The Faculty of Engineering and Design announced a gift on November 6, 2013, of $1.2 million from Phoenix Homes and the Kochar family. The funds will establish the Kochar Family Scholarships, which will support higher education and life-long learning, specifically for students from India looking to study engineering or architecture at Carleton.
“The leadership of Mr. Kochar and Phoenix Homes in this extraordinary gift demonstrates their commitment to education and strong community values,” said Carleton President Roseann O’Reilly Runte. “Sustainable architecture and construction are the keys to the future, ensuring durable buildings and efficient energy consumption. Investing in students who will continue this tradition and add the latest technologies is truly wise. Mr. Kochar is creating the next generation of brilliant design for our nation’s capital.”
This important fund will encourage outstanding students from India who demonstrate financial need to attend Carleton and prepare those students for work in the fields of civil engineering, architecture or urbanism.
Cuckoo Kochar, president and CEO of Phoenix Homes, established the fund because of Carleton’s reputation as a centre of engineering excellence, and to further national expertise in the field.
“Our company prides itself on serving our community and building new homes and new neighbourhoods for its citizens,” says Mr. Kochar. “It is our hope that this investment will give a new generation of builders and planners the opportunity to serve our city and our country.”
“I’m honoured that the Kochar family chose Carleton for this opportunity,” says Rafik Goubran, dean of the Faculty of Engineering and Design. “Students are at the heart of research. Thanks to the Kochar Family Scholarships, Carleton can offer talented international students the financial support they need to continue their research in these important areas.”
Mr. Kochar also established the fund in loving memory of his mother and grandmother who strongly believed in the legacy of higher education and life-long learning. “One tends to focus on what is dear to one’s heart. In the case of my family and I, that focus is on education,” said Kochar. “The value of education has been ingrained in our family and the idea that we can help someone achieve a higher education is extremely exciting. Education is one of the greatest assets a human being can have when raising themselves above the ordinary and contributing to the growth of society.”
The announcement comes as Carleton celebrates its first Philanthropy Month to spotlight how philanthropy has transformed the campus.
“Philanthropy to me is sharing what you have received over your lifetime with society, the community and the people around you,” said Kochar. “Our family has tried over the years to give back to society in some way whenever we are successful.”
