Highlights
- Indian family donates $400,000 to Australia India Institute
- Funds to be used to boost Indian studies at the University of Melbourne
- Mr Rao, the donor hopes to see increased engagement between Australian and Indian communities
Australia India Social and Charitable Ventures Limited through Mr T. Janardhana Rao OAM, his son Harish Rao and his family will donate $400,000 over the next four years to Australia India Institute (AII), it has been announced.
These funds will be used for the development and to support of Indian studies at the University of Melbourne, AII said in a release.
‘The financial support will go towards the development of Indian studies and engagement at the University,’ AII said.
‘The funding will also help to provide scholarships to assist students from India, or of Indian heritage, who are facing financial hardship.’
Director and CEO of the Australia India Institute and Professor of Geography at the University of Melbourne, Craig Jeffrey, thanked Mr Rao and his family and said the funding provided an opportunity for the University to grow its expertise in the area of India-focussed research.
Indian President Ramnath Kovind visited the University of Melbourne in November 2018. The event was organised by Australia India Institute. Source: Supplied by Australia India Institute
“This important gift will greatly enhance the efforts of the Institute and the University of Melbourne to develop the study of India and engage with the Indian diaspora. We are extremely grateful to Mr Rao and his family for their generosity and vision,” Professor Jeffrey said.
The Indian community in Victoria has grown from less than 100 families in 1968 to over 300,000 people of Indian origin now.
Mr T. Janardhana Rao’s son and businessman Mr Harish Rao, who also sits on the Advisory Board of the Australia India Institute, said it was critical the wider Australian community increased their engagement with the Indian diaspora, and the Indian diaspora too further integrates into mainstream Australian society.
“India and Australia have a tremendous amount in common. We want to highlight the opportunities that exist in the Australia-India relationship, from education, business and commerce through to culture, the arts and sport. It is our hope that this gift and the work of the Australia India Institute will support this important goal,” Mr Rao said.
The Rao Foundation gift aims to facilitate a new program of research and teaching in Indian studies at the University of Melbourne, focusing on the economy, politics, and society of contemporary India as well as the Australia-India relationship.
(R-L) Harish Rao, T. Janardhana Rao OAM, Hamid Ansari (former Vice-President of India), DR Karthikeyan (former DG Central Bureau of Investigation) Source: Supplied by AII
