From housing to Olympic size pool: IITB gets a facelift at 50, courtesy alumni

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MUMBAI, MARCH 12: Three million dollars for a new convention centre to be designed by Hafeez Contractor; 1.8 million dollars for a planned computer centre and engineering building; 2.5 million dollars for an upcoming gymkhana with an indoor stadium, squash courts and Olympic-size pool.

These million-dollar alumni cheques and pledges to pay, are on the way from US, to finance ambitious rebuilding of the nearly half-century-old campus of the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IITB) with a new look and a new academic, research vision for the next 50 years.

This is no ordinary fundraising movement, being planned by a large committee including IITB faculty, alumni and ex-directors. The current goal based on tentative budgets is 60 million dollars (about Rs 270 crore). But some in the loop prefer to term the target as “a few dozen million dollars.”

The plan is to give the alma mater a modern makeover—from classrooms, housing, labs and lecture halls to academics, faculty development and governance—for the IITB’s golden jubilee year 2007-2008.

“The goal is to raise 60 million dollars for the golden jubilee year. Infrastructure development is one aspect,” confirms Pradipta Banerji, Dean, Alumni and International Relations.

“I think it is doable, we have had several alumni meetings,” says IITB Director Ashok Misra. “Some alumni have recently pledged seven to eight million dollars... it’s a start. The golden jubilee year is 2007-08, so we’re looking at a three-year period to raise the amount.”

“We want to take IIT to the next level by upgrading campus and academic programmes,” Misra emphasises, adding that he will also attract funds from big corporate houses.A long and expensive list of “priority projects” is overdue for repairs and renovation at the IIT’s wooded Powai campus.

“A lack of funding for maintenance and ordinary renovation has added to the rate of deterioration,” says Misra’s note on the IIT Bombay Heritage Fund website, on the need for a revamp. “Virtually all structures built in the early days of IITB, along with the supporting road and service facilities, are rapidly deteriorating, with many already in a poor state.”

New housing for faculty and students, a new library building, a new nanotechnology centre, new department buildings and an alumni centre are on the wishlist. Budgets are also being considered for new academic programmes, faculty recruitment, travel and research.