In a significant boost to its student support and innovation ecosystem, the Birla Institute of Technology and Science (BITS) Pilani has announced a generous endowment of $1 million from a distinguished alumnus based in the United States. The fund, pledged in December 2025, is specifically earmarked to provide financial scholarships for women and back student innovation projects under faculty guidance.
Focus on Empowerment and Innovation
The primary objective of this substantial donation is twofold. Firstly, it aims to expand financial assistance for meritorious students from low-income backgrounds, with a pronounced focus on supporting women scholars. This initiative is designed to strengthen access to quality education for deserving candidates who face economic hurdles.
Secondly, the endowment will fuel innovation projects that involve structured mentorship from BITS Pilani faculty members. The goal is to encourage students to develop practical solutions for real-world problems within a guided academic framework, thereby promoting a problem-solving culture on campus.
The Philanthropist: Brij Bhushan of the Inaugural Batch
The benefactor behind this gift is Brij Bhushan, a member of the institute's historic inaugural batch of 1960. After a career spanning over two decades in the US telecommunications sector, Bhushan founded the Reston Consulting Group (RCG) in 1987. His firm provides services in network operations, cybersecurity, and IT support to government and commercial clients in the United States.
The connection between the Bhushan family and BITS Pilani runs deep. His wife, Champa Bhushan, is also an alumna, having completed her master's in electrical engineering in 1966. The couple has been active in the Washington DC alumni community since 1980. Demonstrating their long-term commitment, they returned to India after retirement and taught for a semester at the Pilani campus in 2006. Their philanthropic history with the institute includes establishing two merit-cum-need (MCN) scholarships back in 2009, which continue to aid students.
Aligning with Institutional Goals and Alumni Engagement
Institute officials acknowledged that this endowment perfectly aligns with BITS Pilani's ongoing efforts to enhance student welfare and foster greater alumni involvement in academic development. The contribution is seen as a catalyst for building a stronger culture of sustained giving and engagement among its global alumni network.
Furthermore, the institute highlighted that this donation contributes to a larger endowment framework being set up to support long-term, impactful institutional initiatives. This news comes months after the campus was in the spotlight in May 2025, following an internal inquiry initiated after reports of student suicides since December the previous year, underscoring the institute's focus on holistic student support.
The $1 million gift from Brij Bhushan is thus not just a financial injection but a reaffirmation of alumni faith and a strategic investment in making BITS Pilani more inclusive and innovation-driven for future generations.
