India News | IIT Madras Raises over USD 2 Million for COVID Relief Efforts from Alumni in India, Abroad

New Delhi, Jun 7 (PTI) The alumni of the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras based in India and abroad have donated more than USD 2 million towards Covid relief efforts in the country that are being coordinated by their alma mater, according to officials.

The institute has already handed over 200 oxygen concentrators (with a capacity of 10 litre each) purchased with the aid of these donations to the Greater Chennai Corporation, besides 74 BiPAP units. The alumni have also donated 200 oxygen concentrators (with a capacity of five litre each) to the Telangana government.

In 2020, the institute raised Rs 96 lakh to cater to the Covid relief requirements of its students and employees.

"IIT Madras is using a phased approach for the deployment to ensure a high impact. The fundraising was coordinated by the office of Alumni and Corporate Relations (ACR), IIT Madras, in association with the IIT Madras Alumni Association of North America and the IITM Foundation in the US," said Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT Madras.

"Our alumni have reacted swiftly and forcefully to fulfil a need created by this pandemic. We are ever grateful to them for their support," he added.

IIT Madras alumnus Anand Rajaraman, who is a partner at Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Rocketship VC, said, "It is the duty of the Indian diaspora to rally and help the country get through these darkest hours. As a Chennai boy, I am grateful and proud that the IIT Madras alumni network has mobilised to help Chennai and Tamil Nadu with medical equipment and supplies to fill critical gaps and save thousands of lives."

According to Kamal Duggirala, chairman of the IITM Foundation-US, many people stepped forward to source equipment, raise funds and ensure the delivery of the equipment.

IIT Madras alumni working as senior executives with reputed multi-national companies were actively involved in evaluating and finalising the options available at various stages of the process.

Officials at the institute said there is also a clear proposal to upgrade the medical infrastructure on the campus to cater to any potential requirements that may arise as it re-opens the campus to receive students as and when the lockdown conditions are lifted and the threat of the pandemic eases out.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)