BITS Pilani alumnus donates US dollar 1 million for endowment fund

NEW DELHI: Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS Pilani) alumnus Chaitanya Kalipatnapu has made a contribution of US dollars one million for establishing the BITS endowment fund. Chaitanya is the co-founder of Eruditus group, which is a global leader in professional education. Earlier, the entrepreneur donated Rs 2 crore to establish the Kalipatnapu AR-VR Lab, aimed at fostering innovation in augmented and virtual reality technologies.

His career journey included roles at Sun Microsystems and INSEAD, where he also served as president of the alumni association's India chapter. He is a visiting lecturer at INSEAD. He has been honoured as an inaugural lifelong learning laureate by the Haas School at the University of California, Berkeley.

In recognition of his contributions to entrepreneurship and philanthropy, he has been felicitated with the Distinguished Alumnus Award 2023 by the BITS Pilani. Chaitanya said, “BITS Pilani played a pivotal role in my personal and professional growth. This small gesture would support the Institution in driving further impact through high-quality education and in creating a sustainable ecosystem of excellence”.

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BITS Pilani vice-chancellor V Ramgopal Rao said, "The remarkable progress achieved by BITS Pilani Alumni Relations in just over 5 years since its inception underscores the significance of this culture of giving back in the institute’s history. We are delighted to welcome Chaitanya as a founder of the endowment fund and eagerly anticipate his active participation in the Institute's activities and future growth endeavours."

BITS alumni relations dean Arya Kumar said, "Chaitanya's altruism will be remembered, and its impact will endure indefinitely. We are honoured to have a distinguished professional of his calibre who has brought name and fame to the institution.”