CHENNAI : Five years ago,IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation began with a vision of translating cutting-edge research into solutions that address India’s most pressing challenges.
Today, with nearly 500 researchers, faculty members, professionals and innovators, a 40,000 sq.ft. innovation ecosystem and collaborations spanning government, academia and industry, the Technology Innovation Hub has emerged as one of the country’s leading centres for technology-led nation building.
Celebrating its fifth anniversary through ‘Pravartak Impact Day’ on Friday (3rd July 2026), the Foundation showcased how research has translated into measurable societal impact across diverse sectors—from strengthening national security and transforming digital education to applying Artificial Intelligence in governance, preserving India’s cultural heritage, supporting healthcare, enabling sustainable agriculture and nurturing deep-tech entrepreneurship.
Addressing the celebrations virtually, Prof. V. Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, reaffirmed IITM Pravartak’s role in advancing translational research and innovation, describing it as an important contributor to India’s journey towards Viksit Bharat 2047.
Highlighting the mission of this Technology Hub, Dr. M. J. Shankar Raman, CEO, IITM Pravartak Technologies Foundation, said, “Technology has meaning only when it creates impact. Over the last five years, our endeavour has been to bring together academia, industry, government and startups to build capabilities that serve the Nation. Whether it is strengthening national security, preparing thousands of learners for the digital economy, applying AI to improve public institutions or nurturing deep-tech innovation, our focus has always been on creating solutions that matter to society.”
Building capabilities for the Nation
Pravartak has built technology solutions that directly contribute to national priorities. Among its significant contributions is the development of secure communication systems for the Indian Armed Forces, designed to provide trusted and resilient communication capabilities for mission-critical environments.
Developed as part of an indigenous secure communication ecosystem, these technologies have supported the Armed Forces during critical operations, demonstrating the role that advanced indigenous technologies can play in strengthening India’s strategic capabilities.
AI with purpose
At its Centre for Human-Centric Artificial Intelligence (CHAI), IITM Pravartak is developing AI systems that augment human expertise rather than replace it. Current initiatives include sovereign AI language models for national audit institutions, AI-driven procurement intelligence for government systems, workflow intelligence for judicial institutions, AI-assisted neonatal congenital heart diseases screening for rural healthcare, defence procurement intelligence, prison mental-health support, heritage restoration, and immersive technologies for preserving India’s civilisational legacy.
Building Deep Tech Startups
IITM Pravartak continues to strengthen India’s deep tech startup ecosystem, having incubated 58 startups to date, with 20 startups successfully graduating from the program. Reflecting the strength of this pipeline, 5 startups have gone on to secure Series A or pre-Series A funding, while 2 startups have attracted external funding from private investors.
These milestones underscore the growing momentum behind deep tech innovation in IITM Pravartak.
A particularly noteworthy achievement is that 23 of the 58 incubated startups have successfully commercialized their technologies—a remarkable outcome in the deep tech ecosystem, especially when viewed against the often-cited global average startup success rate of around 10%.
Skilling
Over the last five years, IITM Pravartak has trained more than 24,000 learners through its Digital Skills Academy, including 8,000 students, 12,000 working professionals, 2,000 government officials, and 2,000 students from Tier-2 and Tier-3 cities through CSR initiatives.
More than 8,500 learners have experienced career progression through placements, promotions and new opportunities, while nearly 3,000 rural teachers have been equipped with digital skills to transform classrooms across the country.
Impact beyond the laboratory
The Foundation’s work extends well beyond research. Its CSR initiatives currently span 13 Rural Technology Centres, 189 Rural Interaction Centres across Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh, 4,000+ students, and multiple college partnerships delivering programmes in Artificial Intelligence,
Cybersecurity, Robotics and Entrepreneurship. The RASA agriculture platform combines computer vision and natural language processing to support farmers from seed to harvest, while projects in assistive technologies, indigenous cattle conservation and rural livelihoods demonstrate the Foundation’s commitment to technology for inclusive development.
IIT Madras Pravartak is also partnering with leading global organisations including Samsung and Accenture. As part of Vertiv’s CSR, Pravartak is delivering a nationwide skilling programme to prepare students for careers in data centre operations, addressing India’s rapidly growing demand for skilled professionals in this sector.
