Dear KGPians,
The year 2008 has been both ‘challenging’ and heart wrenching, as we deal with the consequences of terrorist attacks especially the loss of KGP-ian Malayesh Banerjee (B. Arch, 2005/ Nehru Hall). On the other hand, we have also seen the election of the first African American as the President of USA, proving that democracy is alive and well, and change (for the better) is on the way.
Change is also taking place at IIT Kharagpur as we strive to transform our alma mater into a global leader in education and research and realize the vision of our founders. We are preparing for massive expansion to accommodate a growing student population, introducing new academic programs, and setting up new Schools and Centers of Excellence.
This year we thank Ranbir Singh Gupta (1970, Architecture, NH) for his leadership and generous contribution, which enabled us to set up the Ranbir and Chitra Gupta School of Infrastructure Design and Management (RCG Infratech), and we shall soon start issuing India’s first M.Tech. degree in this inter disciplinary field. In the near future, thanks once again to the involvement of a few passionate alumni, we hope to announce Centers of Excellence in the areas of Quality Engineering, Bio-fuels, Solar Photovoltaics and Clean Energy.
However, for us to succeed, we need qualified faculty who are visionaries and thought leaders, the kind who can make a difference.
We need every alum to participate in identifying, and motivating qualified and competent faculty to teach at IIT Kharagpur. To do this we suggest the following :
a) Support the “Alumni in Academia and Research Forum’, the ‘Visiting Faculty Program’ and the Faculty of Future Programs initiated by IIT Foundation. See www.iitfoundation.org for details.
b) Create Endowments to ‘Top-up’ the compensation of faculty, thereby providing financial incentives and motivation for excellence in education. The funding for this scheme necessarily has to be from non-Government sources – and every alum, along with industry captains can help.
We propose two options, to incentivize both junior and senior professors.
1. Outstanding Young Faculty Fellowship – Rs. 15,000/- top-up per month for a period of 3 to 5 years (with interim review after 3 years). The endowment required is about Rs. 30.00 Lakhs.
2. Chair Professor Fellowship – Rs. 20,000/- top-up per month to outstanding senior faculty. The endowment will be about Rs. 40.00 Lakhs.
Although a single individual may opt to create an endowment/s, and we welcome that; groups of alums who come together by year of graduation, as hallmates, by department, or from an alumni chapter, can create these endowments, and name the fellowships according to their wish (after a favorite Professor, Subject , research topic, Founder , Company etc) .
You got the best education the country could offer. Some of the Professors who taught you, were not only the best in India but were amongst the best in the world, so here is your opportunity to honor the educator and leave a legacy for generations to come .
Please donate at www.iitfoundation.org/donate, and visit our new (in beta testing) website www.alumnet.iitkgp.ernet.in which is also going to enable people outside the USA to pay through credit cards and pool donations from different sources into actionable projects.
I wish you and yours a very prosperous, healthy and safe 2009
Yours Sincerely, Prof. Amit Patra, Dean AA &IR and Alumnus IIT Kharagpur
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IIT Foundation (IITF) http://www.iitfoundation.org
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* IIT Kharagpur Alumni Network *
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