In a significant event, IIT Bombay officially signed an MoU with MITRA (Maharashtra Institution for Transformation), Government of Maharashtra, on 12th August 2024 at Varsha CM Bungalow in Mumbai. The MoU ceremony was graced by the presence of Hon. Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde, Hon. Deputy Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis, and MITRA CEO Mr Praveen Pardeshi. Prof. K. V. Krishna Rao (Acting Director and Deputy Director), Prof. Bakul Rao (Chair Professor, CTARA), and Prof. Upendra Bhandarkar (Associate Dean, R&D) were present, representing IIT Bombay at the ceremony.

The MoU between IIT Bombay and MITRA marks the beginning of a strategic partnership to leverage IIT Bombay's expertise as a knowledge partner in Maharashtra's ambitious transformation initiatives. Under this MoU, IIT Bombay will support policy advocacy, research, innovation, and capacity building, helping drive sustainable development across the state. This collaboration will focus on key sectors such as Data, Monitoring and Evaluation, GIS, among others. The partnership is vital to Maharashtra's goal of achieving a $1 trillion economy by 2027 and a $3.5 trillion economy by 2047.