The semiconductor industry is changing, and many once-renowned masters are moving into far less technical sectors. Engineering leaders must develop new ways to fit the mold as artificial intelligence (AI) and other digital processes take the frontlines in nearly every field.
Jitendra Singh Kushwaha, a semiconductor engineering figurehead, has it down to a simple science. Utilizing leadership, experience, and persistent adaptation, Kushwaha is altering the industry in a manner most wrestle to comprehend, and he has no desire to turn back now.
From a very young age, Kushwaha knew he was destined for greater things despite his inability to easily access opportunities in his hometown. Growing up in a family of five living in a relatively small town, his father was the first high school graduate of the bunch.
As Kushwaha observed his father’s hard work and dedication, he strived to follow a similar path. His school grades remained high, and his ambitions even higher. Before long, the future engineering expert’s gravitation toward STEM subjects led him to seek further education upon finishing high school.
Requesting that his father permit him the chance to take costly competitive engineering entrance exams, Kushwaha struggled to make good marks due to an unforeseen language barrier. His study materials were incredibly limited to his native tongue of Hindi, but he didn’t allow this obstacle to deter him. While pushing to learn English, the young tech enthusiast began his journey to pristine exam preparation.
Kushwaha’s grind wasn’t for nothing. He ranked 94th out of 100,000 test takers—an exam he completed with his dominant arm broken from an unexpected accident. His scores ultimately secured him a Electronics Engineering undergraduate spot at the illustrious Harcourt Butler Technology Institute, leading him to his first career-oriented job as a Design Engineer at HCL Technologies India.
Now showcasing 23 years of experience within the industry, Kushwaha’s expertise spans from million-gate to billion-gate System-on-Chips (SoC) with requisitions in AI, automotive, gaming, and so much more. Most notably, Kushwaha is one of key leaders behind Intel’s ambitious Intel® Arc™ GPU products. He led the SoC Design verification for two generations of Arc GPU products. The global leader has much to show for over two decades of developed knowledge. Spending three years in India, eight years in Japan, and twelve years in the United States, Kushwaha equipped himself with a deeper understanding of contrasting work cultures.
He additionally took the initiative to gain fluency in the languages of the respective countries where he resided. As a result, the semiconductor engineers successfully led global teams in state-of-the-art technology projects.
Expectedly, the road to reward had a few bumps, and Kushwaha swiftly needed to adapt to the sudden shift in the semiconductor industry. Swapping out his analog practices for modern methodologies was no insignificant task, and many master’s from his generation couldn’t stay the course. Nonetheless, he continued to update and enhance his skill set, refusing to remove himself from the business sector in which he has the greatest passion.
After nearly a decade at Synopsys Inc., and a few years at Intel Corporation, Kushwaha earned the title of Senior Director of SoC Engineering. Alongside spearheading and delivering multimillion-dollar projects at Synopsys and Intel, he extends his technical depths to contributing to technology specifications of complex technologies such as MIPI, USB 4.0 and DisplayPort 2.0, he also published several scholarly pieces in scientific journals, and in scientific journals demonstrating an undeniable impact on the industry.
As the engineering leader maps out his plans, his journey will remain in the semiconductor lane. Kushwaha puts his energy into his proximate hopes of becoming a C-suite executive while aiming to mentor the upcoming generation of young engineers. In any case, he proves that his contributions to the semiconductor field are nothing short of extraordinary.
