STORY CREDITS
Writer: Apeksha Srivastava
Photo: Arijit Reeves and Ambika Neela

Ambika Neela grew up in the small town of Ishwarganj in Bangladesh. After completing 10th grade, she shifted to live in the Mymensingh District for higher secondary education. For her, life in Bangladesh involved studying, playing, learning music, and having picnics with friends. As the youngest in the family, vacations were very precious to her during childhood. “Home felt like home when everyone was together,” she recalls. Ambika eventually arrived in India and pursued her BTech from the National Institute of Technology Durgapur in 2022. 

Ambika shares her mother’s advice, “You should complete your master’s before starting a job. Once you start working, you may never feel like studying again.” Inspired, she applied for the Study in India (SII) scholarship. However, it was partial, and Ambika was searching for institutes that offered better financial help. After her interview at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN), she realised that she had a 100% scholarship from the Government of India and would also be receiving the institute fellowship from IITGN. She asked one of her seniors about the institute’s culture, whether she would be comfortable and feel at home. Upon hearing that the environment was supportive and everyone was reachable, she felt assured and ready to take this opportunity. 

To Ambika, IITGN felt welcoming from day 1. Recounting that she received her visa a day before starting her travel from Dhaka to Ahmedabad, Ambika remembers her participation in Aarohan, a foundation program for the postgraduate students, on the day she arrived at IITGN. The program introduced her to several students and faculty. According to her, “It was a really great point to know people.” The uncertainty she felt before her arrival was replaced by conversations and friendships. Her Mtech supervisor, Dr Pallavi Bharadwaj, was the first faculty member she met in this program. Dr Bharadwaj is an Assistant Professor in Electrical Engineering and the principal investigator of the Smart Power Electronics Laboratory (SPEL) at IITGN. Interestingly, she is also Ambika’s PhD supervisor. 

Her summer internship at Enphase Energy was a turning point in her life. She worked on the design of a microcontroller for a neighbouring power transaction. Ambika presented her work at the 11th IEEE International Conference on Power Electronics Drives, and Energy Systems 2024 held at the National Institute of Technology Surathkal.

As a part of her MTech thesis, Ambika also worked on the safety of lithium-ion batteries and their life prediction. Lithium-ion batteries are popular due to their lightweight and long-lasting nature, and high number of charge-discharge cycles, meaning that the batteries can be recharged many times. However, lithium is expensive and is also not abundant in terms of easily extractability for use. 

Ambika shares, “This is the reason why my PhD research interest shifted toward sodium-ion batteries as an effective alternative. Since India announced its target to achieve net zero to efficiently tackle Greenhouse Gas emissions, there has been a race toward exploring renewable energy systems as sustainable solutions. It is essential to look at cheap options for energy storage, and sodium provides that feature, along with its abundance in nature. I am exploring aspects related to the characterisation, understanding the thermal properties, and performance improvement in sodium-ion batteries. I have planned a combination of experimental and data-driven approaches and am aiming for a solution with potentially affordable and sustainable batteries to power electric vehicles.” 

In 2024, there was a period of uncertainty and anxiety for Ambika. It was the time when she truly realised the strength of her bond with her supervisor, Dr Bharadwaj. She provided great personal assurance to Ambika during that time. Ambika believes that the supervisor’s role is foundational. Supportive mentorship can make or break not only research but also the individual pursuing it. Elaborating further on her lab environment and collaborative culture, she said that the biggest relief stems from the fact that all lab members have each other’s backs, whatever happens. It is like a home away from home! 

In terms of work, regular lab meetings motivate open discussion and cooperation. Her supervisor critically reviews the presentations, and peers and seniors brainstorm ideas and offer technical insights. Equipment procurement processes for research are responsive. This flexibility at IITGN encourages research to continue without unnecessary delays.

Ambika also recalls the time when administrative processes for an international student, such as visa documentation deadlines, felt complicated and overwhelmingly stressful. Constant guidance and support from the IITGN International Student Office ensured she had all the necessary approvals on time throughout the process. 

Ambika’s journey from Ishwarganj to IITGN reflects resilience and purpose. She found a second home in IITGN while working on approaches that may build a sustainable world in the future. For her, IITGN is a family that welcomed her to learn and grow. 

The Interesting Rapid Fire Round

  • What do you miss the most about home? Food: my mom’s cooking. 
  • What is your comfort food in India? Dosa. 
  • What is your favourite hangout spot on campus? Tea Post. 
  • What do you love to do on weekends? Playing badminton and making good food for myself. 
  • What was the last movie you watched? Border 2.
  • Which book are you reading? Tuesdays with Morrie. 
  • What is your favourite series on a streaming platform? Friends and Mindhunter!
  • If you could travel to any place on Earth, where would you go? Sri Lanka and Cambodia this year. 
  • What are your hobbies? Photography and travelling.  
  • Who are you when you are not in the lab? A Traveller! 
  • What’s your earworm (song on loop)? Everything I Do by Bryan Adams.