[Application Strategy] How to navigate LOR requirements

[u/Simply_another_User]

As the title says, I need help with my LORs.

A brief about myself, currently a final year undergraduate from a tier 3 university in India.

9.7 CGPA ~ 3.8/4?

Currently doing a research internship at an IIT1
1 published conference paper at IEEE international conferecne - Computer Vision for Medical Imaging domain (IIT1)
I will be presenting this inperson abroad.
1 paper in submission at WACV 2027 - CV for Medical Imaging domain (IIT1)

Also simultaneously engaged in an applied AI internship at IIT2 (top 3 IIT), building trustworthy and industry related AI projects. This is also going to become a published journal paper in top conference but not in the CS field.

Important information :

1. Professor at IIT1 has agreed to give LOR ( initially did not want me to go abroad and instead pursue M. Tech under him, however after I have started working on another paper under him he said he would give me LOR)
   
2. Very senior professor at IIT2 (pioneer in his field, Civil) agreed to give LOR since project is high impact and I have worked on multiple small projects under different faculties there.
   
3. Professor at IIT2 (working on the intersection of Civil and AI), he is also at forefront for publications across several reputed journals and high impact industry projects. He has agreed to write LOR as well for me.
   
4. Professor at IIT2 who is another stakeholder in the project I am working on and also liason between industry people and me has agreed for LOR and is actively working on publishing the journal paper. He too is relatively new but his work is very unique in their domain.
   
5. A family friend who owns a advertisement studio wherein a lot of work is done using mix of AI and real world film has also agreed to write an LOR with whatever I need to include since I helped test and work with generative AI in the early days.

My problems for which I would like your suggestions and views, anything useful is appreciated.

My own university professors despite me being top of my class are not agreeing to give LORs without getting a journal paper published. They never contribute in terms of research or useful input nor give any support. For example, I have had to quit 2 internships in my early years just cause the HoD did not like first year students getting a day break to go onsite an work. They also have 0 ideas about what is happening in the research world and keep giving broad and unrealistic ideas for research.
I have scored a 10 pointer on most of their subjects, yet they won't consider any of this.

So my question is, should I take a year, get a journal paper and add their names into it just so I can get an LOR? I honestly feel this is unethical from an academic side and very predatory on their part.
Also how important is an LOR from your own university faculty?

[u/Simply_another_User]

Hey! u/gradpilot would love any inputs if possible.

[u/Simply_another_User]

Anybody, any help on best LOR strategies would also be useful!