In order to address the un-anticipated student needs arising due to the closing of Indian Institute of Technology, Bombay (IIT Bombay) campus on account of the Covid-19 pandemic, IIT Bombay Heritage Foundation (IITBHF) has announced a grant of Rs 2.35 crore to IIT Bombay.
This fund will be used to purchase 500 laptop computers and broadband support for 500 needy undergraduate students, stated Raj Mashruwala, chairman of IIT Bombay Heritage Foundation.
The foundation was able to collect $301,000 for this grant from its US-based alumni pursuant to extended fund-raising drives. Given that the need may be for upto 1,000 laptop computers, the foundation aims at requesting other India-based alumni and corporate sponsors of the institute to provide matching funds to meet the needs of the additional 500 students.
Subhasis Chaudhuri, director of IIT Bombay said, "At this pressing time when many of our current students need help, we are thankful to our alumni in the United States for opening up their hearts in supporting their alma mater's children. Since we are still at the 50 per cent of this specific fund raising drive, we hope many of our citizens will now come forward to help our endeavor in equipping our students with IT tools so that they can attend the online classes next semester." The institute will finalise the criteria for the distribution of these funds to the appropriate students.