The Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani has announced that it has received a donation of $ one million from its alumnus, Ranvir Trehan, a technologist and an entrepreneur. The funds will be used to establish a Centre of excellence (CoE) in Semiconductor research at BITS Pilani’s Hyderabad campus, an official release said. The Centre will focus on conducting research and developing human resources capacity for India’s rapidly growing semiconductor sector, it added.
“The generous donation of $ one million from Ranvir Trehan will enable us to hit the ground running and commence the operations of the centre immediately. We are actively working towards raising an additional $ two million to fully unleash the potential of the Centre. Our vision for the Centre includes offering academic programmes for undergraduate and postgraduate students, as well as specialised doctoral and post-doctoral research opportunities that align with industry requirements. The Centre will foster collaboration among our accomplished alumni, corporate entities, esteemed academics, and government labs and departments,” V Ramgopal Rao, vice-chancellor, BITS Pilani, said.
Ranvir Trehan graduated from BITS Pilani in 1961, and was the founder and CEO of SETA Corporation, a consulting firm specialising in network technologies with offices in three continents.
Commenting on the contribution Trehan and his wife Adarsh said BITS Pilani has played a significant role in their professional achievements. “Our aim is to support BITS Pilani in enhancing its research capabilities and fostering the development of human resources in the vital field of semiconductors. This sector has been identified as a strategic focus area at the national level through the India Semiconductor Mission,” they said.
In 2022, the Government of India launched the “India Semiconductor Mission” with an aim to emerge as the global hub for the semiconductor industry. The government announced incentives amounting to $10 billion, and reports suggest the sector is projected to reach a value of $55 billion and employ more than 300,000 people by 2025-26. The Centre will play a vital role in producing skilled professionals to meet this demand, the release noted.