SRM-AP joins State’s Quantum Valley project as founding academic partner

Amaravati: In a significant step towards advancing India’s quantum ecosystem, SRM-AP and the Andhra Pradesh government signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) for establishing a Quantum Reference Facility, the first-of-its-kind in India and fourth globally, on the occasion of the announcement and foundation stone laying of Amaravati Quantum Valley Project.

SRM-AP Vice-Chancellor Prof Ch Satish Kumar, Registrar Dr R Premkumar, Dean-Academic Affairs Dr Vinayak Kalluri and Dean (Research) Prof Ranjit Thapa signed the MoU in the presence of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Minister for Information Technology, Electronics and Communications Nara Lokesh, making SRM-AP the first academic institution to partner with the State government for Quantum Valley Project bringing in academic partnerships and talent development.

The Quantum Reference Center set up at SRM-AP will serve as a shared national and global platform, facilitating startups, researchers, and industry partners—from across India and world, to test and validate quantum computing components, benchmark performance, and assess efficiency and efficacy before moving to large-scale deployment.

This will significantly reduce barriers to entry for innovators, lower development risks, and accelerate the commercialisation of quantum technologies. The university is also establishing a Quantum Institute that promotes research, teaching, and training in quantum sciences and technologies, bringing together the faculty and researchers from the fields of Physics, Computer Science, Electronics, Mathematics, and Engineering to work in an interdisciplinary environment where fundamental research and applied innovation complement each other.

Prof Satish Kumar stated, “The establishment of Quantum Reference Facility marks a defining step in our commitment to research excellence and technological self-reliance. Our goal is to nurture future-ready scientists, engineers, and technology leaders who will lead India’s quantum journey, with ‘Made in India’ quantum computers, middleware, and applications developed and housed at our university.”