BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus hosted Dr. Shivkumar Kalyanaraman, CEO, Anusandhan National Research Foundation (ANRF) for an engaging and highly insightful interaction.  ANRF acts as an apex body to provide high-level strategic direction of scientific research in the country as per recommendations of the National Education Policy (NEP).

The visit began with dialogue between Dr Shivkumar and Prof Suman Kundu, Director of BITS Pilani, K K Birla Goa Campus, whereby Dr Shivkumar highlighted his vision for ANRF and its philosophy in driving research, development and innovation in the country, while Prof Kundu briefly narrated his vision for the Campus. Dr Shivkumar's passion in driving mission mode program at the national scale and invitation to suggest new programs was inspirational.

Later Dr. Shivkumar participated in an interactive roundtable with the campus leadership, during which the Associate Dean (Research & Innovation), Prof. Shibu Clement, highlighted BITS Pilani’s growth trajectory in extramural research funding, high-impact publications, patents, and deepening industry engagements.  During the discussion, Dr. Shivkumar articulated ANRF’s national vision under his leadership, emphasizing the need to make academia–industry collaboration more vibrant and dynamic through structured, mission-driven programmes.  He underscored translational research, speed-to-impact, and scale as key pillars of ANRF’s approach, reinforcing its role as a catalyst in India’s research-to-innovation journey.

During the campus tour of the Sandbox & Innovation Lab, Central Sophisticated Instrumentation Facility (CSIF), and Device Lab, Dr. Shivkumar underscored the importance of science communication and public visibility.  He encouraged the creation of short demonstration and innovation videos showcasing indigenous technologies and advanced research facilities, to be disseminated through digital and social media platforms, an important reminder that impactful research must also be visible and accessible.

This was followed by focused interactions with faculty teams leading key Centres of Excellence (CoEs) - ARCSET, APPCAIR, and Quantum Technology Initiatives as well as discussions on strategic ANRF mission proposals, including the 2D Materials Research Fab and Innovation Hub, AI for Science & Engineering (AI-SE), and the MAHA MedTech Mission 2025. These conversations reflected strong alignment between national mission priorities and BITS Pilani’s interdisciplinary research strengths.

The visit concluded with a lively and meaningful interaction with faculty members who have received and applied for the Prime Minister’s Early Career Research (PM-ECR) Grant. The discussion offered valuable insights into the evolving PM-ECR framework, ANRF’s expectations from early-career researchers, and the broader vision for nurturing next-generation research leaders in India.

The interaction has further energized BITS Pilani’s faculty and reinforced BITS Pilani’s commitment to mission-driven, translational, and nationally relevant research.