Mumbai, 13 August 2024

 

IIT Bombay hosted the first Indian Nanoelectronics Users Programme (INUP) on August 10, 2024. INUP is a flagship program initiated by the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology in 2008 at IIT Bombay and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc), and expanded to include IIT Guwahati, IIT Delhi, IIT Kharagpur, IIT Madras in 2021. This programme opened up the MeitY-supported semiconductor nanofabrication facilities for usage by academic researchers, and lately startup companies, from across the country. It has also geared up these facilities to provide industrial training to serve the India Semiconductor Mission. The Users’ Meet, co-organized by the six INUP host institutes, celebrated the program’s extensive achievements and outlined its future trajectory.

The gathering brought together a multidisciplinary group of researchers, academicians and industry professionals who have benefited from INUP since its inception. The INUP Users' Meet was inaugurated by Shri S. Krishnan, Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY), who served as the Chief Guest. In his keynote address, Shri Krishnan emphasized the pivotal role of INUP in advancing nanoelectronics research across the nation. "INUP has not only facilitated cutting-edge research but has also created a robust infrastructure that empowers researchers throughout India to engage in groundbreaking work in nanoelectronics. This initiative is vital to our country’s technological future," he stated. The event featured prominent Guests of Honor including Dr. R. Chidambaram, former Principal Scientific Advisor to the Government of India who had conceived this programme. On this occasion, he remarked, "INUP represents a model for national collaboration in science and technology. It is through such initiatives that we can continue to push the boundaries of innovation in India".

Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, the Group Vice-Chancellor of BITS Pilani, and former Director of IIT Delhi added, "The achievements of INUP in fostering collaboration between academia and industry are commendable. This program is creating an ecosystem where research can transition into realworld applications, benefiting society at large". Prof. Juzer Vasi, Professor Emeritus and former Deputy Director at IIT Bombay, who had architected the program, shared his thoughts on evolution, "INUP has grown into a vibrant platform for researchers to explore new frontiers in nanoelectronics. The program's ability to adapt and innovate over the years has been key to its success". Prof. Rudra Pratap, Vice Chancellor of Plaksha University and former Deputy Director of IISc, highlighted the importance of long-term vision and commitment in initiatives like INUP. He said, "The sustained success of INUP is a testament to the dedication of everyone involved. It is crucial that we continue to support and invest in such initiatives, as they are the cornerstone of India's future in advanced technologies." The Meet was attended by over 350 participants, including faculty members of the INUP host institutes, experts from both industry and academia, startups and active users of INUP's facilities, marking a significant collaborative endeavor. The event showcased success stories from users whose research, supported by INUP, has led to significant advancements in their careers. A notable feature of the Meet was the ‘Brainstorming Session: INUP of the Future’, focusing on “Talent Development for India’s Nanoelectronics/Semiconductor Needs”. The aim was to bring together leading experts, academics and industry professionals to debate the future of the INUP, given its current momentum and the context of the larger Indian semiconductor/ nanoengineering ecosystem. Experts emphasized the need for deeper industry-academia collaboration, more sustained support for startups, and developing a lot more certified training content for workforce development.

A highlight of the Meet was the felicitation of winners of the INUP nanotech hackathon, and startup and academic users of INUP, for their achievements enabled by this programme. This event not only celebrated individual excellence but also reinforced the sense of community and shared purpose that lies at the heart of INUP's mission to promote collaborative research. INUP remains committed to provide access to state-of-the-art nanofabrication facilities, for the R&D needs of researchers from across Indian academia and startups; and, for the training needs of the burgeoning semiconductor industry in India.

For more detailed information about INUP and its initiatives, please visit INUP-i2i (https://inup-i2i.in/). 

 

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(Source: IIT Bombay) | PIB Mumbai | SC/ DR

 

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