Infosys’ Co-founder Nandan Nilekani has donated ₹315 crore to IIT Bombay, making his total contribution to the institute to ₹400 crore. The recent grant will be used to enhance world-class infrastructure, foster research in emerging areas, and support a deep-tech start-up ecosystem.
Nilekani joined IIT Bombay in 1973 for a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering. He has donated $38.5 million to his alma mater. IIT Bombay plans to raise $500 million over the next five years and establish centres of excellence in artificial intelligence, green energy and quantum computing. Nilekani has contributed $85 million to the institute over the years and served on its board of governors.
A memorandum of understanding was signed between Nilekani and institute director, Professor Subhasis Chaudhuri in Bengaluru on June 20. The institute plans to set up world-class centers of excellence in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, green energy, and quantum computing in the next 10 years.
Over the past five decades, Nilekani has remained connected to the institute, assuming various roles. He served on the board of the IIT Bombay heritage foundation from 1999 to 2009 and was a member of the board of governors from 2005 to 2011. His initial contributions played a crucial role in constructing new hostels, co-financing the school of information technology, and establishing India’s first university incubator.
