BITS Pilani alumnus Pratul Shroff has pledged 1 million dollars to the endowment fund. Shroff is from the 1971 batch and is the former founder and CEO of Einfochips. An additional 4.5 crore will be contributed for five years towards establishing ten 100 per cent fellowships to support research at BITS Pilani and ten 100 per cent scholarships for meritorious students from economically disadvantaged households.

Shroff through his KR Shroff foundation, established in the fond memory of his father brings to life his vision and belief that “societal change begins from the ground up.” He created KRSF as a medium to make a difference in the society.

The first initiative was to impart quality education to children of rural marginalised communities and to sensitize people on the importance of educating their children, a BITS Pilani statement said.

While expressing his motivation Pratul said, “I’m thankful to BITS Pilani for the critical role it played in shaping my life. Its strong emphasis on physics and math was instrumental in deepening my interest in modern physics and quantum physics. It’s my pleasure to contribute to the Alma mater. I believe it’s my duty to give back to the institution that gave me so much. On a broader context, I believe very strong and advanced institutions are a must for a bright future of any country.

The total funds raised from BITS Pilani alumni and CSR funding in the last financial year 2022-23 had crossed Rs 32 crore for different initiatives, the institute said.

Prof V Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor BITS Pilani while interacting with the Alumni said “I would like to use this opportunity to thank our Alumni sincerely for their significant contribution and to emphasize BITS Pilani is more than an institution — it is a beloved home for our alumni, committed to advancing education, research, and innovation.”