IIT Delhi Launches Fundraising Campaign “Going Further, by Giving Back”

New Delhi: Celebrating 60 years of its establishment, IIT Delhi is reaching out to its alumni around the world through its “Going Further, by Giving Back” fundraising campaign. Through this fundraising campaign IIT Delhi is seeking support to realise the eminent Institute’s strategic vision for 2030.

To achieve its aspirations moving forward from this 60-year milestone, the IIT Delhi Endowment Fund has set an ambitious target of collecting pledges from its over 54,000 global alumni. Alumni can pledge amounts ranging from Rs 3 Lakhs to Rs 61 Lakhs to be contributed over 5 years. The effort is inspired by annual fund-raising approaches of some of the leading global universities, which have raised even larger levels of alumni and philanthropic funding through their annual campaigns. 

Over the years, IIT Delhi alumni have achieved significant success. In the last two decades alone, they have launched over 800 startups, raising over US$ 19 billion in funds collectively, placing the Institute amongst the world’s top-ten undergraduate programs in terms of number of startups founded and capital raised by its graduates.

As IIT Delhi sets the course for its future, the Institute has identified the importance of diversifying its funding sources in order to deliver on its higher levels of teaching, research, and strategic goals.

In its Vision 2030 document, released by the Hon’ble Vice President of India while inaugurating the Institute’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations in 2020, IIT Delhi has outlined its strategy focused on five long-term priorities i.e.,

1. Strengthening teaching and research.

2. Investing in technology leadership in select areas.

3. Revamping industry engagements.

4. Setting up a world class entrepreneurship centre for alumni, students, and faculty.

5. Building strong alumni engagement teams.

Some of the latest initiatives taken by the Institute include establishment of a School of Artificial intelligence, a centre for Transportation Research and Injury prevention, setting up of a Department of Energy Science and Engineering, a Department of Materials Science and Engineering and a Department of Design and launch of Masters programs in Electric Mobility and in Public Policy.

Announcing the kick-off of the “Going Further, by Giving Back” fundraising camping, Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi emphasised, "Since its establishment in 1961, IIT Delhi has nurtured and encouraged people who want to change the world by doing things differently. After 60 years, that same founding ethos has gained even more significance by giving brilliant people the space to make a tangible difference, to do new and disruptive things. Our alumni community is international, with representation in almost every corner of the world. I'm very proud that this ambitious fundraising campaign will have a truly global outreach.”

Speaking about the fundraising campaign, Prof Naveen Garg, Dean, Alumni Affairs & International Programmes, IIT Delhi said, “Many of our alumni have a lot of love and affection for the Institute and we hope they use this opportunity to contribute and make a difference to their alma mater.”

Mr. Arun Duggal, Chairman, IIT Delhi Endowment Management Foundation stated, “Alumni contributions to the Institute’s Endowment Fund significantly enable and sustain what is possible to do, and the speed at which it can be done. We as alumni are excited to be announcing one of India’s most ambitious university fundraising campaigns. Even more, we are proud about all the benefits it will bring for years to come for the future generations of IIT Delhi graduates.”

The “Going Further, by Giving Back” fundraising campaign will be focused on outreach activities to engage and involve the global community of over 54,000 IIT Delhi alumni to contribute and participate in the Institute’s core mission and purpose in the advancement of science, technology, nation building and international collaboration.

Mr Vinay Piparsania, CEO, IIT Delhi Endowment Management Foundation summed up, "The role of fundraising by Universities is changing, and the most successful institutions are ones taking new and creative approaches. There's a growing awareness amongst our alumni that their contributions can make a big difference in the advancement of IIT Delhi in areas they are passionate about. IIT Delhi has an inspiring global vision, and a global impact. We at the IIT Delhi Endowment Foundation look forward to reaching out to our alumni and seeking their support for showing the way in going further in the years ahead.”

On the occasion of launching the fundraising campaign, a panel discussion titled “How will IITs adapt to the 22nd Century?” (Watch: https://youtu.be/irpIN32YF4E) was also organised. The panellists included Prof. V Ramgopal Rao, Director, IIT Delhi; Prof Subhasis Chaudhuri, Director, IIT Bombay, along with Mr. Gautam Kumra, an IIT Delhi alum, and Chairman of McKinsey's offices in Asia, and Mr. Rajiv Kuchhal, Co-founder, IIT Delhi Endowment Fund. Mr Vinay Piparsania moderated the discussion.

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