Edu-leaders

Nandan and Rohini Nilekani have announced a gift of Rs 50 crore ($11 million) to the Indian Institute for Human Settlements (IIHS) for the establishment of its School of Environment and Sustainability.

In a statement, they said, "IIHS is at the convergence of both our interests in education, urbanisation and sustainability. We are excited about contributing to an institution which will help people engage with new challenges in an innovative and interdisciplinary manner."

The IIHS Board and Director, Aromar Revi, expressed deep appreciation of this gift, given in the spirit of creating an independent globally connected knowledge institution, supported by a range of stakeholders that reflect the richness and diversity of India and the contemporary world.

Aromar said, "India is returning to a tradition of philanthropy to build independent national institutions for the common good. Rohini and Nandan Nilekani's support to IIHS's School of Environment and Sustainability is in the spirit that created some of India's greatest universities almost a century ago. We hope to match up to this aspiration."

This is a major step in Rs 300 crore ($67 million) IIHS resource mobilisation campaign to fund five interdisciplinary schools, one of South Asia's largest reference and digital libraries and other facilities for its Bangalore campus. An additional Rs 100 crore ($22 million) will be raised for chair professorships.