Driving Innovation: IIT Bombay’s TCA2I Champions Cutting-Edge Solutions

As India cements its standing on the global innovation map, IIT Bombay continues to drive transformative change through its Centres of Excellence, including the Technocraft Centre for Applied Artificial Intelligence (TCA2I). The Centre focuses on research areas such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Science, and Automation, Operations Research, with a strong emphasis on practical applications in industrial contexts. TCA2I also partners with industry and defence sectors to address significant societal challenges.

With AI expected to be a major driver of economic and social progress in the coming years, IIT Bombay, through TCA2I, is creating a platform that helps academia harness the power of AI and machine learning, not just for advanced research, but also for transforming how concepts are taught in the classroom.

Among TCA2I’s standout ventures are the Management Simulation Games (MSgames) and Vajra – an Indigenous Endpoint Detection and Response (EDR) Solution.

An Initiative Rooted in Academia

MSgames is co-founded by IIT Bombay alumni Mr. Anusar Modi (B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, 2023) and Mr. Akshat Rathi (BS+M.Tech Dual Degree, Economics and Industrial Engineering, 2024), MSgames emerged through close collaboration with faculty members, including Prof. Manjesh Hanawal (Professor-in-Charge, TCA2I) and Prof. T.T. Niranjan (Maastricht University, formerly SJMSOM, IIT Bombay). It combines the academic strength of top researchers with the product-driven mindset of innovators passionate about improving how management is taught.

MSgames

MSgames: Building India-Centric Business Simulations for the World

As business education rapidly evolves, so must the tools we use to teach it. In a world shaped by complexity, automation, and accelerated decision-making, future managers need more than just frameworks and theories — they need safe spaces to practice, fail, adapt, and learn.

That’s where MSgames steps in — a simulation-based learning platform developed with the vision of making management education more practical, relevant, and engaging, especially for emerging markets like India.

What Sets MSgames Apart

MSgames is not just a library of games — it’s a collaborative platform. Each simulation is co-created with professors to ensure academic rigor and classroom relevance.

What makes MSgames unique:

• Made for Emerging Markets: Most business simulations are designed for Western contexts. MSgames flips that — the simulations reflect Indian and Global South realities, making them instantly relatable and actionable for our classrooms.
• Affordable and Scalable: A core differentiator for MSgames is its commitment to affordability: all simulations are priced on a per‑student basis. This pricing model, combined with a browser-based platform requiring no special software installations, removes barriers for institutions of all sizes.
• Built with Faculty, for Faculty: MSgames thrives on academic collaboration. From initial concept notes to iterative beta testing, faculty members contribute learning objectives, real-world insights, and debrief frameworks. This co-development model not only enriches the simulation content but also empowers professors to customize. parameters, introduce domain-specific variables, and integrate unique case materials
• Intuitive UI/UX: One of its core strengths is simplicity in design. Simulations are easy to use, browser-based, and engaging for both instructors and students — reducing the learning curve and maximizing impact.
• Easy to use: MSgames require no special software installations, demos, tutorial videos, and full technical assistance are provided to institutes, removing barriers for institutions of all sizes.

 

Games Launched So Far

MSgames has developed seven simulation games so far:

• Fruit Beer Game – A supply chain simulation focusing on the bullwhip effect and coordination under uncertainty (IIT Bombay – SJMSOM).
• Customer in a Store – A systems thinking simulation on accumulation, decision accuracy, and mental models (IIT Bombay – SJMSOM).
• Order Ops – An operations and platform strategy simulation set in a food delivery ecosystem (IIM Lucknow and TAPMI).
• EV Gambit – A strategy simulation built on Porter’s Five Forces, set in the Indian electric vehicle industry (IMI Delhi).
• The Dual Source Dilemma– The game allows players to navigate procurement complexities, balancing cost, lead times, and uncertainty.
• Factory Manager Experience: The game brings the Theory of Constraints to life in a manufacturing setting.
• Defect Detectives: The game immerses users in quality control processes using classic analytical tools.

 

These games have already been piloted at 40+ institutes, including IIMs, IITs, SPJIMR, etc— with excellent feedback from both faculty and students. Professors report higher classroom engagement and improved conceptual retention, while students appreciate the opportunity to “learn by doing” and see theory come alive.

 Impact & Future Directions

 Early adopters have observed tangible benefits: 

• Deeper Engagement: Students actively negotiate, strategize, and adapt in real time, fostering teamwork and critical thinking.
• Enhanced Retention: Concepts learned through failure-driven scenarios tend to “stick,” leading to more meaningful classroom discussions.
• Scalable Debriefs: Instructors leverage performance dashboards to highlight decision-making patterns and frame richer post-game analyses.

 

What’s Ahead

MSgames is actively developing new simulations in entrepreneurship, marketing, and organizational behaviour — again in collaboration with professors from leading Indian institutions. Its long-term vision is to build a global marketplace for India-origin simulation games that bring the nuances of emerging economies into mainstream business education.

To learn more or experience a demo, visit: https://msgames.in

VAJRA

Overview

Built and deployed by experts at IIT Bombay, Vajra provides real-time visibility, threat detection, and incident response capabilities tailored for Indian cybersecurity needs.

Key Features

• Real-Time Monitoring: Continuous monitoring of system activities using lightweight agents.
• Advanced Threat Detection: Detects suspicious behaviours using Osquery-based rules and customizable TTP mappings (MITRE ATT&CK framework).
• Centralized Dashboard: Unified console to monitor alerts, agent status, system logs, and more.
• Cross-Platform Support: Compatible with Windows, Linux, and containerized environments.
• Endpoint Hardening: Compliance checks for system hardening (Windows/Linux benchmarks).
• Malware Analysis Integration: Inbuilt dynamic sandboxing environment for malware behaviour analysis (Linux).
• Custom Rule Engine: Write, test, and deploy custom detection rules in YAML/SQL formats.

 

Why Vajra?

• Make in India: Fully indigenous with no foreign dependencies.
• Modular & Extensible: Easily integrable with existing security infrastructure.
• Offline Detection Capabilities: Operates effectively even in air-gapped environments.
• Built for Scale: Designed to monitor thousands of endpoints with minimal overhead.

 

Recognitions

• Dr. P. K. Patwardhan Technology Development Award 2023
• Winner of 5G Hackathon by DoT and Showcased at India Mobile Congress 2023
• Runner-Up of Vimarsh 2023 National Hackathon organised by MHA

 

Contact & Demo

To request a demo or deployment consultation:

Email: mhanawal@iitb.ac.in

Website: www.vajranet.com

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Shaping India’s Future

Through pioneering initiatives like MSgames and Vajra, TCA2I at IIT Bombay exemplifies the Institute’s continued commitment to creating technology solutions that serve society, strengthen industries, and prepare future leaders. Whether empowering students to think and act strategically or fortifying the nation’s digital defences, TCA2I continues to push the boundaries of innovation — building a more resilient and self-reliant India.

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