The Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN) has thirteen women students among the recipients of the Rupa Rahul Bajaj Scholarship for Women in Engineering (RRBSWE), a programme aimed at supporting meritorious women pursuing undergraduate engineering education and encouraging greater participation of women in engineering and manufacturing careers.
The scholarship offers financial assistance along with opportunities for mentorship, industry exposure, professional development, leadership development, wellbeing support and alumni engagement.
The occasion also marked the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between IITGN and Bajaj Auto Foundation, on August 27, 2026, to strengthen the partnership under the scholarship programme. The MoU establishes a collaborative framework covering scholarship awareness and outreach, student application support, verification of student and academic information, coordination related to scholarship disbursement and renewal, and scholar engagement and development activities.
The event was attended by scholarship recipients and representatives of IITGN and Bajaj Auto Foundation, including Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IITGN; Prof Pratik Mutha, Dean, Institutional Advancement, IITGN; Prof Manish Kumar, Dean, Student Affairs, IITGN; and Mr Sudhakar Gudipati, Vice President – CSR, Bajaj Group.
Highlighting the shared values behind the partnership, Prof Rajat Moona, Director, IITGN, said, “Bajaj’s commitment to education and women’s participation reflects values that we strongly share at IIT Gandhinagar. The Institute has made a conscious effort to create greater opportunities for women. We deeply value this partnership and see it as a mutually supportive relationship, with the ultimate beneficiary being the students.”
Highlighting the vision behind the initiative, Mr Sudhakar Gudipati, Vice President – CSR, Bajaj Group, said, “We wanted to support meritorious women engineering students and encourage more women to enter the field. After extensive research, we found a gap in scholarships for engineering students, particularly those who are meritorious. Through this programme, we aim to invest in their education, provide them with wider exposure and encourage them to contribute to the country’s industrial growth. We hope to expand the programme and reach many more students in the coming years.”
Speaking about the partnership, Prof Pratik Mutha, Dean, Institutional Advancement, IITGN, highlighted the role of the scholarship in supporting women students in their academic and professional journey.
Prof Manish Kumar, Dean, Student Affairs, IITGN, highlighted the importance of financial support in helping students overcome financial hurdles and realise their aspirations. The event provided a platform for scholarship recipients to share their experiences and connect with representatives from IITGN and Bajaj Auto Foundation. The programme included the felicitation of the Student Ambassador and certificate distribution, followed by a presentation by Bajaj Auto Foundation for existing scholars.
Sharing her experience, Shambhavi Kumari, a BTech second-year Mechanical Engineering student at IITGN and scholarship recipient, said, “Receiving this scholarship makes me feel proud and valued. It has significantly reduced the financial burden on my family and, more importantly, given me confidence that someone believes in my potential. I hope to contribute to society and the nation through engineering.”
Alka Kushwaha, a BTech, second-year Electrical Engineering student at IITGN, scholarship recipient and also Student Ambassador for the scholarship program, said, “Receiving the scholarship gave me a sense of confidence that someone believes in my education and wants to see me move forward. Being selected again in my second year, and later as a Brand Ambassador for the Rupa Rahul Bajaj Scholarship, has made the journey even more meaningful. I am truly grateful to Bajaj for being a part of my journey.”