Sikinam Venkateswarlu – NPTEL STAR
Sikinam Venkateswarlu has completed 54 NPTEL courses till date and has earned 13 gold medals (awarded to those scoring consolidated marks of 90 and above); he also holds two domain certifications – one in Environment and Civil, and another in Construction Materials and Technology, all the while serving as an an Executive Engineer (Civil) at the Telangana Power Generation Corporation Limited.
Based out of Guntur, Andhra Pradesh, Venkateswarlu has steadily risen in his field by combining technical knowledge and hands-on experience. Throughout this journey, one thing has consistently driven him forward – a deep and enduring hunger for knowledge. Despite a demanding work schedule, and managing teams, he consistently makes time for learning. “If not for work and time constraints, I would take at least 10 courses every semester,” he says.
Venkateswarlu began his educational journey in a modest high school, continued through a junior college, and ultimately earned a BE in Civil Engineering from Osmania University. He has also completed his master’s coursework in the same field. “I came from a poor family,” he shares. “My primary goal then was to get a job. But somewhere during my graduation years, I got inspired by my peers who were preparing for the civil services. That changed something in me. I started wanting to learn everything I could, too,” he adds. This newfound inspiration marked the beginning of a lifelong pursuit that extended well beyond the classroom; his fascination with staying updated and understanding the world around him has never waned since.
In 2015, while searching for resources on concrete engineering, he stumbled upon a lecture on YouTube by Prof. Sudhir Misra from IIT Kanpur. “I was surprised and amazed by the quality and clarity of teaching of the IIT Professors”, he shares.
“While watching that NPTEL lecture, there was a pop-up that read that the course was open for enrollment, and I immediately registered. For the first time, I tasted the lectures of IIT Professors and it changed everything”.
Among the many courses he has taken, a few professors stand out for the lasting impact they’ve had on him: Prof. Sudhir Misra, Prof. Brajesh Kumar Dubey and Prof. Koshy Varghese to mention a few. Particularly, he recalls Prof. Ravichandran’s Developing Soft Skills course was one transformative experience for him personally. His favourite course remains ‘Advanced Concrete Technology’ by Prof. Manu Santhanam.
Venkateswarlu’s passion for continuous learning is deeply rooted in self-growth and professional responsibility. “I have many subordinates under me. To guide them well, I need to update myself,” he quotes. Venkateswarlu praises the NPTEL platform, calling it excellent in every way – content, evaluation, responsiveness, and accessibility. He is particularly appreciative of how the team promptly responds to queries and corrections.
Interestingly, he mentions that he never chased the accolades on the platform. “I aim for 100 out of 100 – not for recognition, but for the joy of mastering the subject. I just prepare sincerely, the certificates come on their own”, he says humbly. His 13 gold medals and about 12 more that he narrowly missed by 1 mark speak volumes of his dedication.
For Venkateswarlu, NPTEL has been a constant knowledge companion, and he’s grateful for all the genuine learning it has provided him.
– written by Asha Thangaraj