From the starting line to the finish: Tanmaee Ledalla’s journey in mechanical engineering
“Freshman year I felt really lost,” said Ledalla. “Being from another country, I had to adjust to life in Indiana. One day a professor told me, ‘The stories you tell about yourself end up shaping who you are.’ It made me realize I was holding myself back. I started to believe in myself more and tell myself it was okay I didn’t have everything figured out right now.”
One of the first student organizations she joined was the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME), one of the oldest continually operating student organizations at Purdue. With an interest in motorsports, she joined ASME’s racing team as a member of the transmission group, where she helped build a two-speed sequential transmission to compete in the annual Purdue Grand Prix. Ledalla later became the vehicle performance lead and led a group of 15 members who developed software and analyzed data for the kart.
Following that, she served as racing project director where she led a team of 70 members for both the Purdue Grand Prix and the evGrandPrix. Her team became the first Purdue Grand Prix team in 50 years to completely design, build and manufacture a custom chassis and modify a continuously variable transmission (CVT) for their kart. Currently, Ledalla is the internal vice president of ASME where she manages all nine design teams and more than 600 general members.
Originally the only woman on the racing team, Ledalla saw an opportunity to bring together women who shared her passion for motorsports. That idea became the Women in Motorsports Council, which she co-founded last year. Now, as co-president, she provides professional resources to students, hosts events and collaborates with leaders from Purdue’s other motorsports teams.
“We really just want to provide a support system for those women who might feel scared taking that first step in their motorsports career,” Ledalla explained.
Another initiative she started in the School of Mechanical Engineering is Global Bites, a monthly celebration of different cultures. Every month, staff and students hand out free food from countries that correspond with cultural observances such as Women’s History Month, Arab American Heritage Month, Hispanic Heritage Month and Diwali.
This past summer, Ledalla conducted research for the Purdue AI Racing Team. “I loved being part of the AI racing team,” she said. “I learned a lot of new programming skills and more about controls, which are both things that I love!”
Previously, she conducted research for Partha Mukerjee, professor of mechanical engineering and associate head for research. While working in the Energy and Transport Sciences Laboratory, she focused on programming related to battery management and data analysis.
In addition to her numerous extracurriculars, Ledalla has won a multitude of awards. This past September, she received the STEAM Sports Foundation Scholarship, given to students pursuing careers in engineering within motorsports or the automotive industry. Along with the scholarship, Ledalla traveled to Charlotte, North Carolina to meet with executives from the National Hot Rod Association, NASCAR’s Hendrick Motorsports operation, and the GM Tech and Research Center for Motorsports.
“It was an amazing experience getting to meet such inspirational, strong women in the motorsports industry,” said Ledalla. “We even had a ‘girl’s talk’ with Tai Robinson, GM Motorsports Engineering Business Manager, and all the other women scholarship recipients. It was great to see that there’s a support system out there for women like me who want to work in motorsports.”
Last year, Ledalla was named Outstanding Junior in the School of Mechanical Engineering for her contributions to the school, demonstrated leadership and academic excellence. More recently, Ledalla was named 2025-2026 Engineering Fellow. This honor recognizes students with a well-rounded set of achievements and impact, who are considered the best student representatives of the College of Engineering. Fellows receive $25,000 after graduation to pursue any future endeavor.
“It was very surreal when I found out I was named an Engineering Fellow,” said Ledalla. “Even during the ceremony, I felt like I was watching myself get the award. It was something I never thought I would be capable of. I’m very grateful to have won.”
With the fellowship, Ledalla plans to continue her education and get her master’s degree and possibly a Ph.D.
“The biggest piece of advice I have for students is to be willing to ask for help and to step out of your comfort zone,” said Ledalla. “I know it’s easier said than done but I try to remind myself of the alternative, that I could be missing out on opportunities and connections. The regret I feel from not stepping out of my comfort zone is much greater than the fear of stepping out of it.”
Writer: Julia Davis, juliadavis@purdue.edu