Contribute back to your alma mater, Bedi to IITians

Addressing the inaugural session of a thought conclave organised by the IIT Madras Alumni Association (IITMAA) here, Bedi said, “Every passing out student should commit themselves to contribute back to the IIT as a contract. The IITs and medical colleges are heavily subsidised, and it is only fair that students contribute back to the institute.”

“If the contribute back system had been done from the very first batch, IITs will have a corpus rivalling the MITs,” Bedi said.

Elaborating further, the Lt Governor said, “Why should this not apply to other government institutions? Students should say ‘I will commit 0.5 per cent of my salary from the day I start earning back to the institute.’ The corpus could be managed by the alumni associations with donors having a say. The office bearers should be the highest donors.”

The Conclave brought thought leaders from technology, banking, digital and healthcare, who are powering India’s emergence as a 21st Century leader on the global stage, under a single roof. Prof Bhaskar Ramamurthi, Director of IIT-M, said, “The institute is a powerhouse with a lot of research and innovation as start-ups are coming out every week with more to come.”

“We will address technological challenges being faced by countries and make significant contribution at the global level to science and technology,” he said.