IIT Madras Pravartak, Maharashtra skills varsity join hands to boost data centre talent
New Delhi, Aug 10 (INB) IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation has partnered with Ratan Tata Maharashtra State Skills University to expand data centre skills in Maharashtra with support from Vertiv's corporate social responsibility programme, the organisations said on Monday. The initiative aims to equip engineering students with practical skills in data centre operations and digital infrastructure management amid growing demand for specialised talent driven by artificial intelligence and digital transformation.
Under the programme, Vertiv will provide free skill development training to 1,500 engineering students in 2026, covering data centre operations and digital infrastructure management, the company said in a statement. IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation signed a memorandum of understanding with RTMSSU during the "Start-up Frontier 1.0" exhibition and conference held in Mumbai on July 10, in the presence of Maharashtra Governor Jishnu Dev Varma.
RTMSSU will leverage its network of pre-incubation centres across 60 colleges in Maharashtra to expand the programme's reach, according to the statement. Students will receive certified online training as well as internship and mentorship opportunities aimed at preparing them for careers in data centre operations and digital infrastructure management.
"India's digital infrastructure growth is creating increasing demand for professionals with specialised skills in data centre operations and management," said A S Prasad, Vice President, Product Management and Engineering, Vertiv India. Prasad said industry-academia collaboration was essential for building the talent pipeline required to support India's evolving digital infrastructure ecosystem.
M J Shankar Raman, CEO, IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation, said the rapid growth of AI was making data centres central to digital transformation and creating an urgent need for skilled professionals capable of operating and maintaining such facilities. The latest initiative builds on a collaboration launched by Vertiv and IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation in 2025 to strengthen India's skilled workforce for the digital infrastructure sector.
Vertiv said it has also partnered with IIT Bombay, IIT Madras Pravartak Technologies Foundation and IIT (BHU) to provide engineering students with practical exposure to data centre operations and AI-ready infrastructure.
