BITS Pilani Receives USD 1 Million Endowment from Alumna Revathi Advaithi to Support Women Scholars

Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani has announced a landmark USD 1 million endowment from distinguished alumna Revathi Advaithi, Chief Executive Officer of Flex, and her husband, Jeevan Mulgund, to establish a permanent scholarship fund for deserving women students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds.

Announced during BITS Pilani Convocation 2026 at the Pilani campus, the endowment will create the Visalam Swamy and Sucheta Mulgund Scholarship, ensuring that financial constraints do not stand in the way of talented young women pursuing higher education at the institute.

Revathi Advaithi, a Mechanical Engineering graduate from the BITS Pilani Class of 1990, served as the Chief Guest at the convocation where 1,477 students received their degrees.

Scholarship Named After Their Mothers

Explaining the inspiration behind the scholarship, Revathi Advaithi and Jeevan Mulgund said the endowment has been named after their mothers, Visalam Swamy and Sucheta Mulgund, in recognition of their role in shaping their lives.

"We are naming this scholarship after our mothers, Visalam Swamy and Sucheta Mulgund, because everything we have been able to do began with them. Neither had an easy path, and both understood that educating a daughter changes the trajectory of an entire family. BITS Pilani gave one of us that chance, and we want to pass it on. Our hope is that every young woman who receives this scholarship knows that someone believed in her before she ever walked through the gates — and that she, in turn, will one day open that same door for someone else."

Advaithi, who was the only woman in her Mechanical Engineering class, has led Flex as its CEO since 2019 and is widely recognised among Fortune's Most Powerful Women in Business. She has consistently advocated for greater representation of women across industries.

Leadership Applauds Landmark Alumni Contribution

Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani, described the endowment as a significant step towards expanding educational access.

"Revathi Advaithi embodies everything that a BITS Pilani education seeks to nurture: ambition, resilience and a deep desire to create opportunities for others. By endowing scholarships in perpetuity, she is ensuring that generations of talented young women will benefit from her generosity. This strengthens our commitment to admitting the finest students, irrespective of their financial circumstances."

Prof. Sudhirkumar Barai, Director of the Pilani Campus, called endowed scholarships among the most enduring gifts alumni can make to their institution, while Prof. Arya Kumar, Dean of Alumni Relations, said such contributions strengthen the culture of philanthropy among BITS Pilani graduates worldwide.

BITS Pilani Convocation 2026 Celebrates 1,477 Graduates

BITS Pilani celebrated Convocation 2026 on 19 July, with degrees awarded to 1,477 graduates, including:

• 1,087 Undergraduate students
• 271 Postgraduate students
• 119 PhD scholars

Six students received medals for outstanding academic performance. At the undergraduate level, Aditya Mittal received the Gold Medal, Shubham Kumar the Silver Medal and Ritvik Singh the Bronze Medal. Among postgraduate students, Aviral Sundli received the Gold Medal, while Cherukupalli Surya Sasank and Eesha Kancharla shared the Silver Medal.

The institute also presented several memorial awards recognising excellence in research and academics across Pharmacy, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Electronics Engineering, and Civil Engineering.

BITS Pilani Highlights Growth in Research and Innovation

Addressing the graduating class, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao highlighted several milestones achieved by the institute over the past few years. These include the launch of six new undergraduate programmes, recruitment of 269 faculty members, and expansion of the research ecosystem to over 3,000 PhD scholars.

The institute reported annual extramural research funding exceeding ₹100 crore, with 295 externally funded research projects secured during the last financial year. Over the past six years, cumulative sanctioned research funding has crossed ₹650 crore, while nearly 190 patents were filed during the previous financial year.

On the rankings front, BITS Pilani improved its standing in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF), rising from 20th among universities in 2023 to 7th in 2025. It also secured the 11th position in the Engineering category. Internationally, the institute is ranked among the world's top 250 institutions in Engineering and Technology and among the top 50 globally in Pharmacy and Pharmacology in the QS Rankings.

Expansion Plans Underway

The Vice Chancellor also outlined major expansion initiatives, including Project Vistaar, a ₹1,230 crore investment to strengthen infrastructure across the Pilani, Goa and Hyderabad campuses. Additional investments include ₹250 crore towards Artificial Intelligence and Quantum initiatives, a ₹1,200 crore first-phase investment for a new AI+ Campus in Amaravati, and a ₹100 crore Industry Research Park.

Congratulating the graduating class, Prof. Rao encouraged graduates to dream big, remain humble and uphold the institution's legacy through integrity, innovation and impactful leadership.

About BITS Pilani

BITS Pilani is one of India's premier higher education institutions, offering undergraduate, postgraduate and doctoral programmes across engineering, science, pharmacy, management and humanities. The institute is recognised globally for academic excellence, research, innovation and strong industry engagement.

 

(Inputs from Press Release)