In a significant move to supercharge research at one of India’s premier engineering institutes, IIT Delhi has unveiled the Deepak Raghavan Family Foundation Accelerator Program. This initiative targets young professors under 45, offering them endowed chair positions for five years along with flexible research funding.
The program provides substantial financial support that faculty can use for purchasing equipment, software, fieldwork, prototyping, or hiring postdoctoral researchers. It also encourages collaborations with industry and other institutions to translate research into practical innovations, patents, and cutting-edge technologies.
Selected faculty will receive dedicated research staff and essential resources, allowing them to pursue groundbreaking work without interruptions while balancing teaching duties. Every five years, a fully funded PhD fellowship will be awarded, enabling students to work closely with these chair professors and attend international conferences for global exposure.
IIT Delhi Director Prof. Rangan Banerjee emphasized that the institute houses some of India’s top researchers, and such programs will inspire them to achieve even greater heights. This effort is poised to strengthen India’s position in research and innovation.
Overall, the program represents a strategic step towards building robust research ecosystems, nurturing academic leaders, and solving real-world problems. It’s a collaborative vision between Dr. Deepak Raghavan and the IIT Delhi Endowment Management Foundation to sustain excellence in education and research for the long term.