About the Award:

The award is instituted via the endowment created through funds donated by BITS Alumni in memory of Prof. Shan Sundar Balasubramaniam, former Dean & Professor of Computer Science and Information Systems, BITS Pilani. He was a passionate educator and visionary, serving as an inspiring role model for countless students and faculty who witnessed his unwavering dedication to teaching firsthand.

BITS Pilani Digital, a new division focused on building inclusive & accessible learning pathways for those who cannot access traditional education systems, was his dream project where the programs that he designed as the chief product officer got great responses and admiration from both industry and students.

Prof. Shan Balasubramaniam taught Computer Science at BITS Pilani between the years of 2002 and 2019, later returning to BITS Pilani Digital for his second stint as Chief Product Officer. His lecture slides (from his very first class) would famously make the point in the most abstract way possible - trying to ensure that not only did his students learn the immediate problem or a problem solving technique, but also “learnt to learn” in the process. He also mentored many students, both answering their questions and inspiring them to find answers, ultimately launching many careers.

Establishment of the Award:

• An yearly contribution of INR 100,000 shall be made coming out of the interest
• The award is to be named "Prof. Shan Balasubramaniam Faculty Excellence Award" 
• The award will commence from 2026.
• The Excellence Awards shall be announced each year before the end of Semester II (January-June).
• One Faculty Excellence Award shall be awarded each year.
• The award shall consist of a Rolling Plaque (with name of the winner inscribed), and a cash award of INR 100,000.
• All shortlisted candidates shall be presented with a certificate of appreciation.

Target Endowment Amount: USD $20000 (or ~ INR 18,00,000)

Target Annual Award: INR 100,000

Tax Deductions and Benefits

1. Tax deductions are for the financial year when donations are made in India, US and Canada.
2. 100% tax-exemption for donations to BITS, India with 80(G) benefit.
3. Donation to BITSAA, a 501c(3) organization in the US is 100% tax deductible
   1. EIN: EIN: 22-3835037
   2. Address: 1030 E. El Camino Real, #256, Sunnyvale CA 94087

Donation Matching

Please check if your employer allows matching contributions here at Gift Matching

Important Note:

1. Donations should be made to the appropriate account based on the donor’s passport nationality. The passport, not the bank location, determines which account should be used.
2. Indian passport holders must transfer funds to an Indian bank account, even if the transfer originates from abroad. To contribute, click on the “Indian Donors” button above.
3. International passport holders must transfer funds to the FCRA account. To contribute, click on the “US Donors" button above.
4. Kindly select "  SB Faculty Award", and fill in all the required fields of the payment pages
5. Please send an email to :
   priyanka.goyal@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in ,
   and
   alolika.mukherjee@pilani.bits-pilani.ac.in with the subject line  “Prof. SB Faculty Award” and the date and amount of your contribution, to help us track the donations.