By Abhay Ray 
Introduction
In a record donation, the Motilal Oswal Foundation, the charitable division of Motilal Oswal Financial Services has pledged ₹100 crore to the Indian School of Business (ISB). This is the largest ever philanthropic donation to the school. The gift will go towards the establishment of the Motilal Oswal Executive Centre at ISB’s Hyderabad campus strengthening the institute’s facilities committed to executive education.
ISB Receives Historic Support from Motilal Oswal Foundation
Indian School of Business (ISB) has received a ₹ 100 crore philanthropic commitment from the Motilal Oswal Foundation. The Memorandum of Understanding regarding the donation was formally exchanged on May 29, 2025 in the presence of Motilal Oswal, Chairman of the Motilal Oswal Foundation, Raamdeo Agrawal, Trustee of the Motilal Oswal Foundation, Professor Madan Pillutla, Dean of the Indian School of Business, Pramath Raj Sinha, Member of the ISB Executive Board, and DNV Kumara Guru, Senior Director – Advancement, ISB.
ISB will soon be inaugurating the Motilal Oswal Executive Centre at its Hyderabad campus, with support from this contribution. The Motilal Oswal Executive Centre at ISB is a state-of-the-art 1,91,532 Sq ft Ground + 2 story building that will comprise of lecture theatres, meeting rooms, office spaces, and a faculty lounge.
Motilal Oswal, Chairman of the Motilal Oswal Foundation, said, “Education has always been a force for transformation. Through the Foundation, we help build and support institutions that embody excellence and inclusion. Having supported MO Knowledge Centres at IIT Bombay, IIM Mumbai and Plaksha University, we are glad to help set up the Motilal Oswal Executive Centre at ISB.” Raamdeo Agrawal of the Motilal Oswal Foundation added, “ISB has become a centre of excellence in business education in India. Corporate executives in India need world-class executive education to enhance their capabilities in a rapidly changing business environment. Our contribution will further the above cause.” Harish Manwani, Chairperson, ISB Executive Board, said, “We deeply appreciate Motilal Oswal Foundation’s generous contribution.”
International B-schools Benefit from Large Donations
Business schools around the world have long benefited from generous corporate and philanthropic donations. The first and most iconic of these was Joseph Wharton’s pioneering gift in 1881, which established the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania. In recent decades, the contributions have only increased in numbers and size. Topping the list is a historic $300 million gift by David Booth to the University of Chicago’s Booth School of Business in 2008, regarded as the largest donation ever made to a business school. Following closely is Stephen Ross, who has contributed a cumulative $250 million to the University of Michigan’s Ross School of Business across multiple years. Cornell’s SC Johnson College of Business, Stanford Graduate School of Business, UCLA Anderson School of Management, Carnegie Mellon’s Tepper School of Business are amongst the biggest beneficiaries of corporate endowments in the US. Check table below. These endowments have helped fund scholarships, faculty chairs, entrepreneurship centers, and state-of-the-art campuses.
Indian B-schools Catching Up
While international business schools have long nurtured donations and endowments as a key source of revenue, Indian B-schools have been shy of asking for favours. With ISB blazing the trail, following the US B-School model, other top B-schools are catching up.
In 2020, IIM Ahmedabad launched the IIM Ahmedabad Endowment Fund with an initial commitment of ₹100 crore from 10 founding alumni, making it the first management school in India to establish such a fund. The initiative aims to raise ₹1,000 crore over the years to support the institute’s long-term goals and financial independence.
Conclusion
The Motilal Oswal Foundation’s ₹100 crore donation to ISB marks a milestone in Indian business education philanthropy, signaling a shift toward global practices of institutional support through endowments. This contribution will significantly enhance ISB’s executive education capabilities through the Motilal Oswal Executive Centre, reinforcing the school’s status as a leader in management education. As Indian B-schools like ISB and IIM Ahmedabad embrace this model, it paves the way for long-term sustainability, innovation, and global competitiveness in the sector.
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