TVS Motor Company has announced a contribution of £1.5 million for the creation of the Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education at WMG, University of Warwick.
The Chair in Education role was initially established in 2021 thanks to a private philanthropic donation of £1.5 million, gifted by a Warwick alumnus.
The additional gift from TVS Motor Company will help future-proof the post for generations to come and help the University achieve its goals for the Chair. The University intends to recruit for the role in 2023.
Professor Lord Bhattacharyya passed away on the March 1, 2019 and to celebrate his legacy in global manufacturing and innovation, the new Chair will drive forward innovations in research-led teaching and scholarship.
A press release from TVS noted that the gift celebrates its close relationship with WMG and will continue the legacy of the late Professor Lord Kumar Bhattacharyya, enhancing WMG’s academic expertise in the understanding, development and teaching of engineering and manufacturing internationally.
Under the Chair, the appointee will be responsible for establishing connections for UK higher education and WMG in Asia, particularly in India and Hong Kong.
This will include new ways to inspire young people from different backgrounds to pursue engineering careers through the WMG Academies for Young Engineers, degree apprenticeships, and professional skills programmes delivered by the WMG Skills Centre, along with an opportunity to explore innovation in the higher education space more widely.
In 2016, WMG was awarded a Regius Professorship in Manufacturing, which was bestowed by Queen Elizabeth in recognition of the transformational contributions that Professor Lord Bhattacharyya made to UK manufacturing.
The new role will complement the Regius Professorship and celebrate Lord Bhattacharyya’s impact on engineering and manufacturing internationally.
N. Chandrasekaran, Chairman, Tata Sons, noted that the new Chair in Engineering Education will be a crucial addition to WMG’s academic leadership, ensuring the next generation of engineering leaders are inspired through the highest levels of teaching.
Sudarshan Venu, Managing Director, TVS Motor Company, said, “TVS has had a strong partnership with WMG covering the areas of education, research, and joint projects. We look forward to building on this in the future as well.”
Professor Stuart Croft, Vice-Chancellor and President of the University of Warwick, stated that The new role of Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education will continue Professor Lord Bhattacharyya’s legacy, and help us thrive in connecting education, research and industry, setting up our graduates for successful futures.
Meanwhile, Professor Robin Clark, Dean of WMG, University of Warwick, said that support from TVS will enable the new Lord Bhattacharyya Chair in Engineering Education role to preserve and expand Professor Lord Bhattacharyya’s pursuit of excellence in education, whilst further developing the relationships between our teaching and research.
Notably, Warwick has a close network of more than 5,500 alumni in India and is the most successful Russell Group University for recruiting students from India.
Ratan Tata, former Chairman of Tata Sons, said, “Strong industry links were so important for Kumar and it’s exciting that WMG is working closely in partnership with this prestigious motorcycle company.”
Venu Srinivasan, Chairman Emeritus, TVS Motor Company and Director, Tata Sons, opined that WMG excels because it has the momentum created by Lord Bhattacharyya. “It wouldn’t have happened without him, but it continues after him. Kumar always said a true legacy was an institution that does better after your time,” he added.
Ralf Speth, Chairman of TVS Motor Company, Director of Tata Sons, and former CEO of Jaguar Land Rover, said Lord Bhattacharyya was very keen on creating top talents and innovative break-through.
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