IIT Delhi has recently set up the Endowment Management Foundation with a broader objective to hone up the contributions of the alumni. The institute is rebuilding its database and is looking at various models to increase the participation of the alumni in the growth of the institute.

Dean Alumni Affairs & International Programmes, Prof Naveen Garg talks to Vanita Srivastava of the Communication Cell on his plans to spruce up the vast alumni network across the globe, the effect of the pandemic on international collaborations and more.

Edited excerpts:

What is your broader focus area for the coming few months?

For the next few months our focus is on enhancing our engagement with our alumni. We have revamped the alumni affairs website and now provide a more comprehensive picture of the contributions our alums have made to their almamater. We will next be working on building a database of our alumni contacts.

Has the pandemic thrown any affect on the international collaborations/programmes considering the travel constraints?

The pandemic has had a major influence on our international engagements. We had to suspend all student exchanges – both inbound and outbound. All our meetings with partner universities now happen online and new engagements have reduced considerably. Many universities around the world are facing financial difficulties due to the pandemic and are revisiting their international collaborations to reduce expenses.

How do you propose to spruce up the alumni network across the globe?

We have a 52000 strong alumni base and keeping our alumni engaged with their almamater is the primary task of our office. We are building a database with contact information of our alumni and are looking at models and channels which will increase their participation in the growth of IITD.

Have you thought on ways for bolstering the funds received from the alumni?

The Endowment fund is now setup and running. We have also setup the endowment management foundation (a Section 8 company) whose primary purpose is to reach out to our alums and encourage them to contribute to the IITD Endowment fund. Mr Vinay Piparsania has recently been hired as the CEO of this foundation and Vinay has started his work in right earnest.