The Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Delhi today established ‘Prof Ishwar Chandra Goyal Chair’ in the department of physics. The alumni of the institute Deepak Goyal (electrical engineering, 1991) and Alok Goyal (computer science, 1992) have endowed the chair in the name of their father, Prof Ishwar Chandra Goyal, also a former IIT-Delhi faculty.

Speaking of their decision to support the chair, they said, “IIT Delhi has played a seminal role in shaping our lives — we owe not only our education to the Institute but also our childhood. We feel privileged to support the establishment of this chair in the memory of our father, Prof Ishwar Chandra Goyal, who has been the best teacher for us, and contribute to advance teaching and research in physics at IIT Delhi”.

Deepak Goyal is currently working as managing director and senior partner at Boston Consulting Group (BCG), New York. Before joining BCG, he worked for McKinsey in India, and for Schlumberger in France and India. Alok Goyal is a partner at Stellaris Venture Partners, a Bengaluru-based, tech-focused, early-stage venture capital firm. He was previously a partner with Helion Venture Partners. He began his career with Cadence Design Systems, which was followed by stints in McKinsey, The McKenna Group, Siebel Systems and SAP.

Prof Ratnamala Chatterjee, HoD, Physics, IIT-Delhi said, “On behalf of the physics department, I congratulate and thank Deepak and Alok for their support in establishing a chair in the name of Prof Ishwar Chandra Goyal. Prof Goyal, a renowned and esteemed colleague in our department, was very well-known as an outstanding and extremely conscientious teacher. It is a matter of great pride and pleasure that Deepak and Alok have also honoured their alma mater by showing such a giving spirit.”

IIT-Delhi will appoint Professors to the Chairs, who would pursue research in the areas mandated. As for all other chair positions, the appointment criteria will be excellence in teaching, and a strong record of research contributions to the field.