60+ Founders Unite to Celebrate Philanthropy and Progress
Mohali, Punjab, November 22, 2024: Plaksha University, a technology university reimagining higher education and research in India, celebrated its third Founders Day with a vibrant series of events that highlighted its commitment to academic excellence, student empowerment, and innovation. The event, attended by over 60 founders from Plaksha’s global community, showcased the university’s growth, impact, and vision for the future.
The day featured a curated tour of Plaksha’s state-of-the-art labs and facilities, along with an exhibition of tech projects by young innovators. There was also a demonstration of Plaksha’s innovative teaching methodologies through interactive classroom sessions led by faculty members. A mentorship lunch provided a platform for meaningful discussions between founders and students, while the event culminated in vibrant cultural and musical performances, reflecting Plaksha’s holistic approach to education.
On the occasion, Prof. Rudra Pratap, Founding Vice Chancellor of Plaksha University, said, “Plaksha is more than just a university; it is a movement to transform education and create a space for future leaders to thrive. As we celebrate our third Founder’s Day, we are reminded of the incredible journey we have had. By 2027, we aim to expand our student and faculty community significantly, supported by world-class infrastructure, research opportunities, and experiential learning. This is only the beginning, and we remain deeply committed to providing an environment where students can reach their full potential.”
Dr. S Shankar Sastry, Founding Chancellor of Plaksha University was among the distinguished leaders present. Over 60 founders, including prominent leaders such as Motilal Oswal, Founder, Chairman & MD at Motilal Oswal Pvt Ltd, Alok Goyal, Partner at Stellaris; Neeraj Aggarwal, Chairman – Asia Pacific at BCG; Madhusudan Kela, Founder of MK Ventures; and Mekin Maheshwari, Founder & CEO of Udhyam Learning Foundation, among others also graced the occasion. The Founders Day celebrations were a testament to Plaksha’s ongoing commitment to transforming higher education and empowering students to become leaders who drive meaningful change in the world.
About Plaksha University:
Founded by a global community of more than 100 technology and business leaders, Plaksha envisions reimagining technology education and research for India and the world. With strong partnerships with UC Berkeley, Purdue, UC San Diego, UPenn, IIT Kanpur and IISc Bangalore, Plaksha aims to nurture and empower a generation of catalytic leaders and create an ecosystem of research and innovation.The university collapses the traditional boundaries of engineering and promotes interdisciplinary learning by combining technology, design and entrepreneurship.
Plaksha is guided by an eminent academic board including Vijay Kumar, Nemirovsky Family Dean of Penn Engineering, University of Pennsylvania; Prof. S Shankar Sastry, Thomas Siebel Distinguished Professor of Computer Science, Venkatesh Narayanamurthi, former Dean of the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences; Sriram Rajamani, Managing Director, Corporate Vice President, Microsoft Research India; Julia Ross, Dean of Engineering, Virginia Tech; Krishna Palepu, Ross Graham Walker Professor of Business Administration, Harvard Business School; Sanjay Sarma, Fred Fort Flowers and Daniel Fort Flowers Professor of Mechanical Engineering, MIT; and business leaders such as Neeraj Aggarwal, Chairman – Asia Pacific, BCG; Rakesh Bharti Mittal, Vice Chairman, Bharti Enterprises ;Hitesh Oberoi, Co-promoter & CEO, Info Edge (Naukri.com); Srikanth Velamakanni, Co-founder, Fractal Analytics; Manas Human, Co- Founder, Nagarro; Navin Chaddha, Managing Director, Mayfield Fund; Sujeet Kumar, Co-founder, Udaan.com; Dalip Pathak, Special Limited Partner, Warburg Pincus LLC; CP Gurnani, former MD & CEO, Tech Mahindra; Pramod Bhasin, Chairman, Clix Capital among others. Corporate donors include companies like Bharti Foundation, Havells, HT Parekh Foundation, Mphasis, Axis Bank and Motilal Oswal. The global community of business leaders who founded Plaksha can be seen here.