Dec 23: BITS Pilani, an institution of eminence, announces its dual recognition at the prestigious CII Global Innovation & IP Summit 2025, held concurrently with the CII Global Summit on Technology, R&D & IP in New Delhi. The institution was lauded for its exceptional contributions to intellectual property (IP) creation, management, and technology commercialization, and received the esteemed CII Women in STEM Award for its significant efforts in advancing women’s participation, leadership, and influence across Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM).
Specifically, BITS Pilani secured the Best Patent Portfolio (2020–2025) – Second Runner-Up in the category of Academic Institutions – Private Universities, placing it among the nation’s Top 30 IP-driven organisations. This recognition highlights the institute’s sustained efforts in building a strong, high-quality patent portfolio, successfully translating research into technology transfer outcomes, and fostering an innovation-driven research ecosystem through robust industry–academia collaborations and structured institutional programmes.
The Best Patent Portfolio award was received on behalf of BITS Pilani by Prof. Sudhirkumar Barai, Director, BITS Pilani, along with Prof. Deepak Chitkara, Coordinator, IPEC, Prof. Swati Alok, Associate Dean – Research & Innovation, and Mr Rajneesh Kumar, Head, Technology Transfer Office.
The CII Women in STEM Award was received by Prof. Sudhirkumar Barai, Director, BITS Pilani, along with Prof. Meenal Kowshik, Professor, Department of Biological Sciences, BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, and Prof. Jayashree Mahesh, Associate Professor, Department of Management, BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus.
Speaking on the announcement, Prof Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor, BITS Pilani said, “This dual recognition from CII is a profound testament to the relentless dedication and innovative spirit of our entire BITS Pilani community-our faculty, researchers, and students. It deeply validates our sustained efforts in not only pushing the boundaries of intellectual property creation and technology commercialisation but also in fostering an inclusive environment that empowers women in STEM. These achievements are vital as we strive to contribute significantly to India’s technological advancement and self-reliance objectives.”
The awards were presented by an esteemed panel, including Prof. Ashutosh Sharma, Chairman, CII Industrial IP Awards; President, Indian National Science Academy; and Professor, IIT Kanpur, along with Mr. Arvind Thakur, Former Chairman, CII National Committee on IP; Member, Board of Management, NIIT University; and Former CEO, Vice Chairman & Managing Director, NIIT Technologies Ltd. The ceremony was further graced by the presence of Dr. Ashish Mohan, Executive Director, Confederation of Indian Industry, and Mr. R. Saha, Senior Adviser, Confederation of Indian Industry.
The awards were evaluated based on a rigorous assessment of institutional IP portfolios over the past five years (2020–2025). During this period, BITS Pilani filed over 455 patents, with more than 115 patents granted, contributing to a cumulative portfolio of over 620 patent filings and more than 130 granted patents to date and more than twenty technology transfers. Furthermore, the Institute’s comprehensive and mature approach to IP management is evident in its portfolio of over 35 registered designs, trademarks, and copyrights.
These recognitions reinforce BITS Pilani’s commitment to excellence in research, innovation, intellectual property creation, and inclusive growth, and its role in advancing India’s deep-tech ecosystem and self-reliance objectives through impactful academia–industry collaboration.