BITS Pilani sets up Rakesh Kapoor Innovation Centre, alumnus donates $ 1.2 million

BITS Pilani has set up a centre of innovation and entrepreneurship named after its alumnus Rakesh Kapoor, the former CEO of consumer hygiene, health and nutrition firm Reckitt Plc, who has donated USD 1.2 million for the facility, officials said.

The Rakesh Kapoor Innovation Centre will be home to the Pilani Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Society (PIEDS), which was set up with a grant from the Department of Science and Technology.

The centre will possess multiple specialized labs on subjects such as Internet-of-Things, Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning, and fintech.

It will also have space for administrative offices for professionals and faculty members involved in incubation activities.

The centre is designed by renowned architect Hafeez Contractor in a picturesque facility with an area of 40,000 sq ft.

Rakesh Kapoor, who studied at BITS Pilani (1980 batch) has donated USD 1.2 million for the creation of the state-of-the-art centre of innovation at his alma mater.

"Innovation is the lifeblood and engine of economic and societal progress. I am confident that this world-class innovation centre will foster the talent of young engineers and scientists to create innovative products, solutions and services that benefit our planet and our people.

"Nothing will give me more pleasure than the centre helping create a culture, especially of innovation and entrepreneurship, which actually results not just in innovation by itself, but results in things that we can do to benefit society, to benefit people around the world," Kapoor said.

BITS Pilani Vice Chancellor V Ramgopal Rao, said, "Usually, the PhD programmes in the country are all geared to producing university professors, but we are changing the paradigm of what these programmes need to be, by shifting the focus to innovation."