Scientist Donates To Rescue Punjab Agriculture University

Matt Hopkins Posted by Matt Hopkins|20 January 2009

According to The Times of India, world renowned scientist Dr. Gurdev Singh Khush donated Rs 35,000,000 – almost three-quarters of a million dollars (US) – to his alma mater, the cash-starved Punjab Agricultural University (PAU). In giving the money to help rescue the university’s research work, Khush said he wanted to encourage other ex-students to step forward to bail out their institution from this financial crisis, which has crippled the institution and rendered it unable to even make regular pension payments to its retired employees.

Khush was invited as a chief guest at the 12th convocation of PAU’s College of Agriculture; he took out time from his convocation address to urge ex-students residing abroad to aid their alma mater. Khush said: "We have come a long way from the time when our country’s condition was pitiable, we were hand to mouth, and hunger and poverty were rampant," adding that if the current growth rate continues, India is sure to become one of the world’s most important economic power-houses.