Building further on its endeavours to promote out-of-the-box thinking, foster innovation, and spread exceptional research-based knowledge at various levels, the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) recently established two scholarly Chairs that will promote innovation & entrepreneurship and interdisciplinary research in population dynamics.
IITGN has backed the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship since its early days. The Institute put in place its entrepreneurship programme and incubation policy even before its first batch of students graduated in 2012. Since then, more than 100 of its alumni have started 50+ companies, and five of its faculty members are in different stages of launching and expanding their ventures following a faculty entrepreneurship policy formed by the Institute in November 2021. Expanding this central pillar of entrepreneurship, California-based entrepreneurs, startup mentors, philanthropists, and long-time well-wishers of IITGN, Anuradha and B V Jagadeesh, have provided generous support to establish “Anu and B V Jagadeesh Chair” at the Institute. The Chair will help to further proliferate a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship on campus through various activities and enrich students with the skills and experiences they need to succeed in the global economy by creating opportunities for hands-on learning, networking, and professional development.
Sharing their vision for the Chair, Anuradha and B V Jagadeesh said, “As much as it is important to help children get basic education and professional degrees, it is equally significant to support students and young minds who can create jobs, because entrepreneurship is the best way to address a lot of challenges and bring people out of the poverty cycle. We chose IITGN for this cause since this Institute nurtures inclusive values and culture and extends it beyond its own campus and students. We are excited to partner with the incredible leadership team at IITGN to drive this crucial effort of cultivating the entrepreneurial ecosystem and creating more leaders in the country. Even if we are able to create a few entrepreneurs out of this movement, it will make a great impact.”
Bringing to the fore and backing a groundbreaking research area, Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based IT industry stalwart and philanthropist Dr. Darshan Pandya, alongwith his wife and neonatal medicine specialist Dr Chandra Shivpuri, has extended generous support to set up “Pandya-Shivpuri Chair in Population Dynamics” at IITGN. Population dynamics as a field seeks to understand the factors that drive changes in population size, structure and distribution. As the world’s population continues to grow and we strive to build an equitable world, understanding these dynamics becomes increasingly important for addressing global challenges such as food security, disease control, and sustainable development. This requires participation and collaboration between individuals from diverse streams, including epidemiology, engineering, physics, earth and environmental sciences, ecology, evolutionary biology, mathematics, and computation. This Faculty Chair will be dedicated to promoting excellence and leadership in interdisciplinary research in the field of population dynamics through various collaborative and scholarly activities.
Sharing his inspiration behind backing interdisciplinary work in the area of population dynamics, Dr. Darshan Pandya said, “I have lived in five countries and visited 45 countries. Having seen and experienced these many countries has affected my views about life, the major challenges the world is confronting today, and what needs to be done about them. Having roots in India, I feel that the traditional wisdom of India has a great deal to offer to solve the problems we face today, both individually and collectively. But at the same time, I am an engineer and a scientist who is trained to find logical solutions to problems like climate change, pollution, population, and so on. Climate change and pollution are the products of pollution per capita multiplied by the total population. So, we need to achieve equilibrium in regional, national, and global populations for rapid reversal of climate change and pollution so as to attain sustainable co-habitation and save several species from the verge of extinction because of our actions. But calculations of this population equilibrium require answers to questions about the use of technology and renewable/non-renewable energy resources in day-to-day life; regional, geographic, and climate variations; lifestyle; food habits, and so on. And with my connection to Gujarat, what better way to do this than to endow a Chair in Population Dynamics at IIT Gandhinagar to investigate and find answers to these questions through various research activities. I have no doubt that it will be an incredible source of guidance to governments, global institutions, and scholars on this topic.”
Expressing his delight at the establishment of these two remarkable Chairs at the Institute, Prof. Rajat Moona, Director, IITGN, said, “This is the most opportune time to witness and be part of the technological transformation happening in the country, and at the same time, contribute in building a fair and sustainable future of our planet. IITs have been bringing many new ideas, technology, and insights into the life of people. We are glad and thankful to Anuradha, B V Jagadeesh, Dr. Darshan Pandya, and Dr. Chandra Shiv purifor choosing and trusting IITGN to steer a journey towards creating a long-lasting impact in the fields of entrepreneurship, innovation, and population dynamics. I am sure it will benefit many students, faculty, and aspiring talent of our country and will create a much larger impact through the resources and opportunities they will provide. We will be able to see the fruits of these well-thought endeavours in the time to come.”
About Anuradha and B V Jagadeesh:
Anuradha Jagadeesh is the founder of KonnectMe, a social networking platform that connects people with similar interests and goals. Prior to starting KonnectMe, Anuradha worked in the tech industry for over a decade, holding leadership roles at several start-ups and Fortune 500 companies. Anuradha has a strong background in engineering and is passionate about using technology to solve real-world problems. In addition to her work at KonnectMe, Anuradha is also actively involved in various charitable efforts and is dedicated to using her platform to make a positive impact in the world. B V Jagadeesh is a Silicon Valley-based entrepreneur with an outstanding track record of success in the technology industry. He has founded and funded many enterprise startups, such as Exodus, NetScaler, NetMagic, Nutanix, Cohesity, Balbix, Ocarina, Yodlee, among others. Jagadeesh is known for his innovative approach to problem-solving and his ability to bring new technologies to market. He is a frequent speaker at industry events and is widely respected for his insights and expertise in the field of entrepreneurship. In addition to his work as an entrepreneur, Jagadeesh is also actively involved in various philanthropic efforts and is a strong advocate for giving back to the community.
About Dr. Darshan Pandya:
Dr. Darshan Pandya was born in Baroda, Gujarat. At 8 years of age, he moved to the UK with his father, and completed his school education in London. He then pursued his BSc (honours) in Chemical Engineering in 1964, PhD in Chemical Engineering in 1967, and followed that up with an MSc in Operational Research and Management Studies in 1968, all from Imperial College London. He then commenced his employment with British Petroleum in London. Dr. Pandya left the UK in 1972, and taught Operational Research and Statistics at the National University of Singapore for three years, then switched to IT, migrated to Canada, and then eventually moved to the US, and worked in IT for many years before retiring in 2015. Dr Chandra Shivpuri is a neonatal medicine specialist based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and has over 51 years of experience in the medical field. She graduated from Jawaharlal Nehru Medical College, Aligarh Muslim University in 1972 and completed her residency in Psychiatry from Griffin Memorial Hospital, Oklahoma State University in 1977. She then went on to do her residency in Pediatrics at Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio, followed by a fellowship in neonatal-perinatal medicine. She was also associated with the Medical College of Wisconsin for a long time.
About IIT Gandhinagar:
IIT Gandhinagar offers extraordinary undergraduate and graduate education with unmatched innovations in curriculum. The Institute promotes critical thinking and an appreciation of the interdisciplinary character of knowledge, with an emphasis on the liberal arts, project-oriented learning, diversity, and globalisation. Established in 2008, the Institute has won several awards and recognitions and has developed strong partnerships with several leading institutions and organisations around the world. IIT Gandhinagar is committed to a holistic approach to education in engineering disciplines and beyond, cutting-edge research addressing global challenges, and giving back.