BHUBANESWAR : The state government will establish a Centre of Excellence (CoE) in semiconductor materials and devices at IIIT-Bhubaneswar at an estimated cost of `400 crore, informed Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi on Wednesday.
Addressing the valedictory session of Indocrypt 2025, India’s flagship international conference on cryptography and information security, hosted by IIIT-Bhubaneswar, the chief minister said the proposed centre will focus on skill development, research, innovation and industry collaboration in semiconductor design and manufacturing, in alignment with India’s National Semiconductor Mission.
“This initiative reflects the state’s commitment to advanced technology research, cyber security and digital governance,” he added.
Expressing pride over organisation of Indocrypt in Odisha for the first time, Majhi said the event underlined the growing academic and research stature of IIIT-Bhubaneswar. “Cryptography and cyber security have become central to governance, economic activity, national security and public trust in an increasingly data-driven world,” he said.
Highlighting Odisha’s rapid adoption of digital platforms, the CM said cyber security was critical for public service delivery, land and revenue records, e-governance services and disaster early-warning systems. Outlining the state government’s long-term vision for IIIT-Bhubaneswar, he announced plans to significantly strengthen the institute’s physical and research infrastructure.
These include the development of a modern student activity centre, a central auditorium for academic and national-level events, expansion of advanced research laboratories across key disciplines and the creation of a sports complex to promote holistic development on campus.
Majhi also announced the establishment of a Centre for e-Governance and digital capacity-building at the institute. The proposed centre will integrate research and applications in cyber security, artificial intelligence, machine learning, data science, renewable energy micro-grids and advanced wireless communication, with a strong focus on governance and public service delivery. The centre will also support large-scale capacity-building and professional training, in collaboration with the department of Electronics and IT.
The CM added that the government also plans to expand pure science departments at IIIT-Bhubaneswar to strengthen academic depth and long-term innovation.
Minister for E&IT Mukesh Mahaling said cyber security was vital for socio-economic growth, and noted the significant progress made by India’s cryptography community over the past 25 years in strengthening national cyber security systems.