My association with IIT Bombay started way back in 2006. We had just returned to India after living in the US for 16 years and I was all gung-ho about spreading “power device knowledge” in India 😀 I started working with the Microelectronics department at IIT Bombay on some research projects and then went on to teach a course on power semiconductor devices for five years.
Moving on to December 2022, my brother Aakash Tyagi asked me to talk to “his friend” Sunit to give an insider’s feedback about IIT-Bombay and about semiconductors in India 😀 Sunit and I chatted about my experience and how he was so excited to spend some time at IIT…Few months passed and Sunit pinged me again. But now he wanted me to talk to Swaroop and Udayan and see if I would like to join them as a part of this great initiative called SemiX! The inside scoop was that Sunit wanted to get Aakash to join them who conveniently excused himself but volunteered me instead because I “checked the boxes of an ideal candidate”!
I have known Swaroop for several years so it was a pleasure to talk to him and Udayan to understand what they were working on and their vision for SemiX. It didn’t take much to convince me to join them and the amazing team they had already put together. In June 2023, I was officially inducted into this team and what an exciting ride it has been since then! Udayan, with his infectious energy, and Swaroop, with his calm demeanor, make a perfect pair to lead this effort.
Working on the first SemiX Summit was an amazing experience in itself. From being told to chair the entire Research Track just five minutes before the call, to working with a super enthusiastic team lead by Sunit, there was never a dull moment. What seemed like an impossible task at one point was extremely well executed and well attended by faculty, students and some of the most distinguished members of our industry as well as the government. It was an absolute pleasure to meet and interact with this impressive and accomplished set of people, all working towards the same goal of bringing innovation in semiconductor technology in India very soon!
I feel fortunate to be a part of this vibrant team, I share their vision completely and I look forward to a successful future that we build together!
