The Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani has been gifted $1 million in funding from its alumnus and entrepreneur Anurag Jain to lay the foundation of a new Centre of Excellence. The proposed centre will be established at the institute’s Goa campus, enabling research, innovation, and education in the field of advanced materials.According to BITS Pilani, in addition to the recent contribution, the centre would require a multi-million investment over the years for its development.The Anurag Jain Materials Research and Innovation Centre of Excellence (AMRIT) has been introduced to provide researchers, students, industry leaders, entrepreneurs, and international academic partners with the opportunity to generate advanced materials and convert laboratory innovations into commercially practical products.The contributor, Anurag Jain, from the institute’s 1988 graduating class, is chairman of Access Healthcare, a global healthcare services platform, and co-founder and managing partner of Perot Jain, a Dallas-based venture capital firm investing in artificial intelligence, robotics, and computer vision. Read | Eating pani-puri in Darbhanga, IITian Priyanshu didn’t check his JEE resultIn the early phases, the centre will primarily focus on two-dimensional and functional materials, exploring their applications in batteries, supercapacitors, hydrogen production, fuel cells, photovoltaics, carbon capture, semiconductors, sensors, utilisation, storage, and other energy-related crucial devices and technologies.According to the institute, the establishment of a dedicated centre of excellence for advanced materials comes as India broadens public investment in critical minerals, semiconductor manufacturing, clean energy, and other strategic industries.Story continues below this adTaking inspiration from central government initiatives like the National Critical Mineral Mission and Semicon India, BITS Pilani, through its AMRIT Center, aims to support the country’s technological self-reliance while developing an internationally recognized research program.Also Read | IIT scholarships, fellowships for JEE Advanced, GATE and JAM rankerThe institute plans to join hands with leading universities, laboratories, companies, and experts in India and around the globe. As stated by BITS Pilani, distinguished scientists, entrepreneurs, and industry leaders are also expected to advise the center and guide its research, partnerships, and path.