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Our Bureau

Kolkata , Jan. 4

THE newly-formed India Semiconductor Association (ISA) is keen to offer its forum as a meeting ground that will facilitate interactions between academic institutions and the semiconductor industry.

The idea in the long term would be to ensure that innovations in academia are driven by the actual needs of industry, according to Mr Rajendra Kumar Khare, Chairman of ISA.

Addressing a news conference here on Tuesday to announce the launch of the Kolkata chapter of ISA, Mr Khare said that towards this end, ISA has decided to enrol technical institutes as its members. This will facilitate close interactions and innovations for commercial applications in the industry.

Besides encouraging technology innovation, ISA will provide feedback for the enhancement of the academic curriculum that would be in keeping with the requirements of industry. ISA will be focused on institutionalising patent awareness among Indian technology universities and institutes. This, he felt, would help in fuelling technology innovations and promoting entrepreneurial ventures through patented research.

According to him, as of now, only two institutes of technology, including BITS Pilani, have been enrolled in the 50-member association. In the next one year, ISA is hopeful of having around 20 academic institution-members, including Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.

Mr Khare said that while the size of the global market for semiconductors has been pegged at $240 billion, the Indian market is expected to be of the order of $1.2 billion in 2005. Currently, about 12,000 professionals are engaged in the Indian semiconductor industry, whose combined turnover has been pegged at $400-500 million.

He said that given the availability of the talent pool in India, the country is poised for growth in the semiconductor spectrum. Venture capitalists are also keen to fund Indian semiconductor companies. "Not many technology companies have a chance to get funded unless they have a strong India component," he said.

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