In what the premier institute has said is the largest gift given to IIT Madras by any graduating batch, IIT Madras 1981 Class has donated a electric bus fleet to the Institute.

An additional bus exclusively for R&D was also given to the Department of Engineering Design, which offers an Interdisciplinary Dual Degree (IDDD) Program on Electric Vehicles. The class had their 40th reunion on campus on December 21.

As many as 12 graduates from the class were recognized as Distinguished Alumni of IIT Madras for their contributions to academia, industry and society at the alumni meet held recently.

The Class of 1981 consists of about 600 students who graduated in 1981, including B.Tech, M.Tech and PhD students. The class is now widely dispersed over the globe, from Australia to the U.S.

Addressing the reunion celebrations, Prof V Kamakoti, Director, IIT Madras, said, “I am very pleased and thankful that the Class has decided to donate a fleet of Electric Buses and Golf Carts to replace the existing diesel fleet. This will be a very good start towards our goal of a zero-carbon campus by 2050 and will serve as a living reminder of our commitment to residents and visitors alike.”

Thanking the alumni for the pioneering donation to their alma mater, Prof Mahesh Panchagnula, Dean (Alumni and Corporate Relations), IIT Madras, “The Class of ’81 has set a record by exceeding the quantum of funds contributed by any single class. Their commitment to making IITM a special place for our students has resulted in creating several institutional mechanisms for students to excel in their chosen pursuit. This gift to kick starts our transition to a greener, more sustainable and carbon-neutral campus is both timely and crucial.”

During the three-day reunion, the batch will explore the campus to learn about the changes over almost half a century since they graduated.

The alumnus who championed Electric Mobility as a Legacy Gift, Mr. Krish Bhargavan, Class of 1981, IIT Madras, said, “IIT Madras has set itself on the road to carbon neutrality, to be fully achieved by 2050. This electrification of the IIT Madras campus’ public transport fleet will complement the institute’s two existing centers of excellence: CoE for Electric Mobility and CoE for Zero Emission Trucking. Several components of electric vehicles are imported and expensive. Any home-grown technology that reduces external dependence, will further India’s energy independence.”

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