Indian industry stalwarts to advise University of Cambridge

Wednesday, 4 September 2013 - 9:00am India News Bulletin Desk

A group of 24 senior Indian business leaders, government figures and academics including Ratan Tata, Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, Deepak Parekh and Sam Pitroda will guide and assist the research collaborations between Cambridge and Indian academics.

Cambridge University seeks advice from Indian stalwarts

Image: Wikimedia Commons (Andreas Praefcke)

Cambridge’s current collaborations with India cover a wide range of disciplines including Biomedical Sciences and Public Health, Education and the Social Sciences, Physical Sciences, Technology and Business.

The group of Indian experts -- called the Circle of Advisors -- will aim to foster the establishment of new research collaborations between the UK and India and also to play an ambassadorial role in promoting the British university in India.

Engagement with India is a strategic priority for the University of Cambridge, working in partnership to tackle global challenges through research and education, according to the British High Commission’s office in New Delhi.

The university is already home to distinguished academics from India, including Professor Sir Partha Dasgupta (Economics), Professor Ashok Venkitaraman (Cancer Research), and Nobel laureate Sir Venkatraman Ramakrishnan (Molecular Biology).

It has more than 1300 active alumni in India, with particular concentrations in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata and Bangalore, and there are nine active alumni groups and societies in India.

The senior Indian figures will meet a delegation from the University of Cambridge, led by Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir Leszek Borysiewicz, in Delhi in September.

“Our relationship is close and it is also very practical. There are many challenges that we can meet better together than separately. The Circle of Advisors will ensure that our collaborations are as productive as possible for India and for Cambridge,” said Borysiewicz.