By NIRMAL MANGAR
Gangtok: In a landmark achievement for Sikkim’s academic and engineering fraternity, Lochan Kumar Adhikari has become the first engineer from the State to be appointed Vice President of The Institution of Engineers (India) [IE(I)], the country’s largest and most prestigious professional engineering body. His elevation marks a historic milestone not only in his distinguished career but also in Sikkim’s growing presence on India’s national engineering map.
Currently serving as Chairman of IE(I) Sikkim State Centre and Vice Principal of the Advanced Technical Training Centre (ATTC), Bardang, Shri Adhikari’s appointment is being widely hailed as a moment of pride for the State. The Institution of Engineers (India), with a legacy spanning over a century, plays a pivotal role in shaping engineering education, professional standards, and policy discourse across the country.
Describing the appointment as deeply humbling, Adhikari expressed gratitude to ATTC Sikkim, IE(I), his mentors, colleagues, and generations of students who have shaped his professional journey. He noted that academically, the recognition reinforces his belief that consistency, integrity, and commitment outweigh geographical limitations, while professionally, it brings with it the responsibility to contribute meaningfully to national engineering leadership.
Importantly, he emphasised that the achievement goes far beyond individual recognition. According to him, the appointment reflects the untapped academic and technical potential of Sikkim and sends a powerful message that engineers from smaller and hill states can rise to the highest national platforms when provided with the right exposure, opportunities, and institutional support.
With strong academic foundations in Mechanical Engineering and Mechatronics, Shri Adhikari credits his education for shaping a systematic, solution-oriented, and interdisciplinary approach to leadership. These qualities, he believes, are crucial while contributing to engineering policy formulation, education reforms, and the evolution of professional standards at the national level.
A passionate educator at heart, Adhikari maintains that teaching keeps him grounded, while administrative responsibilities offer a broader perspective. He consciously integrates classroom realities into leadership decisions, stressing that administration becomes meaningful only when it strengthens teaching, mentoring, and academic rigour, rather than distancing leaders from students.
Highlighting the critical role of polytechnics and technical institutions, Adhikari described them as the backbone of India’s skill ecosystem. Institutions like ATTC, he said, play a vital role in producing industry-ready engineers equipped with hands-on competence, ethical values, and problem-solving abilities—particularly important for regional development and grassroots industrial growth.
He further stressed that in today’s rapidly evolving engineering landscape, continuous upskilling is no longer optional. Certifications, international exposure, and leadership training, he noted, are essential for engineers to remain relevant, adaptable, and globally competitive, while maintaining professional credibility.
Drawing from his exposure to institutions abroad, Shri Adhikari underlined the need for Indian engineering institutions to adopt outcome-based education, industry-integrated learning, faculty upskilling, and leadership development, alongside fostering a strong culture of ethics, accountability, and lifelong learning.
Addressing a long-standing challenge, he pointed to the persistent gap between academic theory and real-world application, observing that curricula often lag behind industry needs. Professional bodies such as IE(I), he said, can play a transformative role by fostering industry–academia collaboration, promoting applied research, and setting global professional benchmarks, with government support acting as a crucial enabler.
Reflecting on decades of student engagement, Adhikari observed that today’s students are more aware, ambitious, and globally oriented, though often under considerable pressure. He emphasised the role of educators in positively channeling this energy through mentoring, counselling, and academic discipline.
Defining the role of an academician as that of a nation builder, he remarked that educators shape not only technical competence but also values, ethics, and leadership qualities. Education, when pursued with sincerity, becomes a silent yet powerful force in nation-building.
Advocating early interdisciplinary and project-based learning, particularly in emerging fields such as mechatronics, Adhikari highlighted its importance for smaller states aspiring toward technological self-reliance through the convergence of mechanical, electrical, and digital domains.
Offering advice to young engineers, he urged them to look beyond textbooks, actively engage with professional bodies, develop communication and leadership skills, and uphold ethical standards, stating that true leadership emerges when competence is combined with integrity and service.
Looking ahead, Shri Adhikari’s vision as Vice President of IE(I) is to strengthen academic quality, professional ethics, and inclusivity, both nationally and within Sikkim. Through empowering institutions, mentoring educators, and engaging youth through IE(I), he aims to contribute towards building an engineering ecosystem that is competent, ethical, and globally respected—firmly placing Sikkim on India’s national engineering map.
