Ahmedabad, July 29: The Hercules bicycle is a well-known name in India. In 1949, the Murugappa Group partnered with the UK’s Tube Investments to establish TI Cycles of India. The factory for TI Cycles ‘A’ was inaugurated in 1951 by Krishna Kumar Singhji Gohil, the last and highly popular ruler of the former Bhavnagar state, who served as the Governor of Madras. This factory marked the beginning of Hercules bicycle production, which later became a renowned brand in the country.
Now, the Murugappa Group’s subsidiary, CG Semi, is poised to play a significant role in advancing India’s semiconductor mission. On July 4, 2026, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the commercial production at the company’s facility in Sanand.
CG Power and Industrial Solutions Limited’s subsidiary, CG Semi Pvt. Ltd., has launched an outsourced semiconductor assembly and test (OSAT) facility in Sanand, with an investment of ₹7,600 crores. CG Semi is a joint venture involving CG Power from India, Renesas Electronics from Japan, and Star Microelectronics from Thailand, with CG Semi holding the largest share. The Japanese company not only purchases chips manufactured in Sanand but also provides technological support. The company aims to supply chips on a large scale both domestically and internationally.
To propel India’s semiconductor mission, CG Semi is strategically advancing its operations. The company has made special efforts for women’s empowerment. According to CG Semi officials, arrangements have been made for women to handle most of the plant operations on the factory floor. Currently, female employees from various states across the country are working here, and they will primarily manage machine operations.
The company has sent female employees from Gujarat and other states to Malaysia for three months of practical training in semiconductor plant operations. These women are now ready to operate machines independently in the plant.
Shreya Bharatbhai Patel, a resident of Navsari who completed her Electronics and Communication degree from LD Engineering in Ahmedabad in 2024, and Jahnavi Patadia from Surendranagar work as process quality engineers at this plant.
Shreya states, “We used to use chips, which sparked our interest in their manufacturing process. So, when the opportunity arose to work in the semiconductor industry, I decided to pursue it. We are really enjoying learning about the technical aspects of the semiconductor field.” As a process engineer, Shreya is responsible for identifying any defects during assembly.
Jahnavi Patadia is also excited to learn something new in the semiconductor field. She says, “When we went to Malaysia for training, we had the chance to work in an operational company. However, here, we are building the company from scratch, which presents many challenges and learning opportunities.”
Alongside Jahnavi, Vaishnavi Pal from Wayanad, Kerala, also holds a process engineer position. After obtaining her degree in chemical engineering, she is currently handling the electrolytic plating work at CG Semi’s plant.
Vaishnavi expresses her happiness, saying, “I had a background in chemical engineering, so I initially lacked knowledge about semiconductors. However, after coming into this field and undergoing training, all my doubts have been cleared. I have gained significant exposure and am now much more confident.”
Sandra EK, also from Kerala, works as a process engineer at CG Semi. She shares, “I learned about this opportunity during my internship. Initially, I didn’t know much about Gujarat’s industrial development, but since coming here and seeing the industry, my entire perspective has changed.”
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