Ranjesh Kumar, an alumnus of the School of Engineering and Technology at Apeejay Stya University, Gurugram, is currently serving as a System Design Engineer for the U500-Fluence Program, a flagship initiative in urban railway signaling. He leads research and development of advanced system features, translating ideas into high-level architectures while ensuring compliance with SIL4 safety and cybersecurity standards. With seven years of experience in Metro Operations, where he trained over 400 professionals, Ranjesh blends operational insight with technical expertise. He strongly advocates a user-first design approach and believes AI literacy is essential for modern engineers driving innovation. Read edited excerpts of this alumnus’ interview in which he suggests engineering students to focus on building a strong foundation in both the “how” and the “why” of engineering.
How has been your professional journey and core learnings so far?
My journey has been a rewarding transition from operational reality to technical architecture. I spent my first 7 years in Metro Operations, where I authored Standard Operating Procedures and trained over 400 employees.
My core learnings include, technical design must always be grounded in operational practicality. Having seen how systems are used on the front lines, I now approach design with a “user-first” mindset. I’ve learned that in safety-critical engineering, the most elegant solution is one that is both technically sophisticated and operationally seamless.
In the last one year, which skill do you think has become crucial to develop to be part of the engineering field?
A crucial skill for any modern engineer is Artificial Intelligence Literacy. AI is rapidly becoming a fundamental part of the engineering toolkit across all domains. The goal isn’t just to understand the technology, but to learn how to use it to optimise output and drive efficiency. For engineers entering the field today, the ability to integrate AI-driven insights into their traditional workflows will be a key differentiator in their ability to solve complex problems.
Your message for current Apeejay engineering students.
Focus on building a strong foundation in both the “how” and the “why” of engineering. Your technical skills are your tools, but your operational understanding is your edge. Don’t shy away from field experience or operational roles early in your career—they provide a perspective that you simply cannot get from a textbook. Aim to build systems that are safe, secure, and—above all—useful to the people who will operate them. It doesn’t matter which engineering domain you belong to, an early understanding of system design will definitely help you in the long run.