Manipal 20th February 2023: Manipal, India - The Mars Rover Manipal team has once again shown its mettle by securing the third position in the prestigious International Rover Challenge 2023. The competition, held from January 28th to January 31st, 2023, in Bengaluru, saw 36 teams from various prestigious Indian and foreign institutes compete against each other. The AGH University of Science and Technology, Poland, secured the first position, followed by VIT Vellore in the second position.

The competition, organized by the Space Robotics Society, challenged university students to conceptualize, design, develop, and operate an astronaut-assistive next-gen Mars Rover and perform specific missions in simulated Mars conditions. The objective of the competition was to provide students with a real-world interdisciplinary engineering experience, combining practical engineering skills with soft skills, including business planning and project management.

The Mars Rover Manipal team's achievement is particularly noteworthy as they had to sacrifice their vacation to prepare for the competition. Their hard work, dedication and countless sleepless nights paid off, enabling them to secure the third position in the final rankings.

Lt Gen (Dr.) M.D. Venkatesh, Vice Chancellor, MAHE said, "The achievements of the Mars Rover Manipal team at the International Rover Challenge 2023 is a testament to the excellence and determination of our students. We are extremely proud of their accomplishment and the hard work and dedication they put in to achieve such a remarkable feat. The competition was a rigorous challenge, with participation from prestigious universities from around the world. The fact that our students were able to secure the third position overall is truly commendable and reflects the high standards of education and training that we provide at MAHE. This success also highlights our commitment to fostering innovation, creativity, and leadership skills among our students. We congratulate the team on their exceptional performance and look forward to seeing more such achievements from them in the future."

Cdr. Dr. Anil Rana, Director, MIT, Manipal, "The Mars Rover Manipal team has once again demonstrated their technical prowess and commitment to innovation. Their achievement in the International Rover Challenge is a testament to their hard work and dedication. We are proud of their success and wish them all the best for their future endeavours."

Dr. Pragna Rao, Pro Vice Chancellor – MAHE, Bengaluru, "The success of the Mars Rover Manipal team at the International Rover Challenge 2023 is a testament to the exceptional talent and dedication of our students. We are proud of their achievement and grateful to the faculty mentors and the Bangalore team for their support. This achievement is a reflection of our commitment to promoting innovation and excellence in education at MAHE."

The team leader Mr Yashash Rao, Mars Rover Manipal, Student of Aeronautical - 3^rd Year, MIT-Manipal also expressed his gratitude and said, "The journey towards success is never an easy one. It is one filled with countless challenges, sleepless nights, and tireless effort. However, it is precisely this journey that makes any achievement worth celebrating. And that is precisely what the team of Mars Rover Manipal did when they qualified for the finals of IRC 2023."

The Mars Rover Manipal team's achievement in the International Rover Challenge 2023 is a significant milestone in their journey towards success. We congratulate the team on their well-deserved success and look forward to their future achievements in the field of space engineering.