Wipro PARI donates industrial robot to strengthen India's future manufacturing workforce

As India's manufacturing sector accelerates its adoption of automation and smart factory technologies, the need for industry-ready talent has become increasingly critical. Against this backdrop, Wipro PARI has donated an industrial robot to the Indo-Swiss Centre of Excellence (ISCE), Pune, to provide students with hands-on experience in industrial robotics and automation. The company, part of Wipro Infrastructure Engineering, has commissioned a FANUC R-2000iB/210F six-axis industrial robot at the institute. The robot was inaugurated on July 4 and is expected to support practical training for nearly 200 students enrolled at ISCE. Bridging classroom learning and factory-floor skills The initiative is aimed at narrowing the gap between classroom education and real-world manufacturing requirements by giving students direct exposure to industrial robot programming and automation systems used on modern factory floors. Many of the beneficiaries come from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, including children of daily wage workers and students from orphanages. Access to industry-grade robotics equipment is expected to improve both technical competency and employability as manufacturers increasingly seek talent familiar with automation technologies. ISCE offers three-year full-time diploma programmes in partnership with the Nettur Technical Training Foundation (NTTF). Its curriculum spans Mechatronics Engineering, Smart Factory, Electronics Engineering, and Embedded Systems. The addition of the industrial robot further enhances the institute's practical learning infrastructure, enabling students to work with technologies commonly deployed in advanced manufacturing environments. The inauguration was attended by senior leaders from both organisations, including Vipul Tandon, CEO, Wipro PARI; Amit Choudhary, CHRO, Wipro PARI; Pritesh Agrawal, CFO, Wipro PARI; Niteen Tapare, Head – Detailing Mechanical, Wipro PARI; Mandar Unde, Leader – Corporate Engineering, Wipro PARI; Mukesh Malhotra, Chief Functionary and Chairman, ISCE; Rajendra Jog, Director, ISCE; and Vikram Puri, Director, ISCE. The donation reflects a broader trend of industry-academia collaboration as manufacturers seek to build a workforce equipped for digital manufacturing, robotics, and Industry 4.0 environments. With automation becoming a core capability across production facilities, initiatives that combine classroom instruction with practical exposure are expected to play an increasingly important role in preparing India's future manufacturing talent.