Dr. Ravi Bhatkal, Vice President, Strategy, India, at MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions, has been recognized for his contributions to establishing a production-grade surface mount technology (SMT) facility at Kongu Engineering College in Tamil Nadu, India. The recognition relates to advancing hands-on technical education and workforce development through the facility.
The award was presented by Shri C. P. Radhakrishnan, Vice President of India, during the Kongu Vellalar Institute of Technology Trust Founders’ Day celebrations in Perundurai, Erode, Tamil Nadu, on August 29, 2026.
The planned production-grade SMT line will serve as the foundation for the Center for Advanced Electronics Manufacturing and Skills Development at Kongu Engineering College. It builds on a model established through a related center supported by MacDermid Alpha at the Indian Institute of Technology Madras in Chennai. The Center is designed to prepare technicians and engineers for careers in electronics manufacturing. It is also expected to provide startups and regional manufacturers with access to facilities while serving as a test bed for interdisciplinary research, development, and innovation.
The initiative connects industry expertise, academic research, and practical skills development with the aim of strengthening India’s expanding electronics manufacturing ecosystem. MacDermid Alpha’s involvement relates to industry-academia partnerships that build technical capabilities and accelerate manufacturing readiness.
“I am deeply humbled by this recognition. It reflects the importance of collaboration between industry and academia in developing the skills, technical capabilities, and ecosystem needed to support India’s growing electronics manufacturing sector,” said Dr. Bhatkal. “This production-grade SMT line will provide the foundation for a larger Center for Advanced Electronics Manufacturing and Skills Development within the planned Arivukoodam Research Park. It will give students, engineers, startups, and manufacturers access to practical experience that can help translate research and ideas into commercial technologies and products.”
The broader Arivukoodam Research Park was formally inaugurated during the Founders’ Day celebrations and is expected to become operational in 2028. It will bring together multidisciplinary Centers of Excellence, industry-led satellite R&D centers, startup facilities, and research resources to foster innovation and strengthen connections between academia and industry.
To learn more about MacDermid Alpha Electronics Solutions’ surface mount technology materials and solutions for electronics assembly, visit the company’s Surface Mount Technology page.
