Development Office
ADIEU – GRATEFUL FOR YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTION
Thanks so very much for your incredible and unstinted support ever since I was offered the wonderful opportunity in 2014
to establish the IIMA’s Development office. No words are enough to express the gratitude that I feel towards Alums for the
affection and immense trust reposed in me to help all that the Development Office could ever achieve.
I intended to write this last piece for you special Alums in spring 2020. Covid delayed it! I had plans to leave IIMA last year
after the conclusion of the Singapore Chapter fundraising initiative and the first-ever big contribution from a Golden
Jubilee batch (1968 – 70). Finally, will now be leaving this beautiful campus and the Development Office by May 2021.
Still vividly remember the Vikram Sarabhai Library’s restoration and upgrade project support coming from TCS through
Rajesh Gopinathan during 2015-16. Initially, we requested for INR 15 Crore which was immediately agreed but by the time
we came to signing the MoU, Institute projected INR 20 Crore which was also generously accepted. The project was finally
completed within INR 15 crore and won global recognition through the UNESCO award in 2019.
In 2018-19 we started the discussion with the Singapore Chapter and requested for a single Faculty Wing’s restoration and
upgrade support. As we went along, the chapter offered to raise more than double the amount through the “1’M for IIMA”
initiative. Vidya Vasania and Nayantara Bali, then Chapter President and immediate past President lead the campaign.
Right from the beginning in 2014, with your support, we raised INR 40 Crore during the first year exceeding the previous
five decades donations. This included launching a new Centre of excellence (India Gold Policy Centre). Glad to be ending
my innings with the parting gift of “Centre for Data Science and Artificial Intelligence”, close to my heart initiative,
supported by an alum who offered me this privilege.
So often you Alums would call to check if Institute needed funds for any significant initiative. When shared our priorities,
funding support for those initiatives came immediately either from individual donors or through a batch/group initiative.
Even when we were hesitant, you deeply cared and offered that the funds were just a call away.
I am sometimes asked by Alums, colleagues, and recently by the team succeeding me in the IIMA’s fundraising drive that
how did the Development Office receive large funding to support the diverse initiatives at IIMA. I would say that the tripod
learning during three vastly different assignments contributed to laying the foundation. First, my leading a PSU under
MHRD taught me how to respect the country laws that would not antagonize Govt Depts and prevent hostilities with one
of the key stakeholders; Second, my tenure at IIE New York taught me how to ignite and sustain the philanthropic
fundraising across continents and cultures from Fortune 500 and others; last, probably most important but least
understood, is the transparency and ethical codes learning during assignments in Scandinavian countries (Norway’s
Corporate culture and experience during teaching business students at Universities in Finland for core values respected by
academia and corporates when they engage with each other).
Definitely hope to remain in touch, I almost connected with many of you as closely as a fellow alum. IIMA has been very
special for me and shall remain till the end of days!
Ajit K Motwani
Development Office
IS DONATION THE MOST IMPACTFUL WAY TO GIVE BACK TO ALMA MATER?
By Mr Ajit Motwani (Head, Development Office)
Donations have historically followed the credibility of the recipient organizations to match the donor expectation for an impactful usage of funds as envisaged. There are innumerable examples of NGOs and not-for-profit organizations within each sector with vastly varying size of donations.
Donors are increasingly looking for focussed mission mode utilization of funds with no conflicts. Donations can then become the most convenient way of giving back to Alma Mater. Financial contributions also have a ripple effect on other forms of giving back viz. sharing experience with the next generation of students, research collaborations, internships, placements, and Alumni relations. Therefore, donations have a tremendous impact on the overall branding of the Institute and it works both ways.
Financial resources are critical for every institution because after initial establishment, the funding needed for quality maintenance as well as expansion and upgrade is hard to come by. Donations, especially from Alumni at premier institutions, have an important role. Alums are often ready to generously donate when they can relate to the cause/initiative and trust the utilization structure.
In recent times, the Institute has focussed on the restoration and upgrade of the Faculty Wings, a part of the legacy of Louis Kahn infrastructure on the IIMA Heritage Campus. Since 2019, seven Faculty Wings have received funding to support restoration and upgrade. It started with the batch of 1994 donation for Wing 1; followed by Wing 10 by 1993 batch; next Wing 2 and 6 supported by the IIMA AA Singapore Chapter. In 2020, Alums Roopa and Vivek Kudva came forward to support Wing 7; and then it was the IIMA’s second batch of 1967 supporting Wing 11 through contribution of Vijay Bhargava and most recently their batchmate Madan Mohanka’s founded Tega Industries supported Wing 9.
When the brand is strong, the ability to thrive even in the roughest of times is evident. As was the case with many Institutions/not-for-profits during the financial crisis of 2007-09, the pandemic will also be a time for the premier institutions to show their resilience.
Donations may not be the only impactful way to contribute. Just as in any democracy, the citizens need to be actively aware and participating. In an institution, the well-meaning and knowledgeable alums can contribute as much through their effective participation in Institute’s policy, planning, monitoring, implementation, and oversight. For this to be imbibed by the larger Alumni community, it’s important that the participation is across generation of batches and geographies.
IS DONATION THE MOST IMPACTFUL WAY TO GIVE BACK TO ALMA MATER?
By Mr Ajit Motwani (Head, Development Office)
Donations have historically followed the credibility of the recipient organizations to match the donor expectation for an impactful usage of funds as envisaged. There are innumerable examples of NGOs and not-for-profit organizations within each sector with vastly varying size of donations.
Donors are increasingly looking for focussed mission mode utilization of funds with no conflicts. Donations can then become the most convenient way of giving back to Alma Mater. Financial contributions also have a ripple effect on other forms of giving back viz. sharing experience with the next generation of students, research collaborations, internships, placements, and Alumni relations. Therefore, donations have a tremendous impact on the overall branding of the Institute and it works both ways.
Financial resources are critical for every institution because after initial establishment, the funding needed for quality maintenance as well as expansion and upgrade is hard to come by. Donations, especially from Alumni at premier institutions, have an important role. Alums are often ready to generously donate when they can relate to the cause/initiative and trust the utilization structure.
In recent times, the Institute has focussed on the restoration and upgrade of the Faculty Wings, a part of the legacy of Louis Kahn infrastructure on the IIMA Heritage Campus. Since 2019, seven Faculty Wings have received funding to support restoration and upgrade. It started with the batch of 1994 donation for Wing 1; followed by Wing 10 by 1993 batch; next Wing 2 and 6 supported by the IIMA AA Singapore Chapter. In 2020, Alums Roopa and Vivek Kudva came forward to support Wing 7; and then it was the IIMA’s second batch of 1967 supporting Wing 11 through contribution of Vijay Bhargava and most recently their batchmate Madan Mohanka’s founded Tega Industries supported Wing 9.
When the brand is strong, the ability to thrive even in the roughest of times is evident. As was the case with many Institutions/not-for-profits during the financial crisis of 2007-09, the pandemic will also be a time for the premier institutions to show their resilience.
Donations may not be the only impactful way to contribute. Just as in any democracy, the citizens need to be actively aware and participating. In an institution, the well-meaning and knowledgeable alums can contribute as much through their effective participation in Institute’s policy, planning, monitoring, implementation, and oversight. For this to be imbibed by the larger Alumni community, it’s important that the participation is across generation of batches and geographies.