from Daijiworld's special correspondent (MB)

Vasco, Goa, May 5: Hyderabad, a growing IT-destination will add a feather to its cap with the inauguration of the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS), Pilani campus soon.

After successfully launching its campus in Dubai in the year 2000, the BITS, Pilani is all set to inaugurate its campus in Hyderabad, BITS chancellor Dr K K Birla announced in Goa.

"On invitation from Andhra Pradesh chief minister Rajasekhara Reddy, we are planning to open a campus in Hyderabad and for this purpose we have already acquired 200 acres of land from state government," Dr Birla announced today addressing a gathering at their Goa campus in presence of Prime Minister DrManmohan Singh.

"When this campus becomes fully functional, the total on campus student strength of BITS including all its other campus would rise to about 11,000," he said.

Stating about the presence abroad, Dr Birla said that in the year 2000, a campus in Dubai called BITS,Pilani –Dubai campus was established which was essential to promote our education abroad and foster good-will between India and gulf countries.

"Dubai campus has 900 students and their number will touch 1,500 in near future. We have some students from Bangladesh and Pakistan also at the Dubai campus," he said in his speech.

Besides in campus training, Dr Birla stated that around 10,000 students are receiving education of a high order through off-campus and collaborative programmes. "Our total strength of students will soon become 18,000 and in another two years time BITS, Pilani will be producing 5,000 graduates per year, 90 per cent of whom would be engineers," Birla added.