IIT Delhi endowment fund lauded by PM

An Endowment Fund created by the alumni of IIT Delhi has won Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s appreciation.

The alumni donors have already confirmed an initial commitment of Rs 250 crore to the fund, with a target to achieve a corpus of USD 1 billion in the next six years.

Addressing his radio show Mann Ki Baat, the Prime Minister lauded the “brilliant idea”.

“I have read of certain such efforts, where the former students have given back to their old institutions in great measure. Nowadays, alumni are very active in this. IITians have provided their institutions many facilities like conference centres, management centres and incubation centres set up by their efforts. All of these endeavours improve the learning experience of the current students. IIT Delhi has initiated an endowment fund, which is a brilliant idea,” he said.

Outreach and advancement activities related to the IIT Delhi Endowment Fund will be undertaken by the IIT Delhi Endowment Management Foundation, working to build a relationship of trust and engagement with IIT Delhi alumni around the world. 

As the foundation set up operations, there emerged a need to create a distinct visual identity to strike an emotive connection with the alumni and generate awareness about the mission and purpose of the endowment fund.

The concept

The idea was created jointly by Vinay Piparsania, the CEO of the foundation, and Sanjay Gupta, the vice-chancellor of The World University of Design, Sonipat. Both are alumni of IIT Delhi (BTech batch of 1985). The visual identity and logo design have been created by Anjan Chakravorty and his team at The World University of Design.

The logo

Inspired by the iconic Dogra Hall building (earlier known as Convocation Hall) —a distinctive structure on campus — the logo is a stylised representation of the hyperbolic paraboloid roof that stands out for its futuristic appeal, while evoking nostalgia.

The visual also reminds one of a graduation cap, signifying higher learning, research and pursuit of excellence. The juxtaposition with the IIT Delhi emblem conveys association with the institute’s traditional values, while pursuing a futuristic identity.

The colours

The simple solid red and grey palette adds a striking contrast to the overall design. The excitement and passion of red is balanced by the classic and mature grey. The colours are borrowed from the IIT Delhi flag.

The typeface

The logo uses Century Gothic typeface, created specifically as a digital font — clean, crisp and light. The letters IITD have been highlighted in red, reinforcing the popular acronym the institute goes by.