Bengaluru: Philanthropist Kachigere Krishnappa has donated to IISc to support student learning, space research and hands-on aerospace education, funding student awards and two major research initiatives. The institute did not disclose the amount of the contribution.As part of the initiative, Krishnappa has instituted two “Meenakumari and Siddegowda Krishnappa Puttachi” awards — one for PhD students and another for undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing research in space science and technology.According to IISc, the awards are intended to encourage work that combines theoretical knowledge with practical applications, including the development of machines, materials and instruments that could aid space exploration and deepen understanding of the universe.According to IISc, the awards aim to encourage research that bridges theory and practice, including the development of machines, materials and instruments to support space exploration and advance the understanding of the universe. To mark the launch, IISc hosted a commemorative event featuring a seminar by former ISRO scientific secretary PG Diwakar on India’s space programme and national development. The institute also presented the inaugural awards to an MTech student from the aerospace engineering department and a PhD scholar from the mechanical engineering department.Beyond the student awards, Krishnappa is funding two infrastructure projects at IISc. The first comprises the AVISHKAR laboratory and the INALA (Active Learning Architecture) classroom.“AVISHKAR is an open-access fabrication and testing facility covering areas such as composites, unmanned aerial vehicles, additive manufacturing and autonomous control. INALA brings together eight IISc departments to help students work on real-world aerospace design, testing and flight projects using AI, simulations and digital twins,” IISc said.The second initiative is a new optical observatory at IISc’s Challakere campus, equipped with telescopes, sensors and cameras for astronomy research, astrophotography, outreach and space debris tracking.Born in Mandya in 1951, Krishnappa studied medicine at Kasturba Medical College before moving to the US in 1976. He retired in 2014 as professor of psychiatry at Albany Medical Center. His philanthropic initiatives are carried out through the Devamma Puttachi Siddegowda Trust, founded by his family in 1999.
