First hostel built at IIT Madras 60 years ago, Cauvery, to get a facelift

Indian Institute of Technology Madras is set to renovate the 60-year-old Cauvery Hostel, which was the first-ever hostel to be constructed on the campus. Alumnus Dr Krishna Chivukula, Owner and Chairman, Board of Directors, INDO US MIM TEC Private Ltd, is donating a sum of Rs. 5 crores to renovate the campus hostels and augment existing maintenance facilities — Rs 2.5 crore has already been handed over for the renovation of the Cauvery Hostel.

Cauvery Hostel was constructed in 1961 with a capacity to accommodate 216 students in single occupancy. The hostel was expanded in 2002 to accommodate another 171 students. Since 2018, the rooms have been converted as double-occupancy rooms to accommodate around 750 students.

Speaking the impact of this donation and benefit for students, R. Aswanth, Student General Secretary, Cauvery Hostel, IIT Madras, said, “This funding will not only augment the facilities at Cauvery hostel but also to satisfy parents of hostellers. These funds will be used in improving all facilities along with the aesthetics of the hostel for creating a student-friendly healthy environment.”

The hostel has grid-connected solar PV panels and solar water heaters, recycled water is used for flushing and gardening, playfield area for Cricket, Football, Basketball and other sports, garden space in the quadrangle area, open cycle parking, TV room, Library and Table tennis room and separate study hall.

The hostel building is around six decades old but still structurally sound to cater to the present needs of students. However, due to ageing, it becomes necessary to augment the existing facilities in the hostel premises.

Hostels at IIT Madras are named after rivers. The construction began in the year 1961. While the continued support of the government is important to enabling providing well-maintained hostel accommodations to students, this one-time contribution will help elevate the hostels to world-class standards for the benefit of several generations of future students, says the institute.

Two more hostels will be identified by the institute for renovation. Dr Chivukula presented the cheque to Dr Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director, IIT Madras, in the presence of Dr Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (International and Alumni Relations), IIT Madras, on January 8. Thanking the donor for his generous contribution to the welfare of students, Dr Panchagnula said, “Alumni-Giving at IIT Madras has made a huge difference to several key initiatives. We are very grateful to Dr Chivukula who has come forward to support this very important requirement on our campus.”

This contribution, which was part of the Institute’s #KeepItFlowing campaign to support the hostels, will help the institute to execute face-lift works in restrooms including waterproofing, façade improvements in corridor and staircase, painting, shoe rack fixing, gardening, development of playfields, cycle parking and façade improvement at the main entrance, among others.

Expressing content at being able to contribute to the development of his Alma Mater, Dr Chivukula, MTech [Aero], 1970 batch said, "IIT Madras gave me  world-class education at literally ‘zero cost.’  This led to my being admitted to the Harvard Business School, which in turn led to my being successful in life. I am delighted to be able to give back to the Institution that was the root cause of my success. I sincerely urge my fellow IITians to experience the same joy that I experience."