The financial load for 50 graduate students in the Naveen Jindal School of Management has been lightened thanks to a generous gift from Anurag and Gunjan Jain.
Dr. Hasan Pirkul, Caruth Chair and Jindal School dean, held a reception Sept. 10 in the Jindal School’s Executive Dining Room to celebrate the gift and introduce the Jain Fellows to their benefactors. Given in honor of their uncle and JSOM alum Dipak Jain (MS ’86, PhD ‘86), Anurag and Gunjan Jain used the opportunity to acknowledge his achievements, belief in spreading kindness and appreciation of UT Dallas.
“Gunjan and I firmly believe in access to education and recognize how transformative the experience can be,” Anurag Jain said after the reception. “We are honored to support a new generation of leaders, innovators and world changers with this fellowship. We have a deep appreciation for UT Dallas and the impact it has had not only here in North Texas, but globally.”
Pirkul opened the festivities by welcoming the attendees, which included the Jains and the fellowship recipients, who came to The University of Texas at Dallas from nearly 40 different undergraduate universities and are enrolled in seven different master’s programs at the Jindal School. Pirkul noted that eligible recipients may qualify for tuition waivers, allowing them to maximize their $1,000 scholarships into benefits valued at up to $25,000, depending on their enrollment timing.
“We started this scholarship program and gave literally thousands of scholarships over the years,” Pirkul said. “We can only do it because we have benefactors like the Jains.”
Aakanksha Bhat, a student in the MS in Business Analytics and Artificial Intelligence program at the Jindal School, is one of the scholarship recipients. She spoke briefly before introducing the Jains.
“Standing here as a recipient of the Jain Family Fellowship is a moment I will always treasure,” she said. “The fellowship represents far more than financial support. It’s a symbol of belief, encouragement and possibility.”
Bhat explained that she comes from a background in auditing and taxation and decided to step into the world of analytics and artificial intelligence. The move, she said, was exciting but also filled with uncertainty.
“Knowing that I have the support of the Jain family gave me the courage to take the leap wholeheartedly and embrace challenge along the way with confidence and determination,” she said. “It has allowed me to dedicate myself fully to my studies and to explore experiences that are shaping me both academically and personally.”
“We’re so thankful to the Jain Family Foundation for their incredible generosity,” said Melissa Bettis, assistant dean of development at the Jindal School. “This fellowship is more than just financial support — it’s a meaningful investment in our students’ futures. Seeing Anurag and Gunjan Jain connect with the students they’re helping was truly special. Moments like these remind us why we do what we do, which is to build bridges between passionate donors and the bright minds they’re empowering.”
