TIFR and ITRI Sign MoU to Establish Strategic Partnerships Office at TIFR

September 2026

The Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and India’s Translational Research Initiative (ITRI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a Strategic Partnerships Office (SPO) at TIFR, with the initiative supported by the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE). The partnership aims to create a dedicated interface between TIFR and the wider ecosystem, strengthening connections with philanthropic funders, industry partners, government stakeholders, and other institutions.

The signing ceremony, held at the TIFR Main Campus in Mumbai on 21 September 2026, brought together faculty and researchers from across TIFR’s campuses and centres, including Mumbai, the National Centre for Biological Sciences (NCBS), Hyderabad, and other locations. Mr. Mirik Gogri and his family were also present at the occasion, alongside members of the wider research and innovation ecosystem.

TIFR has built a distinguished legacy of frontier research across physics, mathematics, biology, computer science, astronomy, and related disciplines. The establishment of the SPO is intended to build on these existing strengths by creating stronger pathways to bring TIFR’s research capabilities, expertise, and emerging opportunities to a broader network of partners.

A key focus of the SPO will be to identify and develop strategic partnerships, strengthen external engagement, and mobilise resources that can support TIFR’s research and institutional priorities. The Office will work towards connecting research groups and capabilities within TIFR with relevant opportunities across philanthropy, industry, government, and the broader innovation ecosystem, while supporting the development of long-term partnerships.

The initiative also creates an opportunity to strengthen pathways for research, technologies, and scientific capabilities emerging from TIFR to reach a wider ecosystem. By connecting researchers with external partners, resources, and expertise, the SPO can help create opportunities for collaboration and translation while enabling TIFR to continue its core focus on fundamental research.

For ITRI, the partnership builds on its broader work in programme design, partnership development, and translational research ecosystem building. Through its engagement with TIFR, ITRI will support the development of the institutional structures, processes, and approaches required to build a sustained interface between TIFR and external stakeholders.

The establishment of the SPO marks an important step towards building stronger connections between fundamental research and the wider ecosystem, creating pathways through which scientific capabilities can connect with the partnerships and resources required to generate broader societal and economic impact.

As the SPO takes shape, TIFR and ITRI look forward to working with partners across philanthropy, industry, government, and academia to build a stronger and more connected ecosystem around TIFR’s research, while preserving and advancing its longstanding commitment to frontier science.