Ashoka University Receives Rs. 250 Crore Grant from Harish & Bina Shah Foundation

In a landmark development for Ashoka University, the Harish & Bina Shah Foundation has generously donated Rs. 250 crore, marking the single largest contribution the institution has received in its 10-year history. Get details here 

Ashoka University has received a momentous boost in its endeavour to establish itself as India’s leading higher learning institution. The Harish & Bina Shah Foundation (HBSF) has donated Rs. 250 crores, marking the largest single contribution in the university's ten-year history. This unrestricted grant is specifically aimed at fostering excellence in teaching and research within humanities disciplines such as languages, literature, history, and philosophy. 

The HBSF grant is specifically designated to fortify both undergraduate and graduate programs within humanities disciplines. It aims to foster global partnerships and bolster interdisciplinary research endeavours at Ashoka University, particularly focusing on areas where the social and natural sciences intersect. This includes but is not limited to fields like development economics, artificial intelligence, technology for societal impact, and healthcare advancements.

The teaching and research university based in Delhi NCR has swiftly emerged as one of India’s highly coveted institutions. Presently, it is in its developmental phase, aiming to expand its student population to 5000 by 2027. Additionally, the institution commenced the expansion of its campus in September 2021. The monumental donation from HBSF, marking the largest in the university’s history, will play a substantial role in advancing Ashoka’s mission of excellence across humanities, social sciences, and natural sciences. 

HBSF is a private charitable foundation based in Mumbai. It was founded in 2002 by industry veterans Harish and Bina Shah, of Signet Excipients Pvt. Ltd., a pharmaceutical raw materials business. With this contribution, HBSF looks to invest in India’s future both at a student and institutional level.

“As a foundation, one of our goals is to promote world-class education and research through Indian-origin institutions, and in Ashoka University we find an ideal partner. Investing in home-grown institutions is fundamental to our nation’s growth and social development as it provides great opportunities for quality higher education, retention of top talent locally, and bringing international academic expertise to India – among many other benefits”, said Harish Shah, Director, Harish & Bina Shah Foundation.

“This generous contribution by HBSF will help Ashoka to enhance its capabilities to nurture the immense talent of India’s students by providing quality higher education, especially in the humanities disciplines. Moreover, the fact that the grant is unrestricted represents a benchmark and a coming of age in Indian philanthropy”, said Pramath Raj Sinha, Co-founder and Chairperson, Board of Trustees, Ashoka University.

Read More

• Ashoka University Launches ‘Ashoka Horizons’ Programme for High School Students
• Ashoka University records 100% campus placement in 2022-23; highest salary offered at INR 35 lakhs