BITS Pilani Alumnus Establishes Rs 2.5 Crore Fellowship Fund for Students

BITS Pilani: BITS Pilani has reached a significant milestone in its research endeavors with the announcement of a ₹2.5 crore donation from distinguished alumnus Agendra Kumar, Managing Director of Esri India. The Agendra Kumar Fellowships Fund, a strategic initiative intended to support doctoral research at the institute over the next ten years, will be established thanks to your kind donation. The fund will specifically support 10 PhD scholars, focusing on enhancing research capacity across critical interdisciplinary domains that address pressing global challenges.

High-impact industries like climate and sustainability, biotechnology and healthcare, cybersecurity for vital infrastructure, and geospatial intelligence are the focus of the fellowships. Additionally, the researchers will explore specific areas including precision agriculture, computational cancer research, and water resource management. The School of Interdisciplinary Research and Entrepreneurship (SIRE) at BITS Pilani will handle any research funded by this fellowship. The PhD DRIVE program, a special vertical that enables academics to continue demanding doctoral studies while concurrently launching deep-tech and deep-science companies, is a notable feature of this institution.

What Did The Officials Say?

The fellowship seeks to close the gap between theoretical knowledge and real-world engineering solutions, according to the institute's official statement. BITS Pilani aims to generate research that provides concrete, technologically advanced solutions to real-world issues by cultivating an innovative and entrepreneurial culture. This donation not only highlights the strong bond between the institute and its alumni network but also reinforces BITS Pilani's position as a premier hub for interdisciplinary scientific advancement in India.

Strategic Growth Through the $100 Million Endowment Fund

A crucial part of BITS Pilani's ambitious $100 million endowment aim is the creation of the Agendra Kumar Fellowships Fund. The goal of this program is to give PhD candidates the financial security they need to engage in long-term, innovation-driven research without worrying about money. Through its School of Interdisciplinary Research and Entrepreneurship (SIRE), the institute hopes to address difficult, real-world challenges and enhance its global academic output by concentrating on cross-domain knowledge in industries like energy, healthcare, and digital infrastructure.

The endowment has had a tremendous increase in momentum, with pledges and receipts recently surpassing $34 million. This growth was significantly bolstered in February 2026 by a landmark $4 million donation from US-based alumnus Chand P. Garg (Mechanical Engineering, 1968) and his wife, Manju Garg. 

As the largest individual donation in the institute's history, the gift is specifically earmarked to support 16 meritorious students annually, with a dedicated focus on empowering girl students from financially constrained backgrounds. These alumni-led contributions reinforce the "BITSian spirit" of giving back, ensuring that the next generation of innovators whether in deep-tech entrepreneurship through the PhD DRIVE program or foundational undergraduate studies has the resources to succeed.