Class of 1970 - Indian Institute of Technology Bombay

Class of 1970 Legacy Project

The Class of 1970, as part of their Golden Jubilee celebration in 2023, came together to establish the Translational Research Accelerator (TRA) Initiative to support high-impact research initiatives at IIT Bombay. Their generosity also extends to the Financial Aid Programme (FAP), student scholarships, and the Tinkerer's Lab.

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Project 1

Translational Research Accelerator (TRA) Initiative

The Translational Research Accelerator (TRA) initiatives at IIT Bombay supports high-impact translational research projects that aim for commercial success, transformative societal impact, or enhanced self-reliance in critical technologies, with the goal of realizing their market potential.

Legacy at a Glance

20

Pledged Amt In ₹ (Cr)
20

No of people pledged
20+

Received Amt In ₹ (In Cr)
20

No. of donors

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Entrepreneuship

Project

The TRA 70 Initiative has become a critical driver of deep-tech innovation and entrepreneurship at the Institute. It is designed to bridge the gap between academic research and real-world application by funding projects with strong commercial potential. TRA 70 empowers students and faculty to transition their groundbreaking research into impactful technological solutions, catalysing societal progress and economic value creation.

Since it’s inception, the initiative has supported a range of high-potential projects. In its first funding round, it backed Prof. Chandramouli Subramaniam’s research on advanced materials and energy efficiency, which aimed to develop novel materials with enhanced properties—pushing the boundaries in energy-efficient technologies.

In a subsequent call for proposals, three notable projects were selected:

- Prof. Bakul Rao’s “Agriyan” initiative on precision and automated farming

- Prof. Dinesh Kabra’s development of a high-efficiency 4T silicon-perovskite tandem solar cell from India with efficiency greater than 26%

- Prof. Preeti Rao’s "Happy Lingo", a Spoken Language Assessment application offering AI/ML-driven feedback on oral reading accuracy and fluency

Each of these projects reflects the batch’s commitment to supporting innovations that address real-world challenges.

TRA 70’s impact extends far beyond the lab. It plays a crucial role in solving pressing societal issues—from sustainable agriculture and renewable energy to education—by fostering entrepreneurship and supporting the commercialization of research. By aligning academic innovation with market needs, TRA 70 not only fuels technological advancement, but also generates positive social outcomes and contributes to inclusive economic growth.

For more details, visit Tinkerer's Lab