BITS Pilani Gets $1M From Indian American CEO For Women Scholarships

The endowment, announced on Monday, will provide annual scholarships for female students across all disciplines at the institute's Pilani, Goa, Hyderabad, and Dubai campuses. The first scholarships are expected to be awarded in the upcoming academic year.

Advaithi, a BITS Pilani alumna who graduated in 1990 with a degree in mechanical engineering, said the gift was inspired by her own experience as a woman in engineering. She credited the institute for laying the foundation of her career.

The scholarship is designed to cover tuition and living expenses for the full duration of a degree program. Recipients will be selected based on academic merit and financial need, with a preference for students from underrepresented regions.

BITS Pilani officials said the endowment will be managed as a permanent fund, with the annual interest used to support the scholarships. The institute plans to name the program after Advaithi and Mulgund.

Advaithi has been CEO of Flex, a global manufacturing and supply chain company, since 2019. She is one of the few Indian-origin women to lead a Fortune 500 firm.