Leadership Team

Sivabalan Selvarajan

Head, Operations

BE., MS (Oxford)

Sivabalan Selvarajan earned his B.E. in Mechanical Engineering from PSG College of Technology, graduating near the top of his class. After a brief tenure in a large industrial conglomerate, he joined Nesans Mining & Automation in 2016, drawn by the opportunity to design complete solutions rather than optimise a single component. By championing data‑driven design reviews, finite‑element validation for critical assemblies, and a rigorous customer‑feedback loop, he has helped the company post uninterrupted double‑digit growth every year since.

 

Determined to marry heavy‑industry know‑how with advanced science, Sivabalan completed an M.Sc. in Nanotechnology for Medicine at the University of Oxford, graduating with Merit. His research centres on engineering ligand‑modified nanoparticles that can cross the blood–brain barrier—a breakthrough platform aimed at delivering drugs precisely to the central nervous system. The work promises to reshape treatment paradigms for CNS disorders such as glioblastoma, Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s by improving drug efficacy while minimising systemic side‑effects. He is now advancing this platform through his D.Phil. (an Oxford PhD)  at Oxford, bridging laboratory insight with real‑world manufacturing expertise from Nesans.

 

Outside the lab and factory floor, Sivabalan lives an energetic, well‑rounded life. He codes Python to automate ERP dashboards, mentors young engineers through local STEM workshops, and resets his mind with distance running—having completed his first half‑marathon on the chilly streets of Oxford. A lifelong lover of Carnatic music, he unwinds by practising the veena and exploring new ragas. Colleagues describe him as “equal parts engineer, scientist and storyteller”—someone who can debug a PLC, derive a differential equation, and explain both to a client in plain Tamil or polished English.

Selvarajan Chockalingam

Director

Bachelor of Engineering

Selvarajan Chockalingam’s professional story begins in the workshops of the Avadi Heavy Vehicle Factory, where, fresh from a Mechanical Engineering degree, he immersed himself in the exacting world of battle‑tank production. The precision and rigorous standards of that environment shaped his engineering ethos. Relocating to Coimbatore, he spent the next several years in a variety of private manufacturing firms, absorbing best practices in design, machining, and production management. Armed with that experience—and a determination to build something of his own—he established SS Engineers in 2004. True to his belief in financial independence, he rejected outside funding, opting instead to bootstrap the venture and let customer demand set the tempo. Two decades on, the company—now branded Nesans—has evolved gradually but solidly, a testament to his “slow‑and‑steady” philosophy.

 

At the heart of Nesans’ product lineup is Selvarajan’s deep technical mastery. A seasoned CAD specialist, he personally architects many of the firm’s vibration screens and high‑capacity conveyor systems, ensuring optimal balance between performance, durability, and service‑friendliness. His hands‑on leadership style keeps him close to the shop floor, where he mentors design engineers, refines prototypes, and troubleshoots complex installations in the field. 

 

Outside the factory gates, Selvarajan channels the same patience and precision into origami. An advanced practitioner, he folds intricate models ranging from modular sculptures to lifelike creatures, drawing on principles of geometry that echo his engineering mindset. Whenever his schedule permits, he travels to government schools to share the craft, using simple paper squares to spark creativity, spatial reasoning, and confidence among students who often have limited exposure to extracurricular arts. His workshops double as informal lessons in perseverance—each fold, like each engineering iteration, bringing the final form into clearer focus. In weaving together entrepreneurship, technical excellence, and community service, Selvarajan exemplifies a balanced, quietly ambitious approach to both industry and life.

Monisha Ravi

Director

BE., MTech (BITS, Pilani)

Monisha Ravi is an environmental engineer by training and a systems thinker by instinct. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Engineering and a Master’s degree in Environmental Engineering from BITS Pilani, one of India’s most prestigious technical institutions. Her academic foundation combines a strong understanding of soil, water, and agricultural systems with advanced environmental science and engineering principles—preparing her to tackle some of the most pressing ecological challenges of our time.

 

Her core interests lie in environmental remediation, waste treatment plant design, and recycling. She is particularly passionate about developing sustainable infrastructure for managing industrial and municipal waste, with a focus on integrating circular economy principles into design. From treating agro-industrial effluents to reimagining urban waste flows, her work explores the full spectrum of ecological engineering. She brings a research-oriented mindset to each project, staying current with innovations in bio-remediation, advanced oxidation processes, and decentralized treatment technologies.

 

What sets Monisha apart is her belief that environmental sustainability is not just a policy goal, but an engineering problem to be solved with clarity, creativity, and compassion. She thrives at the intersection of design, impact, and scale—ensuring that solutions are not only environmentally sound but also technically feasible and economically viable. Whether developing treatment systems for nutrient-rich runoff or advocating for scalable recycling ecosystems, Monisha approaches every challenge with a commitment to creating cleaner, more resilient communities.