The Silver Jubilee Batch – the Class of 1998 – pledged a substantial amount of Rs. 57 crores towards their Legacy Project, a collaborative effort among alumni and their batchmates to give back to their alma mater to create a lasting legacy and commemorate milestone reunions. Notably, the Class of 1998’s contribution surpasses the significant donation of Rs 41 crores made by the Class of 1971 during their Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2022.

The Silver Jubilee reunion coincided with IIT Bombay’s annual flagship Alumni Day event, infusing excitement and spirit as members of the ’98 batch gathered, rekindling connections with fellow alumni and faculty after many years.

Over 200 alumni including several notable global executives contributed significantly to their Legacy Project. They include:

–  Apoorv Saxena, Silver Lake
–  Shailendra Singh, Peak XV
–  Anupam Banerjee, Vector Capital
–  Dileep George, AI Research at Google DeepMind
–  Mohan Lakahmraju, Great Learning
–  Manu Varma, Coloplast
–  Sundar Iyer, Entrepreneur in Silicon Valley
–  Sandeep Joshi, Indovance
–  Srikant Shetty, Chief Growth Officer, Americas, HCL

The funds the Class of 1998 raised will play a pivotal role in supporting key academic projects and enhancing the research landscape at IIT Bombay. These projects include:

    –  Project Evergreen, focusing on sustainable and eco-friendly hostels for students
    –  Makerspace labs to foster scientific and technological innovation and creativity
    –  Student Aid initiatives, including scholarships, to empower the aspirations of the next generation of students at the Institute

Additionally, proceeds will be used to disburse need-based scholarships and to create ‘the first-of-its-kind endowment fund’ and projects at the Centre for Machine Intelligence and Data Minds (C-MinDS).

“We have suggested that these funds be disbursed over the next three to four years,” said Silver Lake Partners’ managing director, Mr. Apoorv Saxena.

Overall, the funds raised will drive IIT Bombay’s ambitious 2030 vision of ranking among the world’s top 50 universities, fostering a legacy of excellence on the global stage.

Members of the batch including Mr. Amit Khandelwal, Mr. Apoorv Saxena, Mr. Ashutosh Gore, and Mr. Sharad Geonka, highlighted the diverse nature of their class, spanning across 100+ cities worldwide, involved in startups, corporates, social causes, and non-profits. They added, “But we all share some great memories and timeless bonds that were forged during the formative years of our lives and sustained through many family visits and connections over the years. This year when we got together there was another big focus for us: the spirit of giving back inspired by alumni such as Nandan Nilekani and previous silver jubilee batches. We are glad all this came together in this record raise supported by all the donors and the volunteers. We hope this helps to make IIT Bombay one of the premier global universities in the coming years and inspires other alumni to give back as well.”

The Class of 1998’s remarkable initiative stands as a shining example of collective philanthropy and commitment to their alma mater. The diverse achievements of the members of the Class of 1998 across various fields demonstrate the far-reaching impact of their shared memories and timeless bonds. Their spirit of giving back, inspired by other esteemed alumni and predecessors, sets a powerful precedent for a collective commitment to shaping IIT Bombay into one of the world’s premier universities.