Flex CEO Endows $1 Million In Scholarships For Women At BITS Pilani
India-West News Desk
SAN JOSE, CA – Revathi Advaithi, chief executive officer of global manufacturing company Flex, and her husband, Jeevan Mulgund, have pledged a $1 million endowment to establish scholarships for women at BITS Pilani, Advaithi’s alma mater.
The announcement was made during BITS Pilani’s 2026 convocation, where Advaithi returned as the chief guest and addressed the graduating class. A total of 1,477 students received their degrees at the Pilani campus.
The endowment will provide financial assistance to women students from low-income families pursuing an education at the institute. Advaithi and Mulgund have named the scholarship in honor of their mothers, reflecting the role they played in shaping their lives and educational journeys.
Advaithi graduated from BITS Pilani in 1990 with a degree in mechanical engineering and was the only woman in her graduating class. She went on to build an international career in manufacturing and technology before becoming CEO of Flex in 2019. Under her leadership, the global manufacturing and supply chain company has expanded its operations across nearly 30 countries, serving customers in sectors including healthcare, automotive, communications and consumer technology.
Born in India, Advaithi is of Tamil heritage and she has often credited her mother as one of her greatest inspirations. Following the death of her father, her mother raised five daughters on her own and ensured each of them received a quality education, an experience that shaped Advaithi’s lifelong commitment to expanding educational opportunities for women.
She met her husband, Jeevan Mulgund, in Kansas, and the couple married in 1998. Their careers have taken them to England, Shanghai, Phoenix and Pittsburgh before they settled in the San Francisco Bay Area, where they live with their two children.
Beyond her corporate leadership, Advaithi is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the workplace and has been an outspoken supporter of STEM education for girls and broader access to computer science education. She has frequently emphasized the importance of creating opportunities for young women to pursue careers in engineering and technology.
