BITS Pilani alumnus pledges over $1 million to endowment fund

In January 2024, Pratul Shroff of the 1971 batch of BITS Pilani and founder and former CEO of Einfochips, pledged $1 million for the endowment fund of the institute.

BITS Pilani on Monday announced that its alumnus Chaitanya Kalipatnapu has committed over $1 million to its endowment fund.

Kalipatnapu is the co-founder of professional education firm Eruditus group. His career journey included roles at Sun Microsystems and INSEAD, where he also served as President of the Alumni Association's India chapter.

“His commitment to BITS Pilani is longstanding, evidenced by a Rs 2 Crore donation to establish the Kalipatnapu AR-VR Lab, aimed at fostering innovation in augmented and virtual reality technologies,” BITS Pilani said in a statement.

“BITS Pilani played a pivotal role in my personal and professional growth. This small gesture would support the Institution in driving further impact through high-quality education and in creating a sustainable ecosystem of excellence,” Kalipatnapu said.

In January 2024, Pratul Shroff of the 1971 batch of BITS Pilani and founder and former CEO of Einfochips, pledged  $1 million for the endowment fund of the institute. An additional Rs 4.5 crore will be contributed over five years towards establishing 10 full percent fellowships to support cutting-edge research at BITS Pilani and another 10 for meritorious students from economically disadvantaged households, BITS Pilani said in a statement.

"The remarkable progress achieved by BITS Pilani Alumni Relations in just over 5 years since its inception underscores the significance of this culture of giving back in the Institute’s history. We are delighted to welcome Chaitanya as a founder of the Endowment Fund and eagerly anticipate his active participation in the Institute's activities and future growth endeavours,” said Professor V Ramgopal Rao, Vice Chancellor of BITS Pilani.