Dr. Pramod Chaudhari – Hostel 4 Dining Hall

Image Source: Dean ACR LinkedIn Post – Dr. Chaudhari

We are deeply grateful to our Distinguished Alumnus, Dr. Pramod Chaudhari (B. Tech., Mechanical Engineering, 1971), Founder and Executive Chairman of Praj Industries, for his lifelong commitment and generosity towards his alma mater. His sustained philanthropy over the years has significantly strengthened IIT Bombay’s academic and residential ecosystem.

One such recent contribution has enabled the newly reconstructed 800-seat Hostel 4 Dining Hall, now the largest dining facility on campus, further enriching the student experience.

For more on Dr. Chaudhari’s philanthropy and his enduring engagement with IIT Bombay, please click here: Dean ACR LinkedIn Post – Dr. Chaudhari

The Dean ACR Newsletter did an in-depth profile on Praj Industries and had the privilege of conversing with him earlier this year. For more, click here: Social Impact Trailblazer – Dr. Pramod Chaudhari

 

 

Dr. Samir Kapoor and Dr. Vinaya Kapoor

Chair Professor on AI in Climate and Sustainability Studies/ACCESS Awards 2025

Image Source: Dean ACR Dean’s Circle

We are deeply grateful to Dr. Samir Kapoor (B.Tech., Electrical Engineering, 1992) and Dr. Vinaya Kapoor (B.Tech., Chemical Engineering, 1992) for their generous support in establishing a second Chair Professorship at IIT Bombay, dedicated to AI in Climate and Sustainability Studies.

This visionary contribution strengthens the Institute’s ability to address some of the most urgent global challenges at the intersection of climate, sustainability, and advanced technologies. Climate and sustainability remain key focus areas at IIT Bombay, and the Kapoors’ continued engagement—through initiatives such as the SPURS (Summer Programme for Undergraduate Research in Sustainability) and the ACCESS (Accelerating Climate, Energy, and Sustainability Solutions) Awards—has already made a meaningful impact.

Through the establishment of this Chair, they further enable cutting-edge research, nurture academic leadership, and reinforce IIT Bombay’s commitment to solutions-oriented, socially impactful science.

ACCESS Awards

Image Source: IIT Bombay LinkedIn Post – ACCESS Awards

In addition to this recent initiative, Mr. Samir Kapoor and Ms. Vinaya Kapoor have been long-standing supporters of IIT Bombay’s work in climate and sustainability. Through their continued support of the ACCESS Awards over the past several years, they have helped recognize and encourage innovative ideas addressing the challenges of climate change.

Most recently, IIT Bombay announced the winners of the ACCESS Awards 2025. Here are the winners of the ACCESS 2025 awards by category:

Climate Impacts and Adaptation

1st Prize – Team SWIMS Innovators

SWIMS has created India’s first climate-adaptive infrastructure intelligence platform fusing real-time weather intelligence with traffic and road condition monitoring.

2nd Prize – Team SunSpring

Team SunSpring’s idea is to bottle sunlight for equitable access to clean drinking water.

Climate Mitigation and Finance
1st Prize – Team ACTIONN

ACTIONN presented a scalable, data-driven model that links clean cooking solutions with carbon finance.

Hearty congratulations to the award-winning teams!

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For more details on the ACCESS Awards and a list of students from the winning teams, click here:  IIT Bombay LinkedIn Post – ACCESS Awards

 

Mr. Anil Kshirsagar

LUMINA

Image Source: Dean ACR Newsletter Chai Pe Charcha Profile

We are deeply grateful to Mr. Anil Kshirsagar (B.Tech., Mechanical Engineering, 1975), Founding President of the IIT Bombay Heritage Foundation, for his visionary support in conceptualising the idea of ‘Lumina’ at IIT Bombay.

Lumina is a landmark initiative launched by IIT Bombay and its global alumni associations to celebrate, connect, and empower women of IIT Bombay across generations and geographies, built on three pillars—Connect, Mentor, and Celebrate & Inspire. His generous contribution has enabled the programme to get started and is helping create a dedicated space within the upcoming Alumni Centre for convenings, mentorship, networking, and a living archive of women alumni stories.

Through Lumina, Mr. Kshirsagar is fostering an enduring, supportive community that inspires leadership, growth, and lifelong engagement among women students and alumnae.

The conceptualisation of Lumina has been shaped through a thoughtful and sustained collaborative effort, with dedicated time and insight contributed behind the scenes by women alumnae, including Ms. Shivani Govil (1992), Ms. Vinaya Kapoor (1992), Ms. Veena Srinivasan (1995), Ms. Swati Vora (1984),  Ms. Dipti Datye, CEO, IIT Bombay Alumni Association, and Ms. Jalpa Vyas, Senior Vice President – Donor Relations, IIT Bombay Development and Relations Foundation, whose collective vision and commitment have been instrumental in bringing this initiative to life.

 

Three Alumnae Enrich Campus Through Art

In December 2024, IIT Bombay’s Class of 1969 set a remarkable precedent by donating 70 paintings during their reunion. Many of these works were created by alumni and their families themselves, transforming bare walls across the Institute into vibrant, lived-in spaces. Spearheaded by alumnus Mr. Arun Joshi (B.Tech., Chemical Engineering, 1969), the initiative demonstrated how art can go beyond conventional philanthropy—embedding personal stories, memories, and warmth into the physical fabric of IIT Bombay.

Inspired by this spirit, and by the Dean ACR newsletter’s coverage of the Class of 1969 initiative last year, three alumnae from the Class of 2000 have added a new chapter to this evolving narrative. Ms. Debjani Das (M.Tech. Geo-exploration, Dept. of Earth Sciences, 2000), Ms. Mita Mathur (M.Phil., Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, 2000), and Dr. Anuradha Raghunathan (Ph.D., Chemical Engineering, 2000) came together to donate a curated collection of their artworks to the Institute.

The artworks were formally handed over to the Institute at a special function held on December 28, presided over by the Director, IIT Bombay.

 

The alumnae’s contribution reflects a rich diversity of artistic expression:

• Ms. Das donated five paintings, including one unique painting done in the traditional Alpona style from Bengal. Her work has been exhibited in London.
• Ms. Mathur contributed two paintings in the Madhubani style. Her work has been exhibited across the United States.
• Ms. Raghunathan donated four abstract oil paintings. Her work has been exhibited in Mumbai and Pune.

 

Mr. Joshi continues to actively champion this growing movement, nurturing it beyond a single-batch initiative. He has also articulated a longer-term vision of creating an “art bank” for the Institute—a shared repository of alumni-contributed artworks that can steadily enrich campus spaces and carry this creative legacy forward for future generations.

For more images on the ceremony and the paintings, click here: Dean ACR Folder – Alumni Paintings

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