Prime Minister Narendra Modi, IIT Bombay, and the Wadhwani Foundation announced the creation of two new initiatives at the YUGM Innovation Conclave: the Wadhwani Hub for Biosciences, Bioengineering, Health and Medicine and the Wadhwani Innovation and Translation Centre (WITC) at IIT Bombay.
Sharing his vision for the initiative, Dr Romesh Wadhwani, IIT Bombay’s Alumnus and Founder of Wadhwani Foundation, said, “The Wadhwani Hub and WITC at IIT Bombay will help make India a global leader in biosciences and healthcare while driving meaningful socio-economic progress. Together, we aim to improve quality of life through innovation-led economic development, job creation, skill-building, entrepreneurial support, and impact-driven research that serves the public good”.
This initiative by the Wadhwani Foundation and IIT Bombay lays the foundation for an ecosystem integrating graduate education, research, innovation, and real-world applications. With a philanthropic commitment of Rs 100 crore by the Wadhwani Foundation and a Rs 200 crore matching contribution from IIT Bombay to be raised by the Institute, the initiative will be anchored by an upcoming 120,000 sq. ft. building. The Hub will focus on strengthening high-quality M.Tech. and PhD programmes, advancing cutting-edge research, and fostering interdisciplinary solutions for pressing challenges in healthcare and medicine.
The Wadhwani Hub will house multiple specialised centres, including those focused on biosciences, healthcare systems, and medical technologies, each incorporating artificial intelligence and machine learning into its research framework. Within the Hub, the Wadhwani Innovation and Translation Centre (WITC) will accelerate the journey from lab to market. It will focus on translational research, startup incubation, and commercialisation, serving as a national catalyst for converting scientific breakthroughs into impactful solutions.
This new initiative builds on the Wadhwani Foundation’s earlier support for translation in biosciences through the Wadhwani Research Centre for Bioengineering (WRCB), reinforcing a decade-long commitment to impactful research and innovation at IIT Bombay.
IIT Bombay’s faculty are already engaged in research across biosciences, healthcare, and bioengineering. The Wadhwani Hub and WITC will build on this foundation and aim to enable deeper collaboration with industry and scale innovations that can transform healthcare outcomes nationally and globally.
Dr Wadhwani’s vision has been carried forward by Dr Ajay Kela, President and CEO, Wadhwani Foundation, who has played a pivotal role in shaping the Foundation’s global mission. Under his leadership, its entrepreneurship and skilling initiatives have scaled to over 10 countries, bringing lasting socio-economic impact worldwide.
Prof Shireesh Kedare, Director, IIT Bombay, said, “This initiative will not only strengthen our research and academic ecosystem but also catalyse innovation and entrepreneurship in critical sectors of national importance. We are honoured to partner with the Wadhwani Foundation on this transformative journey.”
The collaboration reflects a shared commitment to excellence: while the Wadhwani Foundation’s philanthropic investment sets the foundation for the Hub, IIT Bombay is equally committed—financially and institutionally—to its long-term success. Together, they envision a Centre of Excellence that blends research, education, and innovation to generate high-impact solutions for India and the world.