KANPUR: IndiGo airlines co-founder Rakesh Gangwal has donated Rs 100 crore to his alma mater Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Kanpur for setting up the School of Medical Sciences & Technology at the IIT.
“In an extraordinary gesture, our alumnus Rakesh Gangwal, Co-Founder of IndiGo airlines has made one of the largest personal donations with a 100 crore contribution focused on supporting the School of Medical Sciences & Technology at IIT Kanpur,” Institute Director Abhay Karandikar said.
Speaking to The New Indian, Karandikar said a total of Rs 600 crores is required for establishing the school, which will have a 500-bedded hospital, for research in the field of high-end technological interventions in medical sciences.
Out of the total money required, the institute has so far received Rs 350 crore, he said.
The school will be named Gangwal School of Medical Sciences & Technology.
“The idea (behind setting up the school) is to do interdisciplinary research in medical, engineering, and technology because next generation research in medical is heavily technology-driven. We believe IIT-Kanpur can really bring disruption in medical education and research,” the IIT director stated.
He further said, “In this school, we will have a 500-bedded super-specialty hospital and some centers of excellence which will conduct interdisciplinary research. Rakesh Gangwal has been our distinguished alumnus. He has signed an agreement and donated Rs 100 crore for the project.”
The agreement was signed by Director Karandikar and Gangwal in Mumbai in the presence of IIT-K Deputy Director Prof S Ganesh, IIT-Kanpur Development Foundation CEO Kapil Kaul, and Gangwal’s wife Shobha and his daughter Parul Gangwal.
Apart from Gangwal, the institute has also received personal donations from other alumni and their families towards the establishment of the school. IIT-K has received Rs 60 crore from the Singhania family which runs JK Cement, and Rs 18 crore from IndiGo Paints MD Hemant Jalan.
Yadupati Singhania, who was Chairman and MD of JK Cement Ltd, was an alumnus of the institute and passed away following a prolonged illness in 2020.