The alumni from the Class of 2000 of the Indian Institute of Technology Kanpur have announced a collective pledge of Rs 100 crore to establish a new academic unit at the institute. The announcement was made during the batch’s silver jubilee reunion held in Kanpur.
The proposed academic unit will be called the Millennium School of Technology and Society. It is intended to focus on the intersection of technology with public policy, ethics and societal outcomes, expanding the institute’s academic scope beyond its traditional strengths in engineering and science.
IIT Kanpur said the contribution ranks among the largest pledges made by a single graduating batch to an Indian higher education institution. The institute described the initiative as a long-term effort aimed at institution building and academic innovation.
New Academic Focus
The Millennium School of Technology and Society is expected to promote interdisciplinary learning and research. According to the institute, the school will examine how advances in technology influence governance, social systems and ethical decision-making.
The school is positioned as a complementary academic unit that will work alongside existing departments. It is expected to bring together perspectives from technology, social sciences and public policy to prepare students for leadership roles in a rapidly changing world.
IIT Kanpur stated that the initiative reflects a growing recognition within academia of the need to study technology not only as an engineering discipline, but also as a driver of social and economic transformation.
Alumni Background
The Class of 2000, often referred to as the Millennium Batch, has a strong presence in entrepreneurship and global technology leadership. Alumni from the batch have founded or co-founded several well-known startups, including InMobi and Glance, NoBroker, Yulu, Knowlarity and Card91.
Members of the cohort have also been associated with global technology ventures such as Cohesity and Martini, while some were early employees at WhatsApp. The batch has produced three unicorns—InMobi, Glance and NoBroker—making it the highest unicorn-producing batch from IIT Kanpur to date.
In addition to entrepreneurship, alumni from the class have held senior leadership roles at global organisations including Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, Intel, Boston Consulting Group, Morgan Stanley and GIC, reflecting the batch’s broad professional footprint.
Individual Contributions
As part of the collective pledge, Naveen Tewari, founder and chief executive of InMobi and Glance, has committed Rs 30 crore individually. IIT Kanpur acknowledged this contribution as a significant component of the overall funding commitment.
The institute said the pledged funds will support curriculum development, faculty hiring, research initiatives and infrastructure for the new school. Further details on timelines and governance structures are expected to be announced in due course.
IIT Kanpur noted that the initiative aligns with its broader vision of fostering socially responsible leadership and encouraging students to engage with real-world challenges shaped by technology-driven change.
Institutional Significance
The pledge highlights the growing role of alumni-led philanthropy in shaping India’s higher education landscape. Large-scale contributions from alumni groups are increasingly supporting new schools, research centres and scholarships at leading institutions.
For IIT Kanpur, the Millennium School of Technology and Society is expected to strengthen its academic diversity and global relevance. The institute said the school will serve future generations of students by deepening understanding of how technology interacts with society.
The announcement also underscores the long-term engagement of IIT Kanpur alumni with their alma mater, reflecting a shared commitment to education, innovation and national development.
