IIT Kharagpur recently received a donation of Rs 2 crore from the CEO of an IT firm based in the US. The donation was made by 25-year-old Shion Deysarkar whose parents had graduated from IIT Kharagpur in 1973.
Shion’s parents—Ashoke Deysarkar and Ruma Acharya— who are both successful entrepreneurs, studied Chemical engineering in IIT KGP. They later moved to Houston, and have settled down there and run a successful petrochemical company.
The couple shares an everlasting love for their college, and have collaborated with the IIT Kharagpur Foundation in the US, on several occasions. Two years ago, they set up the Asoke Deysarkar and Ruma Acharya Centre of Excellence in Petroleum Engineering, at the institute.
It is a well-known fact that IITs are among the top engineering colleges in the world, and seeing his parents’ love for their college campus, Shion signed a MoU to create a Chair Professorship endowment for an amount of USD 300,000, which is about Rs 2 crores, at the centre mentioned above.
The funding will be utilised for setting up three Chair Professorships in the domains of Geology & Geophysics, Chemical Engineering and Chemistry/Mining Engineering.
Source: Twitter
“This is a first-of-its-kind move by an alumni progeny and has set a precedent for other children of our alumni, spread across the globe, to donate towards their parents’ alma mater. The campus has largely benefited from alumni donations through the years, and this is a step forward,” Partha Pratim Chakraborty, the director of the institute told The Times Of India.
Shion graduated from Carnegie Mellon University and is the CEO and Founder of Datafiniti, a data company. Speaking to TOI, he said, “My parents’ love for their campus is infectious, and I secretly wanted to do something to add to their dream. No other gift would have made them happier.”
He also went on to add that he was aware of the high standards of the institute, and feels that it is time for people with an Indian connect to link the Indian academic culture with American sensibilities for the mutual benefit of both countries.
Speaking to the Economic Times, Prof. Subrata Chattopadhyay, the Dean of Alumni Affairs, earmarked this as a red-letter day for IITs and is hopeful that this donation will encourage alumni and their children to also contribute to their alma mater.
Kudos to Shion for his generosity!
Hey, You May Also Like: Tamil Nadu to Give Ragpickers Their Due, Will Help Them Become Micro-Entrepreneurs!
Like this story? Or have something to share?
Write to us: contact@thebetterindia.com
Connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.
NEW: Click here to get positive news on WhatsApp!
If you found our stories insightful, informative, or even just enjoyable, we invite you to consider making a voluntary payment to support the work we do at The Better India. Your contribution helps us continue producing quality content that educates, inspires, and drives positive change.
Choose one of the payment options below for your contribution-
By paying for the stories you value, you directly contribute to sustaining our efforts focused on making a difference in the world. Together, let's ensure that impactful stories continue to be told and shared, enriching lives and communities alike.
Thank you for your support. Here are some frequently asked questions you might find helpful to know why you are contributing?