In a move aimed at strengthening India’s semiconductor and
electronics manufacturing talent and research ecosystem, the Indian Institute of Technology
Gandhinagar (IITGN) has partnered with Cyient Foundation and Cyient Semiconductors Pvt.
Ltd. on March 03, 2026, to support advanced education and research in the rapidly evolving
fields of semiconductors and electronics.
The three-year collaboration will support meritorious M.Tech. students at IITGN while
strengthening industry–academia engagement in semiconductor and electronics technologies.
Under the partnership, Cyient Foundation will serve as the funding partner by providing
fellowships, while Cyient Semiconductors will act as a knowledge partner, offering strategic
guidance, mentoring support, technical input, and access to domain experts.
Through this initiative, three M Tech students in the Academic Year 2026–27 will receive a
monthly fellowship of Rs 15,000 for a duration of 24 months. In addition, each selected student
will be provided with a one-time research grant of Rs 50,000 during the first year of the
programme.
Speaking at the ceremony, Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IITGN, emphasised the strategic
importance of semiconductor innovation and next-generation digital infrastructure. He said, “As
computational demands grow exponentially, particularly with AI and GPU-driven systems, we
must rethink how we design and power our digital infrastructure. Improving power efficiency and
advancing semiconductor technologies is not merely an engineering goal — it is a national
priority. Partnerships that combine academic research with industry expertise are essential to
accelerating meaningful impact.”
“When developing semiconductor products, we should think beyond India as a standalone
market. If we design for global markets first, scale and competitiveness will naturally follow,” he
further added.
Emphasising the importance of speed, scalability, and global competitiveness in semiconductor
innovation, Suman Narayan, Chief Executive Officer of Cyient Semiconductors Pvt. Ltd.,
stated, “In semiconductor product development, cycle time and determinism are absolutely
critical. Without robust PDK readiness, equipment redundancy, and predictable turnaround
timelines, innovation inevitably slows down. If development cycles extend to several months due
to single-tool dependencies or lack of prioritization, global competitiveness becomes difficult.
We must build multi-tool capacity, reduce cycle time, and scale efficiently.
Highlighting the Foundation’s commitment to strengthening India’s semiconductor talent
pipeline, Dr PNSV Narasimham, President and Head of Corporate Functions at Cyient, said,
“India’s semiconductor ambitions will ultimately depend on the depth of its technical talent and
the strength of its research ecosystem. Through this collaboration with IIT Gandhinagar, we are
not merely supporting individual students, we are investing in the future capability of the nation.
By enabling focused fellowships, research exposure, and industry mentoring, we aim to create
engineers who are globally competitive and industry-ready from day one.”
This collaboration represents a collective effort to strengthen India’s semiconductor ecosystem
by investing in skilled talent and encouraging research that directly connects with industry
needs. Through meaningful partnerships with leading industry players, the Institute seeks to
close the gap between academia and real-world application in technology areas that are vital to
the country’s future growth.