IIT Kanpur launches $1-billion fundraising campaign

Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur has launched a fundraising campaign to raise $1 billion by March 2029, with commitments of about Rs 4,155 crore already secured, director Manindra Agrawal said.

“No IIT has attempted a campaign at this scale, with almost half the target already committed,” Agrawal said.

Named ‘Greater Than Us’, the campaign will support the institute’s next phase of growth under three pillars: Foundation, Talent and Frontier, he said.


Under Foundation, it looks at investing Rs 5,000 crore in building research and institutional infrastructure. This will include a Rs 524-crore Central Research Facility and a Rs 200-crore high-performance computing facility with advanced GPUs, which will power research in AI and scientific simulation.

On campus, four new halls of residence of 1,000 capacity each are being constructed, with the first expected to be ready by June 2027, alongside 96 faculty apartments and a new Centre for Mental Health & Wellbeing.

The Talent pillar will be allotted Rs 3,000 crore to invest in exceptional students, researchers, innovators, entrepreneurs, faculty and future leaders, Agrawal said.

The Frontier pillar will see fundamental research connecting to translational research and real-world application across AI, quantum technologies, cybersecurity, semiconductors, drones, MedTech and sustainability.

“Nearly half of this goal was committed before we announced it, and that tells us donors believe in where we are going,” Agrawal said. “This campaign is an invitation to every alumnus, partner and friend of IIT Kanpur to help write the Institute’s next chapter.”

Alumnus Rahul Gautam has committed Rs 180 crore to set up Gautam School of Innovation & Entrepreneurship.