BITS Pilani alumna Revathi Advaithi pledges $1 million endowment for scholarships for women
Source Entity
The Indian Express
BITS Pilani alumna and Flex CEO Revathi Advaithi has pledged a $1 million endowment to support female students from economically disadvantaged backgrounds. Announced at the 2026 Convocation, the scholarship aims to remove financial barriers for women in engineering.
A Milestone for Inclusive Engineering Education
At the BITS Pilani Convocation 2026, a significant philanthropic milestone was achieved as alumna Revathi Advaithi, the current CEO of Flex, announced a $1 million (approximately Rs 8.6 crore) endowment. This donation, made alongside her husband Jeevan Mulgund, is designated to establish the ‘Visalam Swamy and Sucheta Mulgund Scholarship’. The initiative is specifically crafted to provide long-term financial assistance to female students hailing from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, ensuring that merit remains the primary driver of academic success rather than financial capacity.
Empowering Women in STEM
Revathi Advaithi, who graduated with a degree in Mechanical Engineering from BITS Pilani in 1990, serves as a prominent role model in the technology sector. Her journey from the Pilani campus to the helm of a global manufacturing giant like Flex highlights the transformative power of a technical education. By targeting financial constraints, this scholarship directly addresses one of the most persistent hurdles for women in STEM—the high cost of elite engineering education, which often disproportionately affects families in lower socioeconomic tiers.
The Impact of Alumni Philanthropy
The timing of this announcement, coinciding with the graduation of 1,477 students, serves as a powerful message to the current graduating class and future cohorts. Endowments of this nature provide a permanent financial safety net for the institution. By formalizing this support, Advaithi and Mulgund are contributing to the sustainability of diversity initiatives within BITS Pilani, fostering an environment where talented women can thrive without the looming pressure of tuition debt or economic insecurity.
Addressing Systemic Barriers
Historically, engineering programs have faced challenges in maintaining gender parity. Financial aid programs like the ‘Visalam Swamy and Sucheta Mulgund Scholarship’ act as a catalyst for institutional change. By lowering the barrier to entry for high-potential, low-income female students, BITS Pilani is not only promoting social mobility but also diversifying the pipeline of future engineering leaders who will enter the global workforce.
Future Trends in Academic Funding
This contribution reflects a broader trend of successful alumni reinvesting in their alma maters to bridge the gap between industry needs and academic accessibility. As global industries continue to demand a more diverse and skilled engineering workforce, such private-public philanthropic partnerships are likely to become the gold standard for top-tier technical universities. This endowment sets a precedent, encouraging other industry leaders to consider how their personal success can be leveraged to empower the next generation of engineers.
Conclusion
In summary, the $1 million commitment from Revathi Advaithi and Jeevan Mulgund is more than a financial contribution; it is a strategic investment in the future of gender equity in technology. By ensuring that economic background does not dictate academic opportunity, this scholarship will leave a lasting impact on BITS Pilani and the lives of the women who will benefit from it for years to come.