In collaboration with IIT Kharagpur Foundation, USA (IITKGPF), the Guru Krupa Foundation (GKF) Scholarship was awarded to 11 students of IIT Kharagpur this year. This is the 2nd year that the GKF Scholarship will support the IIT KGP students to carry out their research internship in foreign universities. 10 students were selected by the IIT KGP selection committee for a total scholarship award of $45,000. Each conferred scholarship depends upon the funding received by the student from their host institutions. The GKF scholars are pursuing their summer research internship at premier universities in the USA, UK, Belgium, Canada, and Germany.
Dr. Mukund Padmanabhan
Founder of Guru
Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur
Mukund Padmanabhan received a BS in Electronics and Electrical Communication Engineering from IIT Kharagpur in 1997, and a MS (1989) and PhD (1992) in Electrical Engineering from the University of California, Los Angeles. After UCLA, he worked in the area of speech recognition at the IBM T. J. Watson Research Lab where he managed the Advanced Telephony Speech Algorithms group.
Dr. Mukund Padmanabhan, Founder of Guru Krupa Foundation & Alumnus of IIT Kharagpur, the man behind this noble initiative who stated that, “These summer programs definitely add value to IIT KGP academia and it is my pleasure, as an Alumnus, to be able to provide these internships to the current students that will further contribute to their holistic development.” The funds are donated by the KGPian through his Guru Krupa Foundation (GKF) www.gurukrupa.org
Mr. Manav Nitin Kapadnis
Department of Electrical Engineering
IIT Kharagpur
Manav Nitin Kapadnis, Department of Electrical Engineering, IIT Kharagpur and one of the recipient of this prestigious scholarship remarked, “Receiving the scholarship from GKF was truly a life-changing moment for me. As a student pursuing my passion for advancing the field of artificial intelligence and natural language processing, I was granted the remarkable opportunity to work on improving ChatGPT during my internship at Inria Paris. This invaluable experience has not only broadened my academic horizons but has also provided me with practical knowledge and exposure to cutting-edge research in my field. The financial support provided by GKF has been instrumental in making this transformative journey a reality. The scholarship enabled me to cover the expenses associated with my visit to Paris, including travel, accommodation, and living costs. During my internship at Inria Paris, I had the privilege of collaborating with esteemed researchers and professionals in the field. The opportunity to work alongside experts in the area of natural language processing has been both humbling and inspiring. The guidance and mentorship I received have contributed significantly to my growth as a researcher and have fuelled my passion for advancing the boundaries of AI technologies. I would like to extend my deepest appreciation to the Guru Krupa Foundation for their unwavering commitment to promoting educational and research opportunities for students like me. Your vision and dedication to empowering deserving individuals have had a profound impact on my academic and professional journey. The scholarship has opened doors to new possibilities and has played an instrumental role in shaping my future career trajectory. I am committed to utilizing the knowledge and experiences gained during this internship to make meaningful contributions to the field of artificial intelligence and drive positive change in society.”
After IBM, he pivoted to Wall Street and is currently a partner and researcher at hedge fund Renaissance Technologies in New York. He is the founder and president of the US-based private charitable foundation, the Guru Krupa Foundation that supports the scholarships for research internships for IIT Kharagpur students. Dr. Padmanabhan is the recipient of the Professional Achievement Award from the UCLA Samueli School of Engineering in the year 2019 and the Distinguished Alumnus Award 2021 from IIT Kharagpur.
Shrey Gogia
Department of Physics
IIT Kharagpur
Shrey Gogia, Department of Physics, IIT Kharagpur and another recipient of this prestigious scholarship said, “I am truly grateful to be a recipient of the IIT Kharagpur Foundation Scholarship 2023, conferred by the IITKGP Foundation USA. This scholarship has enabled me to pursue a research internship at one of the leading scientific organisations in Europe: l’Ecole Normale Superieure, Paris, France. My experience here would be essential for my development towards becoming a well rounded physicist by providing exposure to frontier research. I thank the selection committee for this honor. I am also grateful for the generosity of our alumni for establishing this scholarship.”
Apart from the above scholarship, 15 students from departments of Agricultural and Food Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Physics, Mechanical Engineering, Biotechnology, Aerospace Engineering and Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur have also been awarded the IIT Kharagpur Foundation Scholarship 2023 funded by IITKGP Foundation USA.
Anirban Chatterjee, Department of Mechanical Engineering, IIT Kharagpur and another recipient of this prestigious scholarship remarked, “I am writing to express my heartfelt gratitude for the opportunity to receive the esteemed Guru Krupa Scholarship, which has played a pivotal role in supporting my foreign internship. This scholarship provided me with the financial assistance I needed to pursue an international internship in my field of study. As an engineering student, I have always been passionate about gaining hands-on experience in a global setting, and the Guru Krupa Scholarship made this dream a reality. Thanks to the generous support provided by the scholarship, I was able to secure an internship with WMG, University of Warwick in the UK. This opportunity allowed me to immerse myself in a diverse and dynamic work environment, where I was able to learn from industry professionals and gain valuable insights into global research practices. Knowing that an esteemed organization such as yours believed in my potential enough to invest in my future strengthened my resolve to make the most out of this internship opportunity. By providing me with the means to pursue an international internship, you have not only helped me expand my skill set and knowledge but have also empowered me to become a global citizen. The experiences and lessons learned during my internship will undoubtedly impact my future academic and career pursuits in immeasurable ways. Thank you for your continued support of aspiring students like myself. I hope that my success story serves as an inspiration for future scholarship recipients, encouraging them to pursue their dreams fearlessly and embrace the transformative power of education.
IITKGP USA Foundation connects KGP Alumni with their alma mater in the US and Canada with the purpose to facilitate and enhance connection and devotion to their alma mater. Their participation takes place by aiding in the development and improvement of IITKGP by the endowment of funds and extending support towards institutional development, student welfare and community development around the KGP campus.
Prof. V K Tewari, Director, IIT Kharagpur congratulated the recipients saying, “The scholarship has opened doors to new possibilities and played an instrumental role in shaping the future trajectory of meritorious students. This kind of scholarship inspires the students to pursue their passion and gives them a practical notion about research development and implementation of ideas in terms of global industry expertise. I am thankful to Dr. Mukund Padmanabhan and IIT KGP Foundation USA for their such a thoughtful action of generosity that transcended into such inclusive student welfare activity. All the best for all future endeavours.”
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Dainik Jagran
Inputs from : IIT KGP Foundation and Office of International Relations, IIT Kharagpur
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