T. Pugazhenthi is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Textile Design and serves as IT In-Charge at the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Kannur. He specializes in textile printing, weaving, dobby and jacquard weaving, CAD, and computer applications in textiles. He has extensive academic and professional experience in textile technology, design, and information technology. He earned a Master’s degree in Computer Applications with specialization in Textile Technology and joined NIFT in 2005.

His research interests include deep learning, computer vision, artificial intelligence, textile image analysis, and automated classification of textile weave patterns. His current research focuses on developing deep learning-based methods for identifying textile weave patterns and extracting technical information from fabric images. He published and presented research on textile weave classification and yarn count estimation using image processing and machine learning techniques. He received the Best Research Paper Award for his research on yarn count estimation in fabric images.

He has a strong interest in handloom development, textile innovation, and the use of technology in traditional textiles. He participates in handloom and textile outreach activities and has worked on handloom projects under state and central government schemes. He mentors students in textile design, computer applications, research, and technology-based projects. He also promotes the integration of traditional textile practices with modern digital technologies.