Technology / NIT Rourkela Showcases Indigenous Chip at SEMICON India 2026

Bhubaneswar/New Delhi, Sept 19: National Institute of Technology Rourkela (NIT Rourkela) has showcased Odisha’s growing capability in indigenous semiconductor and chip design at SEMICON India 2026, being held from 17–19 September 2026 at Yashobhoomi, New Delhi, officials said on Saturday.

As part of the national semiconductor showcase, a chip designed by NIT Rourkela was presented to Prime Minister Narendra Modi within an emblem featuring contributions from 20 institutions across India. Student designers, including PhD scholar Pradeep Kumar Mohanty from the Department of Electronics and Communication Engineering, interacted with the Prime Minister during the presentation.

The featured ASCON AEAD Security Chip (C2S0091) was developed under the MeitY Chip‑to‑Startup (C2S) Programme, supervised by Prof. Ayas Kanta Swain and Prof. Kamalakanta Mahapatra. Designed for lightweight cryptographic security, the chip enables secure data encryption and authentication for resource‑constrained IoT and embedded systems. Fabricated at Semiconductor Complex Limited (SCL), Mohali, the chip marks a significant milestone in translating indigenous design into fabricated silicon.

NIT Rourkela is the only institution from Odisha to achieve recognition at SEMICON India 2026, underscoring the state’s contribution to India’s semiconductor ecosystem. Since 1999, the Institute has been building expertise in chip design and manpower development under Prof. Mahapatra’s guidance, nurturing talent from design to fabrication and system‑level applications.
Also Read: Odisha Showcases Semiconductor Vision at Semicon India 2026

Officials said NIT Rourkela continues to strengthen its role in semiconductor education, research, and indigenous chip development. The Institute aims to expand Odisha’s semiconductor ecosystem by training skilled professionals, enabling indigenous chip innovation, and building capabilities to transform chips into intelligent systems for national and societal applications.