'Crammed And Cramped': Use Nandan Nilekani Donation To Improve Infra, Say IIT Bombay Students

Infosys co-founder Nandan Nilekani's Rs 315-crore donation to his alma mater Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay has been welcomed by students and alumni, but it has also put the spotlight on the poor state of some of the infrastructure at the premier institute.

Students at the institute say two students have to share hostel rooms meant for one, washing machines don't work in some hostels, reading rooms are cramped and the food is inedible. "Facebook memes of our rooms look worse than Dharavi," said a student, adding that they want part of Mr Nilekani's donation to be used for improving the infrastructure at IIT Bombay.

On June 20, Mr Nilekani had tweeted that he would be donating Rs 315 crore to IIT Bombay to mark 50 years of his association with the institute. 

Two tweets posted in response to Mr Nilekani are now going viral. In one, Twitter user Gopal Srinivasan, who claims to be the father of an IIT Bombay student, shared a meme on prison cells in Norway having better facilities than a second-year hostel at the institute.

Responding to Mr Srinivasan's post, Twitter user Amit Paranjape tweeted, "The meme has indeed gone viral. Feel very bad seeing it - this looks similar to the room I stayed in (1989-93) at @iitbombay - except that now there are two students in a room! No place to stand around with the two beds - let alone place for a study table/chair." NDTV has not been able to independently verify the claims made in the tweets. 

Students at the institute say those pursuing the Bachelor of Technology (BTech) degree are affected the most. 

"A room meant for one student is currently being shared by two, and a room that can accommodate two students is currently being shared by three. Earlier, students had to share these rooms for two years but now we have to share them for three years and this impacts our studies," said a BTech student who lives on the campus in Mumbai's Powai.

Another student, who lives in hostel number 17, said, "The IIT Bombay Hostel Coordination Committee must get its priorities straight. The committee charges a lot for everything but delivers underdeveloped rooms, inedible food and cramped reading spaces. So much so, that Facebook memes of our rooms look worse than Dharavi." 

Other students pointed out that the hostel rooms don't have tables and chairs and the washing machines don't work in some hostels. "The Washing machines don't work properly, and the maintenance system is very slow. I don't even know when they changed the water cooler last. And I am talking about hostel two, which is considered the best parent (old) hostel," the student said. 

IIT Bombay's management said they will be using the donation both for improving living facilities and setting up centres of excellence in strategic areas. 

"'IIT Bombay's strategic plan for the coming decade includes setting up world-class centres of excellence in strategic areas such as artificial intelligence, green energy, quantum computing, and others, nurturing a deep tech start-up eco-system, and providing best-in-class research, living, and academic facilities to students and faculty," said a statement from the institute.

"Mr Nilekani's anchor contribution of $38.5 million will help the Institute kick-start its plans and inspire others to join this transformative initiative," the statement said.

The institute also pointed out that the groundbreaking ceremony of 'Project Evergreen', a new 1,100-room world-class hostel complex, was held on June 24. It said the complex will have modern rooms, spacious courtyards, ergonomically designed study rooms, dining areas and other such facilities

Announcing the donation, Mr Nilekani had said, "IIT-Bombay has been a cornerstone in my life, shaping my formative years and laying the foundation for my journey. As I celebrate 50 years of my association with this esteemed Institution, I am grateful to give forward and contribute to its future."