Param Rudra Supercomputer Launched at IIT-Patna

In a major boost to advanced research and high-performance computing in eastern India, the first Param Rudra supercomputer in Bihar has been inaugurated at the Indian Institute of Technology Patna. The facility marks a significant milestone under India’s National Supercomputing Mission and is expected to strengthen the region’s scientific and technological capabilities.

Historic Milestone for Bihar

The Param Rudra supercomputer was formally launched on Friday, making IIT-Patna the first institution or government establishment in Bihar to host such a facility. The inauguration was carried out by Amitesh Kumar Sinha, Additional Secretary in the Union Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology. Officials described the development as a transformative step that will enable researchers to undertake complex computational work locally, reducing dependence on facilities outside the state.

Role Under National Supercomputing Mission

The supercomputer has been established under the National Supercomputing Mission, a flagship initiative aimed at enhancing India’s computational infrastructure. Under the mission, 37 supercomputers have already been deployed nationwide with a combined capacity of 39 petaFLOPS, supporting more than 12,000 researchers. Ten additional systems are planned, which will raise India’s total compute capacity to over 100 petaFLOPS in the coming phase.

Boost to Research and Academic Excellence

IIT-Patna Director T N Singh said the facility would bring “revolutionary changes” to Bihar and neighbouring regions. The Param Rudra system is expected to benefit around 60 faculty members and nearly 400 students across 10 departments. It will support advanced research in areas such as computational astrobiology, material design, molecular electronics, fluid mechanics, nano-bio interfaces, artificial intelligence, data science, and quantum computing.

Imporatnt Facts for Exams

• Param Rudra is part of India’s National Supercomputing Mission.
• The mission aims to build indigenous high-performance computing capabilities.
• Supercomputing capacity is measured in petaFLOPS.
• MeitY is the nodal ministry for the National Supercomputing Mission.

Strengthening Indigenous Supercomputing Ecosystem

Officials from the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology highlighted that the mission is also focused on developing indigenous technologies, including HPC processors, servers, cooling systems, interconnects, and software stacks. The Param Rudra facility at IIT-Patna is expected to play a crucial role in building a robust domestic supercomputing ecosystem while accelerating research output and innovation across academic institutions in eastern India.