IIT-Kanpur relief fund helping needy students amid pandemic

THE INSTITUTE HAS RAISED OVER RS I CRORE FROM 650 CONTRIBUTORS IN LAST 12 DAYS; EXTENDED HELP TO SIX STUDENTS, SAYS DIRECTOR PROF ABHAY KARANDIKAR

LUCKNOW: Amid the second wave of the pandemic, the Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, (IIT-K) has started a Covid-19 relief fund to provide financial aid to students who are facing medical emergencies.

The institute decided to start the initiative on May 1 but finally the portal to raise money and the students to send requests for help was launched on May 5.

“In the last 2-3 weeks, we received a few requests from students seeking financial assistance. It was then that we decided to set up a relief fund. The institute raised over Rs 1 crore with the help of 650 contributors in the last 12 days. We have set a target of raising Rs 5 crore,” said IIT-K director, Professor Abhay Karandikar.

“There are 8,300 students (at IIT-K) and suppose we have to help 500 of them with Rs 1 lakh each, we need to have a corpus of Rs 5 crore,” he added. Karandikar took to Twitter with a request to IIT-K alumni and well-wishers to come forward and donate. “A majority of those who contributed are former students of the institute,” the director said.

“The institute has so far received eight requests and has issued financial assistance to six students for medical treatment of their family as per their need. Nearly Rs 5 lakh has been disbursed. Other requests are being evaluated,” prof Karandikar said.

“We have formed a committee with dean of students affair as chairman, dean of resources and alumni, president student gymkhana and 2 representative of alumni community who decide upon the beneficiaries,” he added.

The committee will meet virtually to review the requests and decide on disbursement. The decision on appeals will be communicated to the applicants and the funds will be transferred by dean of resources and alumni office, he said.

“The second wave of Covid-19 has caused immense financial stress on IIT-K students and their families. Please contribute to save lives,” reads one of his tweets.

“The campus community has been helping these students on an individual basis. We have been seeing an increase in the number of requests seeking financial aid over the last few days and it’s likely to go up in near future,” said dean, resources and alumni, Jayant K Singh.

“Covid-related health emergencies may require a large sum at a very short notice that might be difficult for many households to arrange. The purpose of this fund is to cover unexpected circumstances needing immediate assistance, such as food, medication, other personal health and safety needs for the IIT-K community,” an official said.

The institute has also created a portal where students and supporting staff can submit their applications with necessary documents.