14 July 2026
Philanthropist Dr Kachigere Krishnappa has made a generous contribution to the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) to support student learning and research in space science and technology.
He has instituted two “Smt Meenakumari and Dr Siddegowda Krishnappa Puttachi Awards” to support students – one dedicated to PhD students and another to support Bachelor’s and Master’s students at IISc. These awards aim to support and encourage education and research in areas that enhance not only theoretical knowledge but also application of that knowledge to develop machines, materials, and instruments that will assist in space exploration and human understanding of the cosmos.
To mark the formal launch of these awards, IISc recently hosted a special commemorative event with an invited seminar delivered by Dr PG Diwakar, Distinguished Scientist and Former Scientific Secretary at ISRO, on the Indian space programme and national development. Following the lecture, an inaugural award ceremony was held to celebrate the first two student winners – an MTech student from the Department of Aerospace Engineering and a PhD student from the Department of Mechanical Engineering.
In addition to these student awards, Dr Krishnappa is supporting two major research initiatives at IISc.
The first is the AVISHKAR lab, an open-access, hands-on fabrication and test hub spanning six innovation tracks: composites, UAVs, additive manufacturing, bio-inspired design, alternate fuels, and autonomous control. Working in synergy with AVISHKAR is INALA (Active Learning Architecture), India’s first synaptic aerospace classroom uniting eight departments across IISc, where learning happens simultaneously on six real-world design-build-test-fly projects, with AI, simulation, and digital twins embedded in each session. Together, AVISHKAR and INALA seek to establish a national benchmark, producing industry-ready graduates and a replicable model for Tier 1 institutions.
The second is a world-class optical observatory at IISc’s Challakere campus for astronomy observations and astrophotography by students as well as external users. Dr Krishnappa’s funding will support the setting up of high quality telescope and mounts, sensors, cooled cameras, filters, and other equipment. This facility will be used for outreach activities to promote interest in STEM education in India and will also help researchers in carrying out space debris tracking and other experiments.
Born in Mandya in 1951, Dr Krishnappa earned his MBBS from Kasturba Medical College before emigrating to the USA in 1976. Retiring in 2014 as Professor of Psychiatry at Albany Medical Center and Chief Medical Officer of the Capital District Psychiatric Center, his philanthropy is deeply inspired by his father, Mr Siddegowda, an avid Kannada writer and former resident of Mahatma Gandhi’s Sabarmati Ashrama. In 1999, the family established the Devamma Puttachi Siddegowda Trust to drive impactful philanthropic initiatives.
CONTACT:
Office of Development and Alumni Affairs, IISc | development.odaa@iisc.ac.in
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