addressing a two-day Industry-Academia Summit organised by the University in association with Confederation of Indian Industry, he said they have also tied up with the Amara Raja Group to establish the SRM-Amara Raja Centre of Excellence for developing energy storage devices.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between the two organisations in this regard.

The university has also plans to open another centre of excellence, the Jal-Janak Rail, a hydrogen-powered fuel cell-based train that would be the flagship project of SRM University AP.

The varsity also worked on projects like hardening of gold alloy and 3D printing on gold jewellery in association with Tanishq, the Pro-Vice Chancellor said.

SRM AP is a multidisciplinary research intensive institute. The collaborative model among industry and academia must evolve keeping pace with the dynamism of industry, Narayana Rao said.

AP Industrial Infrastructure Corporation chairperson R K Roja, who represented the state government, said several initiatives have been launched to inspire youth to undertake research.

The collaborative research between industry and universities like SRM-AP will help the youth to do revolutionary work in the nations progress, she said.

CII AP chairman Galla Vijay Naidu said their organisation worked as a catalyst to promote entrepreneurial talent pool emerging from the universities.

The industry should incur expenditure on supporting academic institutes that engage in research work, he added.

University Registrar D Gunasekaran, Amara Raja Batteries CEO Vijay Anand and others were present on the occasion.

Topics like artificial intelligence and machine learning, electronics and semi-conductor, new and renewable energy, additive manufacturing, healthcare and pharma were being discussed during the summit.