India’s First Automotive Competency Centre

BITS Pilani, through its Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP), today announced the inauguration of its Automotive Competency Centre (ACC) in Chennai, a state-of-the-art facility designed to strengthen industry-academia collaboration and accelerate innovation in automotive and mobility systems. Conceived as an integrated ecosystem combining experiential learning, organization problem solving, applied research, faculty development, and industry engagement, the Centre will enable its working professional students, and their employers, students, working professionals, and faculty members to work on real-world engineering challenges, thereby advancing India's capabilities in next-generation mobility and smart manufacturing. As the Centre evolves, it also aspires to support in problem solving needs of MSMEs, and the capability development needs of aspiring engineers. This pioneering initiative marks the first in a planned series of Competency Centres that BITS Pilani aims to establish in 2026. These centres will focus on emerging technology domains aligned with national priorities and industry requirements, creating a network of excellence that bridges academic learning with industry practice across diverse sectors. Cutting-Edge Infrastructure and Learning Ecosystem The Competency Centres will provide learners with hands-on exposure to advanced automotive technologies through structured immersions for its students, industry-linked projects, and capability development programmes. ACC Chennai is equipped with laboratories and simulation environments that support software-defined vehicle development, e-mobility systems, embedded systems in automotives, diagnostics, functional safety and automotive security. By fostering applied research, rapid prototyping, and collaborative problem-solving, the Centre is positioned to become a hub for innovation and talent development, strengthening the bond between academic learning and industry requirements while preparing a workforce that is globally competitive. Chennai has been selected as the first location owing to its well-established automotive industry ecosystem and concentration of leading mobility sector companies, making it an ideal environment for industry-academia collaboration and knowledge exchange. Speaking on the inauguration, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice-Chancellor, BITS Pilani, said,“ “The inauguration of the Automotive Competency Centre in Chennai marks a transformative step in BITS Pilani’s mission to bridge academic excellence with industry needs. Through this Centre, our working professionals, students, and faculty will engage with real world challenges in next-generation mobility, advancing India’s capabilities in smart automotive systems and manufacturing. By fostering experiential learning, industry collaboration, and applied research, ACC Chennai will not only nurture globally competitive talent but also support innovation that addresses the pressing needs of industry and MSMEs .” Prof. G. Sundar, Director, BITS Pilani WILP Division, added: "At BITS Pilani WILP, our vision has always been to create learning environments that evolve with industry needs whilst retaining academic rigour. Furthering this vision, Chennai is the first city in the series of Competency Centres we are planning to establish this year. ACC Chennai has been designed to nurture both intellectual curiosity and practical capability. It shall enable learners to engage with real-world automotive and mobility problems, develop solutions that are implementable, and contribute to India's journey towards Atmanirbhar Bharat in advanced manufacturing. This initiative underscores our commitment to building educational models that are sustainable, future-oriented, and deeply impactful for India's evolving industrial landscape." The Automotive Competency Centre was inaugurated in the presence of BITS Pilani leadership and faculty, including Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Group Vice Chancellor; Prof. G. Sundar, Director (Off-Campus Programmes & Industry Engagement); Prof. PB Venkataraman, Dean – Work Integrated Learning Programmes (WILP); Mr. Ashok Sahu, COO – WILP; Prof. Paramesw Chidamparam, Head of Core Engg. Group; Prof. Ravi Reosekar, Associate HoG; Prof. Pawan Sharma, Associate HoG; and Prof. Madhuri Bayya. Joining them were eminent industry leaders: Mr. Ganesh Mani S, CEO, Switch Mobility; Mr. Shankar Venugopal, Vice President – Technology Innovation, Mahindra & Mahindra; Mr. Marcel Fernandes, Head – Capability Building & Skill Development, Tata Motors; Mr. Saurabh Chaudhary, CEO, Ohm Mobility; and Mr. Mr. Mahesh Rajendran - Head of Testing & Validation, Valeo India. Their collective presence reinforced the Centre’s stature as a strategic initiative to advance innovation, strengthen industry–academia collaboration, and build future‑ready competencies in the automotive sector.