The Asian Institute of Technology (AIT) Board of Trustees at its meeting held on 22 August 2024 has appointed following new distinguished individual as as new Trustees.
Mrs. Sudha Murty
Mrs. Sudha Murty, a prominent Indian author, philanthropist, and social worker, has made significant contributions to society through her extensive charitable work and literary achievements. She is an accomplished engineer, having graduated from BVB with a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering, securing the first rank across all branches and earning a gold medal. She completed her ME from the Indian Institute of Science.
Mrs. Murty began her career as an engineer with TELCO (now Tata Motors) and later as the Founder-Chairperson of the Infosys Foundation, she played a pivotal role in managing numerous national disaster responses. Mrs. Murty has established over 70,000 libraries in Karnataka, promoting literacy and education and has 46 books / 300 titles to her credit.
In addition to her philanthropic endeavors, Mrs. Murty was recently appointed as a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, the Upper House of India’s Parliament. As a prolific writer, she has authored over 30 books, which have been translated into multiple languages, and has received numerous accolades, including the Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan awards.
Dr. Roshan Shrestha
Dr. Roshan Shrestha is the Deputy Director of the Global Growth and Opportunity Division, Water, Sanitation & Hygiene at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. With over three decades of experience in the water and sanitation sector, he has been pivotal in advancing sustainable sanitation programs across developing countries.
Dr. Shrestha holds a Ph.D. in Applied Natural Science from the University of Natural Resources and Applied Life Sciences in Vienna and is a recipient of the Bill Gates Sr. Award (2023) and the Third World Academy of Sciences Award (2001).
Under his leadership at the Gates Foundation, significant progress has been made in promoting innovative, inclusive sanitation across Asia. He was instrumental in establishing the Sanitation Trust Fund at the Asian Development Bank (ADB), a collaboration with the foundation that has driven ADB’s inclusive sanitation investments to over $2 billion. Dr. Shrestha also spearheads initiatives like the Global Sanitation Graduate School (GSGS) and the Regional Capacity Platform for Sanitation in Asia. He played a key role in establishing the Global Water and Sanitation Center ( GWSC) at AIT, a pioneering initiative with the largest grant providing technical assistance for water and sanitation innovation to low- and middle-income Asian countries. These achievements underscore his profound influence and impact in the sector.
The AIT Board of Trustees is confident that the diverse expertise and commitment of Mrs. Sudha Murty and Dr. Roshan Shrestha will greatly contribute to the Institute’s mission of fostering sustainable development and addressing regional challenges. The Board extends a warm welcome to the new Trustees and looks forward to their valuable contributions in shaping the future of the Asian Institute of Technology.
