Co-founder and Chairman of Infosys, and Founding Chairman of UIDAI, Nandan Nilekani, has donated Rs 315 crore to the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay, his alma mater.
With this grant, along with an earlier donation of Rs 85 crore, Nilekani has made grants that amount to Rs 400 crore to the university, reports PTI.
This grant will help develop world-class infrastructure, facilitate research in new fields of engineering and technology, and fuel the development of a robust tech startup environment at the prestigious university.
This donation is one of the largest donations made by an alumnus to a university in the country and will help propel IIT Bombay's ambition of becoming a global leader among engineering and technology institutes, contributing significantly towards nation-building, said a joint statement released on Tuesday by IIT Bombay and Nilekani.
Nilekani and IIT Bombay: A long history
The tech mogul enrolled in IIT Bombay in 1973 for a Bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering.
"IIT Bombay has been a cornerstone in my life, shaping my formative years and laying the foundation for my journey. As I celebrate 50 years of my association with this esteemed institution, I am grateful to give forward and contribute to its future. This donation is more than just a financial contribution; it is a tribute to the place that has given me so much and a commitment to the students who will shape our world tomorrow," Nilekani said.
IIT Bombay Director Prof Subhasis Chaudhuri says that this donation will significantly hasten the growth of IIT Bombay and will set it on a steady path of global leadership.
Nilekani has been involved with the institute in multiple roles over the last 50 years. From 1999, he was a member of the board of the IIT Bombay Heritage Foundation for a decade and was a part of the board of governors from 2005 to 2011.
With his initial contribution of Rs 85 crore, the institute was able to construct new hostels, co-finance the School of Information Technology, and establish India’s first University Incubator, which was a significant boost to the startup ecosystem.
Nilekani was awarded the Distinguished Alumnus award in 1999 and an honorary doctorate in 2019 during the 57th convocation of the institution.
What’s next for IIT Bombay?
IIT Bombay's strategic plans for the next decade include establishing world-class centres of excellence in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, green energy, quantum computing, and others, cultivating a deep tech start-up ecosystem, and providing students and faculty with best-in-class research, living, and academic facilities.
