"NIT Tiruchirapalli to Build ₹150-Crore Research and Innovation Hub".

National Institute of Technology (NIT) Tiruchirappalli (NITT) is set to expand its entrepreneurship and incubation programme with the establishment of a dedicated research and innovation hub, costing nearly ₹150 crore. The project will involve an investment of ₹100 crore for the construction of a multi-storey building and ₹50 crore for procuring equipment, according to NITT Director G. Aghila.

The Board of Governors of the institute has approved the project, which will be funded through a combination of support from the Union Education Ministry, loans, and contributions from the institute's vast alumni network, which comprises 48,000 members. Aghila made these announcements during a media briefing ahead of NIT Tiruchirappalli's Global Alumni Meet 2025 (GAM 2025), scheduled to take place in Chennai on January 4.

The proposed hub will cover 20 acres within the campus and is designed to foster an ecosystem that promotes innovation, research, and entrepreneurship. "This will be a significant step towards advancing the institute's commitment to innovation and creating opportunities for students and startups," Aghila stated.

K. Mahalingam, President of RECAL (NIT Tiruchirappalli’s student alumni body), highlighted that GAM 2025 would bring together alumni from across the globe to celebrate the institution’s legacy. With a network of 48,000 alumni, including 930 CEOs and 1,300 founders and co-founders, RECAL has played a key role in shaping industries worldwide. The body has also raised over ₹10 crore for various initiatives, including scholarships for more than 1,000 students, and aims to raise ₹100 crore by 2030.

Tata Sons’ Chairman N. Chandrasekaran will be the chief guest at GAM 2025, with Tamil Nadu’s IT Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan serving as the Guest of Honour. Other notable participants include Gopi Kalayil, Chief Business Evangelist at AI-Google, Veera Muthuvel, Project Director for Chandrayaan 3, TV Narendran, Chief Executive of Tata Steels, Shyam Srinivasan, Chief Executive of Fed Fina, and Vishu Venugopalan, Chief Executive of Guidance Tamil Nadu.

HBL