NEW DELHI: In the span of three days, two of India’s most storied engineering campuses found themselves in an unusual face-off, not over rankings or research papers, but over crores pledged by graduates from the same Class of 2000, turning alumni philanthropy into a measure of institutional pride.
At its Silver Jubilee celebrations on Thursday, IIT Delhi announced that the Class of 2000 had pledged over Rs 70 crore, the biggest endowment ever raised by a single batch in the institute’s history. The figure was the result of months of quiet outreach and coordination among classmates now working across sectors and geographies worldwide.
The giving wave had started three days earlier at IIT Kanpur. At its Silver Jubilee reunion, the institute revealed that the Class of 2000 had pledged Rs 100 crore. It was the first time a single batch at IIT Kanpur had committed such a large amount in a year. Institute officials said the pledge reflected how far the alumni had come and the institute’s growing standing on the global stage.
At IIT Delhi, donations were structured across eight contributor categories. The top ‘Founder’ category, for gifts of Rs 10 crore and above, included India Quotient founder Mohit Mittal, General Catalyst managing director Neeraj Arora and one alumnus who chose to remain anonymous. The ‘Co-founder’ category, for contributions of Rs 5 crore and above, featured Park Circle Technologies CEO Ranjeeta Nanda and Kedaara Capital founder Nishant Sharma.
Department-wise, Mechanical Engineering alumni led with Rs 22.7 crore, followed by Computer Science and Engineering at Rs 16.1 crore, reflecting both scale and solidarity within departments.
IIT Delhi said the fund will support academic programmes, research and innovation, student scholarships, faculty development and other strategic priorities, allowing deployment across needs as they evolve.
“This was not about the headline number,” said Rohit Dube, fundraising lead for the Class of 2000. “IIT Delhi taught us to keep learning in an ever-changing world. Now is the time to pay it forward. Our batch wanted participation and shared ownership that creates impact over decades.”
Dean of Alumni Relations at IIT Delhi, Prof. Nilanjan Senroy, called the pledge “a powerful example” of alumni responsibility, noting that such contributions increasingly supplement government funding and shape the future of Indian higher education.
He added that the pledge reflects a deep sense of responsibility and belonging among IIT Delhi’s alumni, with donations playing a growing role in expanding research capacity, upgrading facilities and providing financial assistance to students.