Page 56 - EducationWorld September 2020

People

(annual revenue: Rs.72,304 crore in
2019-20), Kiran Nadar co-promoted
the Shiv Nadar Foundation (SNF).
Shiv Nadar Foundation. During the
past quarter century SNF (annual
budget: Rs.689 crore) has promoted
the SSN University, Chennai and
Shiv Nadar University in Dadri (Ut-
tar Pradesh) with an aggregate enrol-
ment of 6,900 students mentored by
906 faculty. Moreover, the founda-
tion has also established four free-of-
charge thoroughly modern Vidyagan
boarding schools for children of
economically weaker sections in UP,
and KNMA.
Direct talk. “In SNF, we believe that
K-12 education should be as broad
Kiran Nadar: multi-industry experience as possible, give children a wider
perspective and invest them with
Accomplished philanthropist knowledge of our rich civilisational
history, culture and heritage. This is
essential for development of national
n English literature gradu- (MCM), then the dominant and pride and unity,” says Kiran Nadar.
ate of Delhi University with most respected advertising agency Future plans. As soon as KNMA in its
Amulti-industry experience in in the country. However after short new avatar is up and running after
advertising, garments manufacture, stints in MCM’s Delhi and Bombay the lockdown is lifted, the museum
IT industry and also an interna- (Mumbai) offices, she returned to will commence lectures and semi-
tional bridge player, KIRAN NADAR Delhi to help her mother manage her nars on art, culture and heritage and
is chairperson of the eponymous garments manufacturing company invite four-five school groups includ-
Kiran Nadar Museum of Art (KNMA, Alumna India Pvt. Ltd. Meanwhile ing parents to visit and participate in
estb.2010). This museum houses in 1975, she met with and wed Shiv these activities. “KNMA will become
India’s largest collection of modern Nadar, then employed in the DCM a major hub of art, culture includ-
art comprising 7,000 exhibits of art, Group’s electronic calculators manu- ing performing arts and heritage
sculpture, installations and conven- facturing division. education. I believe our activities
tional paintings in its two galleries in In 1976, Shiv Nadar promoted will greatly enrich the education of
Noida and Delhi. Hindustan Computers Ltd (HCL) to children, especially of children from
Newspeg. KNMA has finalised a manufacture micro-processors for less privileged sections of society,”
blueprint to construct a new, con- India’s then nascent IT industry. In says this accomplished and commit-
solidated museum of art, culture 1980 when Shiv moved to Singapore ted philanthropist.
and heritage in Delhi. Designed by to establish HCL’s Singapore opera- Dilip Thakore (Bangalore)
Ghana-based celebrity architect Sir tions, Kiran teamed up with Rajen-
David Adjay, this new public mu- establish NIIT Ltd, where she served Go-getter
dra Pawar and Vijay Thadani to
seum will have double the capacity of
its two predecessors. Work on build- as promoter-director for three years edupreneur
ing the new KNMA facility will begin (1982-1985). In the mid-1980s she
as soon as economic activity resumes took a sabbatical to play competitive
after the Covid-19 national and local bridge, transforming into a world- umbai-based DEEP
lockdown of business and industry class player winning several national UDESHI, chairman and
is lifted. championships and represented Mmanaging director, Educa-
History. After graduating from Delhi India in tournaments abroad. tional Software Technologies (EST,
University’s top-ranked Miranda In 1994 together with her hus- estb.2001) and Vibrant Publishers,
House, Nadar (nee Tandan) be- band Shiv, who in the meanwhile Colorado, USA (estb.2010), has
gan her career in 1970 with Mass had developed HCL into a trans- been a publisher of academic, test
Communications and Marketing national IT services heavyweight prep books and online solutions in

56 EDUCATIONWORLD SEPTEMBER 2020