The Department of Mechanical Engineering organized a one-week Value Added Course on “Sustainable Entrepreneurship and Rural Enterprise Development” from 22.06.2026 to 27.06.2026 for the II-Year Mechanical Engineering students. The inaugural function commenced with the felicitation address by Dr. M. Sekar, Principal, AAA College of Engineering and Technology. The programme was formally inaugurated by Dr. S. S. Saravanakumar, Professor and Head, Department of Mechanical Engineering, who welcomed the gathering and emphasized the importance of entrepreneurship and sustainable development in today’s engineering profession.

The Chief Guest, Mr. G. Yashwant, Entrepreneurship Development Executive, Hand in Hand Academy for Social Entrepreneurship, Kancheepuram, delivered an inspiring keynote address highlighting the significance of entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, rural enterprise development, and the diverse career opportunities available for aspiring entrepreneurs. Throughout the six-day programme, the sessions were conducted by experts from the Hand in Hand Academy for Social Entrepreneurship. The course comprised a balanced combination of theoretical lectures, practical sessions, interactive discussions, and activity-based learning, enabling students to gain hands-on exposure to entrepreneurial concepts and sustainable business practices.

A total of 56 students benefited from the programme. The course was coordinated by Mr. M. Karthikeyan AP/Mech, Dr.M.Kaliraj AP(SG)/Mech and Dr. R. Meby Selvaraj, AP(SG)/Mech, whose efforts ensured the successful organization and execution of the programme.

The Value-Added Course successfully enhanced students’ entrepreneurial mindset, leadership qualities, problem-solving abilities, and awareness of sustainable and rural enterprise opportunities, thereby contributing to their overall professional development.