Development Office
DOES IIMA REALLY NEED ALUMNI FUNDING?
-Ajit Motwani (Head, Development Office)
Not unreasonable to ask this question, may have crossed your mind!
We are frequently asked by Alumni at chapter meetings and other interactions if IIMA really needs Alumni Funding? Many of you Alums may not know that IIMA stopped taking Government funding about a decade and a half back. Autonomy, especially in teaching, research, and decision-making is at the core of our institute and truly represents brand IIMA. Alumni funding is critical for the institute to launch new initiatives and maintain the iconic Louis Kahn infrastructure in its glorious form. Large funding is also needed to undertake the expansion of facilities to meet the requirements of growing students’ number across programs as well as faculty and staff on campus.
It may be hard to reach the top but probably harder to stay up there. IIMA is not complacent even with the top ranking within India. We aspire to be recognized internationally as the institution of choice among top institutions globally. The institute, with its reputation of excellence over the decades, is able to attract top researchers, especially among young PIO faculty at the well-known management schools abroad. The challenge is the compensation that IIMA can offer as well as quality infrastructure including faculty office and housing. Similarly, IIMA attracts the best cohort of students through CAT that may be envy of every top institution in the west; but the quality of students’ dorms, classrooms, and other campus infrastructure does not meet the expectations of the new generation of students.
The construction of the new classrooms opposite IMDC at IIMA New Campus started on April 1, 2019 and is likely to be completed in 18 months. This is to enable PGP classes temporarily moving to New Campus for restoration & upgrade of Classrooms in the Heritage Campus immediately thereafter. The construction work of the sports complex (including swimming pool) as well as JSW School of Public Policy also started on April 1, 2019.
The faculty wings restoration and upgrade at Louis Kahn Plaza is planned to begin this autumn and is institute’s current top priority for funding. The project is expected to be completed in 18 months after the start. We duly acknowledge the donors through plaque/ naming e.g. “Vikram Sarabhai Library – Restored and Upgraded by TCS Foundation”; CR-5 Radha and Sanjeev Chadha (PGP 1981) Classroom; CR -4 PGP 1992 Batch Classroom; CR -2 PGP 1982 Batch Classroom.
Restoration and upgrade are the activities that can never be too well-defined. Almost all restoration projects involve surprises e.g. during Vikram Sarabhai Library’s restoration, one entire wall was beyond repair and needed replacement and so did the roof slab. This major VSL project, funded by the TCS Foundation, has been successfully completed within a reasonably tight timeline. IIMA now has a formal system of periodic reporting to donors through the Executive Donor Relations and she has already started reporting as per individual MoUs.
In the pictures are some of the current major infrastructure/developmental projects at IIMA New Campus. Institute’s requirement of funds to undertake these major expansion plans, as well as implement restoration and upgrade of iconic Louis Kahn buildings in Heritage Campus, would require Corpus funding beyond three digits in Crores.
Ongoing construction in the IIMA New Campus
IIMA’s standing among the world’s top management schools is significantly due to the success of you alums and our iconic campus. Your contribution really makes a Big Difference!!