The alumni of Indian Institute of Technology, Roorkee has launched a unique funding initiative for the students of its alma mater, a first of its kind initiative amongst all the Indian Institutes of Technology.
The initiative, known as Student Alumni Association of Roorkee or SAAR, is an interactive technology enabled transaction platform specially designed for the students of IIT-Roorkee. The platform would enable the alumni to don the role of an angel investor and directly fund student projects. This has been done with the support of Prama Jyoti Foundation, a non-profit organisation started by a former student.
The SAAR seeks to make a meaningful and positive contribution to the students’ lives and give them an opportunity to give shape to their bright concepts and ideas into a practical reality. It will be an important platform for current students to interface with IIT-Roorkee’s illustrious alumni across the world.
“SAAR is a unique initiative of Prama Jyoti Foundation where the entire portal, starting from scratch, has been planned and developed by the students of IIT-Roorkee. In addition to creating a platform for students' project funding, SAAR aims to be the Facebook as well as LinkedIn for all IIT-R community across the world. The objective of this online digital platform is to encourage student ideas and transform them into final products and services with support from IIT-R alumni,” said Ravi Sharma, chairman of SAAR and Prama Jyoti Foundation.
“At Prama Jyoti, we believe that shaping the future aims not only to complement students' financial needs but also provide them guidance and exposure through interaction with the alumni. We feel that experiences of the alumni will not only inspire students but will also provide intellectual support to them in order to enhance their potential and achieve their best,” said Mr. Sharma, an alumnus of IIT-Roorkee batch of 1984.
Apart from raising funds, the interactive portal www.saar.org.in also seeks to connect the stakeholders — both students and alumni socially as well as professionally.
The 165-year-old IIT-Roorkee has a rich heritage and offers 19 academic departments and three centres of excellence.
Prama Jyoti Foundation endeavours to provide financial support, guidance and motivation to existing students of various educational bodies of India in order to harness their talent beyond academics — be it research, projects, professional hobbies or sports.
The Prama Jyoti Foundation is also involved in the establishment of institutions of vocational studies to provide profession aid to the rural youth for preparing them better for career or starting their own enterprise.
