BITS Pilani University, one of India’s premier institutions for higher education and research, has signed a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Laghu Udyog Bharati (LUB) National, the apex body representing Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) across the country. The collaboration marks a significant step towards advancing innovation, technology adoption, and capacity building within India’s MSME sector.
The MoU was formalized through a hybrid ceremony, with LUB’s national leadership joining online and the LUB Goa State team attending in person at the BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus. The LUB Goa delegation included Ms. Pallavi Salgaocar, President; Mr. Mudit Agarwaal, General Secretary; Mr. Vibhor Keny, Treasurer; Mr. Yogish Kulkarni and Mr. Jayesh Raikar, Innovation Chairs.
Representing BITS Pilani were Prof. Suman Kundu, Director, BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, Prof. Anirban Roy, Faculty-in-Charge, BITS Goa Innovation, Incubation & Entrepreneurship Society (BGIIES), Prof. Saroj Baral, Convener, Institute Innovation Council, Prof. Shibu Clement, Associate Dean, Research & Innovation, Prof. Amol Deshpande, Faculty-in-Charge, Practice School, Prof. S. D. Manjare, Head, Department of Chemical Engineering, Dr. Sridevi Jaiswal, Manager, BGIIES and Ms. Eesha Desai from BGIIES.
Senior leaders from across the BITS network also participated virtually, including Col. S. Chakraborty (Retd.), Registrar, BITS Pilani; Prof. Sounak Roy, Dean – Research & Innovation and Mr. Rajneesh Kumar, Head – Technology Transfer Office. LUB’s national representatives joining online included All India President Shri Madhu Sudan Dadu, All India General Secretary Shri Om Prakash Gupta, National Coordinator (Industry–Academia) Smt. Jayanti Goela, and Dr. Arshpreet Kaur, TOT Coordinator.
A Strategic Partnership to Empower MSMEs
Under this MoU, BITS Pilani and LUB will collaborate on a wide range of initiatives including:
- Technology adoption and upgradation for MSMEs
- Joint R&D projects addressing sector-specific challenges
- Innovation, incubation, and entrepreneurial support
- Training and capacity-building programmes
- Strengthening industry–academia linkages
- Joint access to national and global funding opportunities
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Sounak Roy, Dean – Research & Innovation, BITS Pilani, highlighted that the partnership would enable the institute to translate high-quality research into “tangible societal and economic impact for the backbone of the Indian economy – our MSMEs.”
Prof. Suman Kundu, Director, BITS Pilani K K Birla Goa Campus, reaffirmed the institute’s commitment to national development, stating that BITS Pilani will “open its laboratories, expertise, and research ecosystem to support the technological and educational needs of MSME units across India.”
Voices from Laghu Udyog Bharati
LUB All India President Shri Madhu Sudan Dadu, a proud alumnus of BITS Pilani, expressed gratitude to his alma mater for collaborating in this mission. He noted that this MoU “bridges the long-standing gap between academia and industry, creates new opportunities for students, and fosters innovation-led MSME growth nationwide.”
LUB Goa President Ms. Pallavi Salgaocar described the partnership as “a milestone that began as an initiative in Goa and has now evolved into a national collaboration aimed at strengthening MSMEs and driving an Atmanirbhar Bharat.”
Goa Innovation Chair Mr. Yogish Kulkarni, who spearheaded the initiative, emphasized the potential for “technology adoption, MSME upgradation, startup incubation, and nurturing of young innovators through this collaboration.”
Towards a Robust National MSME Innovation Ecosystem
This partnership brings together the academic excellence, research strength, and innovation ecosystem of BITS Pilani with LUB’s extensive national network of MSMEs. The collaboration aims to create a dynamic platform that accelerates competitiveness, fosters innovation, and enables sustainable growth for MSMEs across India.
