Coratia Technologies, a deep-tech startup based in Rourkela, Odisha, is changing that by building underwater robots that can inspect, map, and monitor areas where humans cannot safely go. Founded by Debendra Pradhan and Biswajit Swain, the company develops both industrial and defence robots, helping industries and authorities carry out underwater inspections efficiently and safely.

Meet the Founders: Debendra Pradhan and Biswajit Swain Debendra Pradhan and Biswajit Swain met at NIT Rourkela, where they studied Mechanical Engineering with a focus on mechatronics and automation. From early on, they were passionate about robotics and formed a student research team to build underwater robots from scratch.

“The foundation of our company was laid back in our college days,” said Debendra. Even as students, they noticed the lack of advanced underwater robotics in India and wanted to create solutions for industrial and defence applications.