With a special focus on supporting girls from financially constrained backgrounds, a US-based alumnus’s contribution shows how alumni, driven by gratitude rather than obligation, can step back into their institutions as quiet changemakers, turning personal success into opportunities that shape lives beyond their own.
That alumnus is Chand P. Garg, a 1968 batch Mechanical Engineering graduate of BITS Pilani, who made the donation along with his wife Manju Garg. Now based in the US, Garg is a seasoned entrepreneur in international trade and credits his years at BITS Pilani as the foundation of his professional journey and lifelong learning.
The landmark USD 4 million contribution, the highest ever by an individual alumnus, has pushed the BITS Pilani Endowment Fund past USD 34 million, advancing its USD 100 million endowment goal.
The donation will now support 16 meritorious students every year, enabling girls from financially constrained backgrounds to pursue and complete their education at BITS Pilani.
BITS Pilani’s Endowment Fund, the first of its kind among non-government higher education institutions in India, is aimed at strengthening faculty excellence, research, scholarships and global engagement, as the Institute works towards becoming a globally ranked university.
Calling the gesture a reflection of the “true BITSian spirit,” Vice-Chancellor Prof. V. Ramgopal Rao said the contribution would ensure that talent is never limited by financial constraints. Meanwhile, Garg described BITS as the “starting point” of his life’s journey, calling the donation a way to pass on the opportunities that shaped him.
Director, Pilani Campus, Prof. Sudhirkumar Barai, noted that the historic contribution sets a new benchmark in alumni philanthropy and highlights the role former students can play in expanding access to quality education.
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