The alumni of IIT Kanpur’s Class of 2000 have announced a landmark contribution of ₹100 crore to set up a new academic entity at the institute, to be known as the Millennium School of Technology and Society (MSTAS). The announcement was made during the batch’s silver jubilee reunion held in Kanpur.
Envisioned as a forward-looking academic unit, MSTAS will explore the convergence of technology with public policy, ethics, and societal impact. The school aims to complement IIT Kanpur’s strong foundation in engineering and sciences by enhancing interdisciplinary thinking and preparing future leaders to address complex, real-world challenges shaped by technological change.
This collective commitment ranks among the largest donations ever made by a single graduating batch to an Indian educational institution.
Popularly called the Millennium Batch, the Class of 2000 has built a strong reputation for entrepreneurship and global leadership in technology. Alumni from the cohort have founded or co-founded prominent ventures such as InMobi and Glance, NoBroker, Yulu, Knowlarity, and Card91, and have been associated with global startups like Cohesity and Martini. Some members of the batch were also among the early team at WhatsApp.
Beyond entrepreneurship, several alumni from the class have held senior leadership positions at leading global organisations, including Nvidia, Microsoft, Amazon, Intel, BCG, Morgan Stanley, and GIC. The batch has produced three unicorns—InMobi, Glance, and NoBroker—the highest number achieved by any IIT Kanpur graduating class to date.
Also Read: NCERT set for major transformation as deemed university status nears approval
As part of the overall pledge, Naveen Tewari, Founder and CEO of InMobi and Glance, has individually committed ₹30 crore towards the initiative. According to IIT Kanpur, MSTAS will focus on interdisciplinary education, leadership development, and building a deeper understanding of the societal consequences of technology-driven transformation, positioning the school as a long-term institution-building effort for generations to come.
