Anonymous alumnus gifts $18.6mn to IIT Bombay for green energy research

In an unexpected windfall, the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay has received a donation of $18.6 million from an anonymous alumnus to establish a Green Energy and Sustainability Research Hub, which will redefine the institution’s role in addressing the global climate change crisis, an official said here on Thursday.

To be located within a state-of-the-art academic building on the IIT Bombay campus, the hub will focus on critically important areas like evaluating climate risks and developing effective mitigation strategies, climate change adaptation, and comprehensive environmental monitoring.

It will also advance climate solutions, fostering the adoption of renewable energy sources and energy-efficient technologies, said an official on the donation, but the identity of the donor who opened up the purse strings was not revealed.

The hub will facilitate research in several critical areas, including, but not limited to, battery technologies, solar photovoltaics, biofuels, clean-air science, flood forecasting, and carbon capture.

It will also serve as a nexus for learning and exploration, offering state-of-the-art infrastructure and facilities for students and researchers alike.

Furthermore, the hub would offer industry-tailored educational training and cultivate strategic collaborations with global universities and corporations.

The objective is to drive practical and transformative solutions while nurturing entrepreneurship in the realm of green energy and sustainability, said the IIT-Bombay.

“The establishment of this hub underscores our dedication to tackling climate challenges through cutting-edge research, fostering interdisciplinary collaborations, and nurturing entrepreneurial endeavours. The hub stands as a testament to the impact that collective efforts can achieve in paving a sustainable path for the future,” said IIT-Bombay Director Prof. Subhasis Chaudhari.

He noted that this is “probably the first time in Indian Academia that the philanthropist wishes to stay anonymous at this point,” and this would motivate many other citizens to come forward for the cause of IIT Bombay.

The IIT-Bombay was set up in 1958 as the second IIT, and is recognised worldwide as a leader in the field of engineering education and research.

The Institute was granted the status of 'Institution of Eminence' by the Ministry of Education (the then Ministry of Human Resources Development) on July 9, 2018, and is renowned for the quality of its faculty and the outstanding calibre of students graduating from its undergraduate and postgraduate programmes.

It ranks not only amongst the best in the country but also highly recognised in the world for achievements in the field of education and research.

In June 2023, the Quacquarelli Symonds (QS) ranking IIT Bombay 1st in India and 47th globally in Engineering and Technology, and for the first time, it was ranked 149th globally, thus securing its position in the top 150 universities in the QS World University Ranking 2024.