Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge

There is a growing demand for Swadeshi Compute Hardware as part of the #AatmaNibharBharat Abhiyan, which will be included in every Smart Device deployed in various domains, including Electronics for public utility services such as surveillance, transportation, and environmental condition monitoring, as well as commodity appliances such as smart fans, locks, and washing machines.

Furthermore, with the expanding use of smart electronics in key domains such as space, defense, and nuclear energy, the demand for Swadeshi Compute Hardware has never been greater. Not only has the family of industry-grade Microprocessors been designed from the ground up under the Microprocessor Development Program spearheaded by MeitY at C-DAC, IIT Madras, and IIT Bombay, but also the compute environment around them has been transformed as a step toward achieving India’s future requirements.

Aatma Nibhar Bharat Abhiyan

The Prime Minister recently unveiled the ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan (or Self-reliant India Mission),’ which includes a Rs 20 lakh crore economic stimulus package aimed at attaining the mission. The Self-Reliant India Mission intends to reduce import dependency by focusing on substitution while also enhancing safety compliance and quality goods in order to obtain market dominance in global markets. 

Self-sufficiency does not imply any exclusive or isolationist methods, but rather the establishment of a helping hand to the entire world. The Mission emphasizes the need of supporting “local” goods along with the slogan ‘Vocal for Local’.

Microprocessor Development Programme

The project was implemented by C-DAC, the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay. It was approved in August 2017, with a budget of Rs. 289.21 crore spread over four years. C-DAC is MeitY’s premier R&D organization, specializing in IT, electronics, and related fields.

• A microprocessor is an Integrated Circuit (IC) made up of millions of transistors (semiconductor-based electronic devices) fused together on a semiconductor chip. It has a diameter of only a few millimeters and is found in practically every piece of electrical equipment.

• The MDP was supposed to reduce India’s overall production, maintenance, and upgrade costs of electronic products and systems, as well as its foreign exchange outflow. 

• Not only have industry-grade microprocessors been constructed from the ground up as part of the effort, but the ‘compute ecosystem’ around them has also been developed as a step toward addressing India’s future requirements. 

• Two microprocessors developed as part of the initiative are SHAKTI and VEGA.

Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge

Ravi Shankar Prasad, Union Minister of Law and Justice, Communications and Electronics and Information Technology, has announced the “Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge– Innovate Solutions for #Aatmanirbhar Bharat.” 

Its goal is to encourage inventors, companies, and students to create new technology products using two microprocessors: “SHAKTI (32 bit)” and “VEGA (64 bit). IIT Madras and the Center for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) produced the SHAKTI and VEGA microprocessors, respectively.

Significance under AatmaNibharBharat 

This initiative, as one of the concrete steps toward realizing India’s ambition of self-reliance and a significant step toward “Atmanirbhar Bharat,” is aimed at not only meeting India’s future strategic and industrial requirements, but also at mitigating issues of security, licensing, technology obsolescence, and, most importantly, reducing reliance on imports. The design, development, and manufacture of these cutting-edge processor versions at domestic and international foundries is a significant step toward the eventual aim of a robust ecosystem of Electronic System Design and Manufacturing in the country

Ministry support

At various stages of the challenge, the government would provide financial support in the amount of Rs. 4.30 crore for producing a hardware prototype and incubating a start-up. The Ministry of Electronics and IT provides various benefits and technology resources to contestants, including not only internship opportunities and regular technical guidance from the country’s best VLSI and Electronics System Design Experts, but also business mentorship and funding support through Incubation Centres.

Most importantly, participants will get the opportunity to convert their innovations centered on swadeshi processors, display them on a larger stage, and help them scale from concept to market, thereby contributing to the government’s broader mission of AtmaNirbharta.

Challenge on My Gov 

The 10-month challenge begins on August 18, 2020, with registration at https://innovate.mygov.in, and ends in June 2021, with 100 semi-finalists competing for a total of Rs 1 crore in awards, 25 finalists competing for a total of Rs 1 crore in awards, and the top 10 teams competing for a total of Rs 2.30 crore in seed funding and 12 months of incubation support. The registration process began on August 18th, but the challenge lasted for ten months.

In the year 2021, 30 finalists were chosen from 6,170 teams with a total of 10,000 people. The teams were judged on their product creativity and market viability by a jury of distinguished academicians, technologists, and business executives, including Prof Alex James, Associate Dean of DUK.

Achievements

Under the Microprocessor Development Programme of the Ministry of Electronics and IT, IIT Madras and the Center for Development of Advanced Computing (CDAC) created two microprocessors, SHAKTI (32 bit) and VEGA (64 bit), using Open Source Architecture.

Conclusion

Some of the most innovative technologies produced by Indian start-ups and students in 2021 won the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology’s “Swadeshi Microprocessor Challenge” including an integrated avionics system for drones, a home solution for blood cell counting, and FM RDS Utilities.