Late prof’s wife bequeaths property to IIT-Bombay – Hindustan Times

In a first, an 82-year-old woman, who is the wife of a late Indian Institute of Technology-Bombay (IIT-B) professor, has bequeathed her property to the Powai-based institute.

Nina Kar handed over her will to the institute on Friday to set up a chair professorship at the mechanical engineering department in the name of her husband Subir, who had retired as a professor of fluid mechanics at IIT-B in the early nineties. “It was my husband’s wish that our property be donated to the institute where he served for almost 30 years. We don’t have any ward to pass down our property to and this is for a good cause,” said Kar.

The bequeathed property is a one-bedroom flat in Powai where Nina is currently living. She refused to reveal the monetary value of the property. Although bequeathing property to institutes is a common phenomenon in the western countries, this is the first such case for IIT-B, said institute’s director Subhasis Chaudhuri.

Nina, a Bangladeshi Bengali, moved to Mumbai after her marriage to Subir in 1963. The couple stayed on campus until his retirement. It was only after his retirement that the couple moved to their Powai flat.

Subir, who was among the first few batches of professors of the institute, was a well-known researcher in fluid mechanics, and was instrumental in setting up the biomedical engineering programme at IIT-B. In 1973, he helped establish the National Society for Fluid Mechanics and Fluid Power as a registered professional society to promote advancement and activities in aspects of fluid mechanics and fluid power in the country.

In 2001, he passed away following a heart attack. “The will was drawn up before he passed away. I have only handed over the official document now. After my death, the property will go to the institute,” Nina said.

Amit Agrawal, professor at the department of mechanical engineering who received the Shanti Swarup Bhatnagar award in 2018, will be the first to occupy the Professor Subir Kar Chair Professorship. “It is a matter of great honour to be associated with a chair named after professor Subir. He played a crucial role in setting up the fluid mechanics society that brings researchers across the country together on a platform,” said Agrawal. “Professor Subir helped guide many PhD scholars,” said Chaudhuri.