Chennai: Ashok Soota-promoted SKAN Research Trust has announced a grant of Rs 20 crore to Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee, sponsoring a Chair Professorship, three Faculty Fellowships, creation of a lab and funding of joint research projects.
Launched in April this year, SKAN—or Scientific Knowledge for Ageing and Neurological ailments—is a public charitable trust set up for medical research. Soota, CEO of Happiest Minds Ltd. and an IT industry veteran, is the chairman and managing trustee of SKAN, and an alumnus of IIT Roorkee.
The first project under this agreement is in the area of bipolar diseases.
The grant of Rs 20 crore will be utilised by the institute for funding of an Institute Chair Professorship, two new faculty Fellowships and one Institute Research Fellowship. The grant will also be used to establish a wet-lab in IIT Roorkee and funding of joint medical research projects.
“After a long gap, we are seeing an India-based IIT alumnus make such a generous grant to his/her IIT. Through this gesture, Mr. Soota has also made a beginning in terms of directing private funding to support medical research in India," said Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi, director, IIT Roorkee.
Launched in April this year, SKAN—or Scientific Knowledge for Ageing and Neurological ailments—is a public charitable trust set up for medical research. Soota, CEO of Happiest Minds Ltd. and an IT industry veteran, is the chairman and managing trustee of SKAN, and an alumnus of IIT Roorkee.
“I’m delighted to have this opportunity to give back to my alma mater through this grant. There is negligible private funding towards medical research in India and I was pleased to see that IITR is doing excellent work in this area,” Soota said in a statement on Wednesday. “I see this as a good opportunity for me to contribute and also fulfill these needs of IITR,"
The first project under this agreement is in the area of bipolar diseases.
The grant of Rs 20 crore will be utilised by the institute for funding of an Institute Chair Professorship, two new faculty Fellowships and one Institute Research Fellowship. The grant will also be used to establish a wet-lab in IIT Roorkee and funding of joint medical research projects.
“After a long gap, we are seeing an India-based IIT alumnus make such a generous grant to his/her IIT. Through this gesture, Mr. Soota has also made a beginning in terms of directing private funding to support medical research in India," said Prof. Ajit K. Chaturvedi, director, IIT Roorkee.
Discover the stories of your interest
Get Unlimited Access to The Economic Times
