About Sankar Balasubramanian

Mentorship & Research

“I had the opportunity to be mentored by Sankar Sir during my internship at SCALE Lab and was fortunate enough to be the last intern that he mentored at IISc. Looking back, I can definitely say that he did justice to every bit of that role, if not far beyond! I've been working under him for the past six months across multiple research projects and one thing remained constant throughout - his remarkable way of thinking. Sir is, at his core, an exceptional researcher with an eye for computational design. More importantly, he possesses an equally rare ability to cultivate the mindset of a researcher in others. When I first joined SCALE Lab, I honestly had no idea what the word "Research" truly meant. He never taught research in the conventional sense; instead, he uncovered it layer by layer, one idea at a time. Through countless discussions and iterations, he showed me that research isn't about moving mountains, it's about staying a little curious about the world around us. One thing exceptional about sir is definitely the amount of effort he puts into the people around him. I've never seen someone so knowledgeable and deeply professional prioritize time for others like the way he does. Be it helping me shortlist universities for my master's applications, refining my portfolio, reviewing my work repeatedly, or even offering motivation whenever I doubted myself, he has always been right there and continues to be, despite his own demanding schedule! He was genuinely the person who showed overwhelming happiness whenever we achieved a milestone in our journey. It never felt like an obligation to him; it was something he wholeheartedly rooted for. Beyond research, Sir created something that is difficult to build and even harder to sustain: a culture. He built a space where we could openly share anything and everything, where birthdays were celebrated, lunches became meaningful conversations, and SCALE Lab never felt like just a workplace; it felt like a family. I've never experienced such a nurturing environment anywhere else, and Sir was undoubtedly the person behind all that magic!! On a personal note, if the trajectory of my life has changed, and if I had to attribute it all to one single person in the world, I would "fully" attribute it to sir. He was the first person who saw that potential in me long before I was ready to see it in myself. His unwavering belief gave me the confidence to pursue a path that once felt uncertain but has now become an integral part of my aspirations. Looking back, I often think of "Tuesdays with Morrie". Much like Mitch Albom found Morrie Schwartz, I found my mentor in Sankar sir. He is the kind of mentor everyone yearns to have at least once in their lifetime, and I am deeply grateful for that. If you ever have the opportunity to work with Sankar Sir, take it. You'll find an outstanding researcher, an inspiring mentor, and above all, someone who has the rare ability to bring out the best in the people around him!”

Deepthika S

Aspiring Industrial Designer | Ex-Product Design Intern @CPDM, IISc | Cognify '25 Finalist

Mentorship & Research

“Sankar Sir is hands down the best mentor I have worked with. What sets him apart is not just his knowledge or research expertise, but the genuine effort and care he puts into mentoring his students. No matter how busy he was, he would always make time to guide us, answer our questions, and help us think through problems without ever making us feel like we were a burden. Before working with him, I had always imagined research to be a very cut-throat and intimidating field. Working with Sankar Sir completely changed that perception. He showed me that research can also be collaborative, supportive, and driven by curiosity. His passion for the work was infectious, and it was one of the biggest reasons I stayed motivated to continue pursuing research. One thing I particularly appreciated was his patience. Even when I asked what I now realize were very basic or sometimes silly questions, he would answer them thoughtfully and use them as opportunities for discussion rather than dismissing them. Those conversations often went beyond our research project. Some of my favorite memories from the internship are the long discussions we had about science, philosophy, and life in general. He encouraged us to think critically and never hesitate to challenge ideas, including his own. My IISc internship was an amazing experience, not only because of the exciting project we worked on, but because of the open and welcoming environment that Sankar Sir created for all the interns. I learned a tremendous amount from him, both as a researcher and as a person, and I am incredibly grateful for his mentorship.”

Pawni Yadav

Incoming Analyst, Bain & Company | Research @ IIT Delhi CBME | NSUT IT '27

Mentorship & Research

“When I first interacted with sir, one thing stood out, his curiosity, subject knowledge and application were outstanding. This one attribute of his was proven multiple times over during the course of the projects we did together. Whether it was website designing, dataset creating, model fine-tuning, algorithm planning, coding, mathematical evaluation or even researching in depth, sir was an authority. He had mastered all of the above and would often chime in with ideas that were downright spellbinding. What stood out was not just his expertise in one area, but the breadth of subjects he was comfortable working across. Add to this his eagerness to try new methodologies and brainstorm about everything - I was greeted everyday with 'THE' recipe for academic perfection - Knowledge + Innovation + Application. Since I had the opportunity to be mentored by him and also witness him mentoring some of my other peers, I believe I can speak openly about the justice he did to his role as a mentor. Sir was an exceptional mentor throughout all of the projects we did together, laying out the big picture, chiming in with suggestions, identifying errors, aiding me to build on previous work and he always laid out hope when only dead ends were seen. He would go out of his way to understand stuff outside his domain, working with people specialising in electronics, frontend design and UI development - guiding and collaborating with them across all subjects. Over time, we were fortunate to know sir on a more personal level. He organised restaurant visits, UNO games, cafe getaways. Everyday after working hours, everyone bonded and laughed together in the lab. We could confide our personal struggles in sir and he would patiently help us work through them. When we eventually overcame those challenges, no one was happier than him. We celebrated birthdays together, shared each other's successes, and felt each other's setbacks. The time in the lab not only shaped each and every one of us in our own way as researchers but also developed our character and paved the way for us to see the broader picture, for us to care for each other, for us to be there for each other. I have spent a grand total of 18 months in the lab and I came to know someone who could teach complex ideas with ease, lead projects across domains, solve difficult problems, and work exceptionally well both independently building his own frameworks or as part of a team. Someone you can always rely on to guide you through any challenge. I also got to witness someone passionate, stupendously curious, and deeply caring, someone who could light up the mood with witty comments, someone who deeply respected and loved everyone. Sir wasn't just a mentor to all of us, he was and is family. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to work with you sir. I will be forever grateful for the time I spent in the lab with you. Hopefully I get to work with you again soon.”

Amogh Setty

Student at Ramaiah Institute of Technology

Mentorship & Learning

“Working with Sankar sir during my internship at IISc has been an amazing learning experience of my academic journey. Over the course of a year, I had the opportunity to learn not only technical skills such as AI workflows, prompt engineering, and structured problem-solving, but also a more thoughtful approach to learning itself. One aspect I particularly appreciated was the open environment he created. We frequently had debates and differing viewpoints, but those conversations were always constructive and stimulating. They challenged me to articulate my thoughts better, defend my ideas, and remain open to new perspectives. His mentorship has had a lasting impact on the way I learn, collaborate, and approach new challenges. I am grateful for the guidance, encouragement, and trust he has shown throughout this journey.”

Aadya Bharti

NID | Integrating Technology and Design | Passionate about Sustainable Innovation

Teaching Excellence

“Prof. B Sankar had taught me 3 courses at Thiagarajar College of Engineering. Students used to strive very hard to enroll to the courses offered by him during every semesters. It was a wonderful learning experience from him. Prof. B Sankar is a very dedicated teacher. More than dedication he has a passion towards teaching. The efforts that he puts for lecture preparation and delivery will reflect his passion towards teaching. I am very happy to say that I was a student of Prof. B Sankar.”

Saravanapandian A

Manufacturing Process Engineer at TVS Motor Company | MSc, The University of Manchester

Leadership & Teamwork

“I have come to know Sankar, during the past two years of my academics at IISc, as a great colleague, mentor, supporter, and motivator. I have had the pleasure of working with Sankar on several team projects during my M.Des degree in Product Design. In every one of these projects, whether it was part of his coursework or not, I have felt that Sankar has always worked for his passion and interest to learn something new. He is indeed one to uplift the team's mood when feeling low and demotivated. Sankar, having had more academic and professional experience than me, has been crucial in playing the role of a pillar of support. The belief and trust he has on his teams are remarkable! One would expect that being a PhD candidate with a lot more experience, Sankar would take a higher seat of providing advice and allotting work, but that was never the case. Sankar has in fact always been the person who would be ready to take up the most physically demanding task- to truly get the experience of a product designer! Apart from Sankar's team working skills, I would also like to mention his academic prowess as an individual researcher. Sankar has come a long way from where he started, as a person with little to no experience in computers, to now being one of the few people I would reach out to if I had any technical difficulty working on my system! I have had the chance to be involved in Sankar's user studies and user testing experiments for his research work, and I have seen his journey in starting off with keenly analysing how designers sketch, talking to us designers about the way we think and ideate, implementing log keeping software for logging every step of our thought process, to now developing a software that assists a designer in his/ her creativity while sketching, and I am sure he has a lot more planned ahead of him! On the personal front, I would also like to mention that Sankar is one of the most organized people that I have seen. I have always been impressed and fascinated by the way he maintains folders for every single item on his system, be it crucial or menial. He loves working with physical tangible documents and his desk and workspace is always one that inspires him to keep working more. I feel that these are qualities that are important in a researcher. Having had an academic background as an educator, I believe that Sankar is also a great teacher. When asked a doubt, Sankar is always ready with a pen and a paper to take his time out and solve the query. I have had a lot to learn from Sankar and I truly hope that he gets the best of what he aims to achieve!”

Mathangi Krishnan

IISc MDes CPDM 2021 | Biomedical Engineering graduate | Product Designer

Innovation & Problem Solving

“Sankar and I worked on numerous projects together, he's an open minded energetic individual who brings fresh ideas to the table and is an able team player. We also had courses together at IISc, he's brilliant at finding solutions from domains he hasn't seen before.”

Charan Tadisetti

Designer and Research Engineer

Mentorship & Research

“Mr. Sankar is a PhD student at CPDM and I have had the privilege to befriend and know him. Sankar has consistently demonstrated exceptional dedication, expertise, and a passion for learning that truly sets him apart. Having had the privilege of working closely with Sankar on numerous projects, I can confidently attest to his outstanding abilities as a researcher and his unwavering commitment to his work. Sankar's contributions to our collaborative projects have been invaluable, and his willingness to mentor and guide his colleagues has left a lasting impact on our team. One of the most remarkable qualities of Sankar is his ability to balance his own demanding schedule with providing support and guidance to others. Despite his own research commitments, he has consistently made time to mentor and assist his colleagues, myself included. Sankar's patience, approachability, and willingness to go above and beyond to help others have made him an invaluable asset at CPDM. Furthermore, Sankar's thirst for learning is truly inspiring. He approaches every project with an insatiable curiosity and a drive for excellence. His ability to delve deep into complex subjects and synthesize information sets him apart as a researcher. Sankar's dedication to expanding his knowledge and skills in the field of product design is evident in his outstanding academic achievements and his continued pursuit of innovative research ideas. Based on his exceptional academic performance, collaborative nature, and strong work ethic, I firmly believe his excellence in his research endeavors would surely contribute significantly to the broader scientific community.”

Sanchari Mondal

User Experience Designer at MathWorks Bangalore

Teaching & Inspiration

“I am delighted to provide a strong recommendation for Mr. Sankar, who has been an exceptional mentor and guide throughout my academic journey. From my second semester lateral thinking class, Mr. Sankar imparted valuable insights on problem-solving and thinking outside the box, motivating us to continually improve our resumes. Even after leaving college to pursue his PhD, he dedicated his time to help me make important career decisions, posing thought-provoking questions that ultimately led me to develop my skills in mechanical design. During my internships at IISc, Bangalore, Mr. Sankar played a pivotal role in my professional development. He personally assisted me in formatting my portfolio and provided invaluable guidance during our discussions over tea or lunchtime walks. Mr. Sankar's humility and vast knowledge across various domains made him approachable, and he continued to mentor me on different projects. His emphasis on the role of designers in product development inspired me to explore industrial design, and I am now motivated to pursue a master's degree in design, a topic that often became a focus of our conversations. In conclusion, Mr. Sankar's mentorship has had a profound impact on my personal and professional growth. His dedication, knowledge, and unwavering support have inspired me to excel and embrace creativity in my chosen field. I wholeheartedly recommend Mr. Sankar to anyone seeking a mentor who genuinely cares about their success and is capable of providing guidance, motivation, and valuable insights.”

Kishore Kumaar H

Mechanical Design Engineer | Passionate Product Designer

Technical Excellence

“Prof. B. Sankar is more than a professor to me. He is really a good mentor and good friend. He guided me in many ways in many situations wherever I needed help. He is still my go to person, if I'm stuck somewhere and I'm unable to take a decision. Obviously, his thoughts were different from any other facilities I've studied. His way of perception towards everything is different. I noticed this in him, on the first day we met in class. He too pointed out some of my hidden talents and skills and put some efforts into making me build some additional skills. One thing, I like about him is, he never demotivates me in any of my endeavours. He mentored me to handle my pressure situations both in my personal and professional life. All these are about our personal connection, which I tried to describe, how he is open minded about having a friendly relationship with a student. Every advice or guidance he gave to me is only from his past experience. The best thing about him which I feel is, he applies many things he learnt in his day to day activities. For example, we studied a concept called "5S principle" for keeping things in a properly sorted manner. He applies that concept in his hostel room at IISc. I visited him a few days back and I was surprised about the way he kept his belongings. I keep on following him in many ways. He should be given a tag of "Mr.Perfect". Beyond all those things I've said, his technical knowledge is outstanding. The way he teaches us is replaceable. He never minds the time while he's explaining a concept. One day, we were discussing something related to a topic which is his field of interest. He started explaining to me the same and when we were completing the conversation, the time was 3.30 am and the time when we were starting was 9 pm. On that day, I noticed that, the love he has in his field of interest is irreplaceable. Also, the assignments and projects, he gives to the students make the students think and apply the theoretical concepts into the practical applications. I noticed that, he spends more time learning new things everyday. I like one quote from him, "Fortune favours the Intelligent". He's always an Intelligent person.”

Eswara Prasath M

Senior Engineer - Data Analytics (R&D - Vehicle Validation) @Mahindra and Mahindra Limited | M.Tech in AI @ IIT Madras

Mentorship & Excellence

“I had the pleasure of being a student of Prof. B. Shankar at Thiagarajar College of Engineering. His way of teaching makes the subject easy even though it was felt difficult by many. He strives to gain knowledge in the field which he likes the most. The assignments and project work given by him are interesting. The way he engages the class is commendable. His way of thinking differs from his peer staff which put him on the top. He is a perfectionist at everything he does and expects his students to be like that. Moreover, he is an inspirator and a good mentor for me as he guides me during my difficult times. When a student needs support he assists them without any hesitation. I remind your great efforts in molding everyone to accomplish their dreams and wish to continue our healthy relationship. You reach the zenith with your persistence and we all feel proud to be your student. Best of luck sir for your future endeavors!!”

Aharishkumar Muswathi Babulal

Certification Engineer @DAF

Applied Learning

“I would describe Prof. B. Sankar as a man who strives to learn new things and passionate in teaching the things he has learnt in a more practical and lucid manner to the students. All his lectures were application oriented, interesting, easy to understand and easy to recollect. His teaching skills and the way he engages the student with the lecture are Impeccable. Apart from being a teacher, he is a very good mentor who motivate and inspire us to achieve greater heights. He is a friend and well-wisher to me more than a teacher who supported and advised me in all the critical decisions I had to take, he also motivated and kept pushing me to achieve my goal. According to me, in teaching learning process the relationship between the student and the teacher plays a crucial role and building that relationship is the humongous task for a teacher. And I can say that Prof. Sankar had that relationship with each and every one of our batch.”

Venkatesh Ravindran

Automotive Systems Engineer | Model Based Development | ADAS Development

Teaching Methodology

“Prof.B.Sankar is one of the finest teachers, one could ever dream of getting in the college. His way of teaching is such that even a novice becomes expert just by following his classes. He teaches every subject so passionately and explains every concept from the basic with the simplest examples so that they remain in the memory of the students forever. He is very friendly and clears doubts elaborately. He makes his students get the best grades by training them with assignments which comprise of creative questions solving which they could grasp the concepts firmly and recollect in the exams with ease. That was the reason students use to race to get enrolled in his classes. He is my mentor and has been my motivator whenever I wanted to achieve something big. Besides being a great teacher, he is a continuous learner who updates himself with latest trends and is always a perfectionist. He is always an inspiration to all his students. I am always proud to be his student!”

Shakthipreethi Paranthaman

Project Engineer at Wipro

Continuous Learning

“Mr. Sankar is more than a teacher to me. He's a mentor and a good friend. He was a constant support during my four years of Mechanical Bachelor degree and continues to do so. He is one of the best teachers in my college. He will take lot of efforts to make each student in his class clearly understand every topic in a course. All the assignments and tasks given by him will be very much interesting and challenging to solve. Besides being a teacher, he is a very good learner. His curiosity to learn new things and upskill himself has inspired me a lot.”

Aswin Raj S

Deputy Manager - R&D @ TVS Motor Company | MSc in Sustainable Automotive Electrification