London-based Indian Management Expert funded Professorial Chairs in Indian Institutes of Technology – Roorkee and Madras. Dr. Ajit Singhvi, promoter of Ajit Singhvi Education and Training Trust donates 85 per cent of his life savings from employment for the cause of education and women empowerment in India. It mirrors the concept of Corporate Social Responsibility(CSR)and it therefore advocated the individuals spending two percent of more of their earnings between the age 50-60.

Explaining his motivation for his philanthropic activities, Dr. Ajit Singhvi, says, “Our education and upbringing teaches us to give some thing back to the Society. What else can be a better cause than supporting the superb efforts of IITs Roorkee and Madras in building capabilities. I do believe in personal contributions/Sacrifice as distinct from Corporate Contributions in this regard and hope that one day we all shall be able to set aside a portion of our earnings for philanthropic purposes. Thus we complement the Government in achieving its vision for the Country.”

An Alumnus of Harvard Business School, Manchester Business School, School of Engineering-Middlesex University, Japan Institute of Plant Management, Institute of Chartered Accountants, and Chartered Institute of Management Accountants, Dr. Ajit also provides scholarship and awards to meritorious students from weaker sections at MLS University, Udaipur. He also provides consulting and coaching services to organizations in many countries and assists in capability-building initiatives for others as well.

Prof. Bhola R. Gurjar, Dean, IIT Roorkee, says, ”When the practice of CSR is still in its nascent stage in India, Dr. Ajit Singhvi is championing the concept of Individual Social Responsibility(ISR)by demonstrating it through his philanthropic activities. The concept of ISR is a unique blend of the age-old collective wisdom of the society and modern socioeconomic capabilities of successful individuals, which has great potential not only to promote excellence in the institutions of higher education and research but also to evolve an inclusive society.”

Founded in 1847, IIT Roorkee is one of the foremost institutes of national importance in higher technological education and in engineering, basic and applied research, management studies, architecture and planning, humanities and social sciences and more. It celebrated its sesquicentennial in October 1996 and five years later, it was converted to IIT by an Ordinance issued by Govt. of India. It played a vital role in providing the technical manpower and has contributed to all sectors of technological development.

Being ranked as the No.1 Engineering Institution in the India Ranking for three consecutive years – 2016, 2017 and 2018, IIT Madras is a residential institute with more than 550 faculty and 9000 students. It was established in 1959 and it fosters an active entrepreneurial culture with strong curricular support and through the IITM incubation cell.