MUMBAI: UST, a leading digital transformation solutions company, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani, one of India’s leading higher education institutions, to establish an academic-industry collaboration. The MoU was formally exchanged at UST’s Thiruvananthapuram Campus and outlines a multi-dimensional partnership between UST and BITS Pilani that will promote innovation, talent nurturing, and joint research to bridge academia and industry for creating solutions with real-world impact.

The partnership aims to focus on advanced research and co-creation in frontier domains such as Photonics, Quantum Computing, VLSI, Humanoid Robotics, Artificial Intelligence, and MedTech. Through joint research programs, patents, Proof of Concept (PoCs) projects, and commercialization-ready products will be developed under the shared guidance of UST’s engineering experts and BITS Pilani’s academic leadership.

The MoU was exchanged in the presence of Alexander Varghese, Chief Operating Officer, UST; Gilroy Mathew, SVP & Global Head of Engineering, UST; Shilpa Menon, Center Head – Trivandrum; Sarath Raj, Senior Director & Head – HR BSE-APAC; Ashok G Nair, Bhavesh Sasirajan, Deepti Sujatha, and Nikitha Bahadur from UST. Prof. Sanket Goel, Dean (R&I), and Dr. Praloy Mondal, Program Manager, CREST, were present on behalf of BITS Pilani.

Speaking on the occasion, Gilroy Mathew, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Engineering, UST, said,

Prof. Sanket Goel, Dean – Research & Innovation, BITS Pilani, added,

As part of this collaboration, UST will co-develop research programs aligned to pressing industry problems, provide technical mentorship, enable prototyping infrastructure, and support commercialization of innovation outcomes. Areas of cooperation also include semiconductor testing, data-driven engineering, cloud computing, sustainable technologies, and AI-powered industrial solutions. UST will additionally engage with the BITS Pilani placement cell to recruit emerging talent while participating in curriculum design and faculty development efforts.

This collaboration also underscores UST’s commitment to advancing engineering R&D on a global scale. With deep expertise across semiconductor design, software-defined mobility, smart manufacturing, and immersive technologies, UST delivers AI-integrated solutions from chip to cloud. Together, these capabilities position UST as a global leader in delivering adaptive, next-generation engineering solutions.

UST, with expertise in AI/ML for semiconductor validation, automotive predictive maintenance, autonomous driving simulations, and robotic actuators, can drive applied research by sharing real-world datasets and industry challenges. This partnership will leverage BITS Pilani’s AI ecosystem to co-develop market-ready solutions, upskill talent, and advance India’s automotive and robotics sector.

The MoU is poised to drive lasting impact by embedding innovation, agility, and industry relevance into the academic ecosystem, empowering students and faculty to make meaningful contributions. This strategic collaboration with BITS Pilani marks yet another step in UST’s journey to shape the future of deep-tech innovation and India’s talent force.

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PUNE: In a significant boost to aviation skill development in Western India, Global School of Aviation, the training arm of Global Flight Handling Services (A concessionaire of Airport Authority of India for Airport Ground Handling at Pune Airport), today inaugurated its Pune training facility at Aero Mall, adjacent to Pune International Airport. Shri Muralidhar Mohol, Hon’ble Union Minister of State for Civil Aviation and Cooperation, Government of India, inaugurated the state-of-the-art centre.

The new facility underscores Pune’s growing stature in India’s aviation landscape, serving both as a key operational base for airport services and now as a hub for aviation training and employment.

“Pune has always been a city of talent and innovation. With the expansion of air connectivity under the UDAN scheme and the rise in passenger traffic, this new training centre will provide timely skilling opportunities for the region’s youth,” said Shri Muralidhar Mohol, Union MoS for Civil Aviation and Cooperation. “I commend Global School of Aviation for investing in Pune and supporting the Government of India’s vision of making India a global aviation hub.”

The Global School of Aviation Pune facility will offer diploma and certification programs in Airport Ground Handling, Cabin Crew Training, Airport Operations & Management, and degree programs in collaboration with AMET University. Plans are already underway to bring international certification programs from governing bodies and develop a fully equipped mock aircraft cabin to deliver real-world, hands-on training experiences.

“We are proud to launch this facility in Pune, which will enable us to meet our in-house requirements and provide the right platform to future aviators who are looking for an aviation career,” said Sarita Kumari, Managing Director, Global Flight Handling Services. “With over 400 staff working at Pune Airport—95% of whom are from the city and neighbouring districts—this centre is a natural extension of our commitment to local employment, skilling, and aviation excellence.”

Located inside Aero Mall, India’s first airport mall complex situated just opposite Pune International Airport, the training facility benefits from real-time exposure to airport operations. Trainees will be able to interact with professionals from Global Flight Handling Services, which operates across 23 Indian airports, including Pune, Aurangabad, Jalgaon, and Sindhudurg in Maharashtra alone.  As an airport ground handling company, we remain committed to expanding our presence across Maharashtra and other parts of India, continuing our mission to elevate aviation infrastructure and training standards nationwide.

The facility is equipped with smart classrooms and multimedia-equipped training halls, cabin crew training labs (under development), career counselling and placement support, and access to on-ground practical exposure at Pune Airport.

Pune Airport, one of the fastest-growing airports in the country, handled over 10.54 million passengers in FY2024–25 and is undergoing significant expansion. With rising demand for both domestic and regional flights, the city is witnessing a parallel surge in the need for skilled aviation professionals across roles.

The Pune centre is the second facility under the Global School of Aviation brand, following the launch in Chennai in 2024. Centres in Kochi, Ahmedabad, and Visakhapatnam are scheduled to launch soon.

Global School of Aviation is a vertical of Global Flight Handling Services, a group company of Updater Services Ltd., India’s largest integrated facilities and business support services provider with a workforce of over 65,000.

“This is not just a training centre; it’s a gateway to careers in aviation for thousands of young Indians,” added Sarita. “We want to ensure that anyone aspiring for an aviation career—whether on the ground or in the air—has access to quality education, global certification, and practical experience.”

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Nand Ghar, an innovative social impact project by Anil Agarwal Foundation, the philanthropic arm of Vedanta Limited, is a model project working to strengthen the Anganwadi ecosystem of India. It has reimagined traditional Anganwadis, government infrastructure addressing the education, nutrition, and health needs of children and lactating women, into “Nand Ghars” – a Home for a Young One. By leveraging innovative solutions encompassing health, nutrition, education, and women’s empowerment through skilling, it aims to uplift the lives of women and children across rural India. Since its inception, Nand Ghar has empowered 1.2 lakh women, providing them with income opportunities of up to INR 12,000 per month and helping them establish businesses in sectors ranging from textiles to data entry to dairy farming.

Titled Boosting Livelihood Opportunities for Women – the compendium compiles the journey of nineteen corporations that have successfully rolled out programs to empower rural women, including landless farmers, women with disabilities, and those residing in remote regions. The compendium underscores the pivotal role played by women in driving both economic and social progress, recognizing their potential as a catalyst for accelerated economic growth in ‘New India.’ The compendium serves as a testament to the exemplary CSR efforts of the Anil Agarwal Foundation in empowering women in rural and semi-urban areas by creating sustainable livelihoods for them.

Anil Agarwal Foundation, in alignment with the vision of an empowered nation, has taken the lead in implementing women-focused sustainable livelihood programs to address skilling and employability opportunities for women. Recently, its flagship project Nand Ghar collaborated with Rajasthan Skill and Livelihoods Development Corporation (RSLDC) through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) under which RSLDC will provide support for training, certification, and placement support to the beneficiaries of Nand Ghar, which will serve as hubs for skill development and entrepreneurship training. Through this, AAF aims to empower women by providing them with the necessary skills and resources to enhance their livelihood opportunities, making them financially independent.

AAF, with the backing of Vedanta, has already constructed and upgraded over 5,500 Anganwadi Centres into Nand Ghars across 14 states in India. Earlier, AAF had signed an MoU with the Government of Rajasthan to upgrade 25,000 Anganwadi Centres into Nand Ghars in the state.

The Anil Agarwal Foundation is the umbrella entity for Vedanta’s community and social initiatives. The focus areas of the Foundation are Healthcare, Women and Child Development, Animal Welfare Projects, and Sports Initiatives. Anil Agarwal Foundation aims to empower communities, transform lives, and facilitate nation-building through sustainable and inclusive growth.

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