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23rd April 2008

Largest Single Donation – to support graduate students

Exeter College has just received a substantial gift to support graduate students, its biggest ever single gift.

Krishna Pathak, an Indian Entrepreneur from Dubai and a valued Friend of the College, made an outstanding gift to the College on 21st April 2008 following a previous generous gift last year. Both gifts were in support of graduate students and this recent gift is to be split equally between scholarships for outstanding Indian students and new graduate accommodation.

The Scholarships are for outstanding Indian students who wish to undertake graduate studies at Exeter College in subjects that are linked to the economic development of India.

The gift will fund the creation of a permanent endowment- the SKP Family Education Foundation Fund – for these graduate scholarships, and the building of new graduate accommodation – to be known as ‘SKP House’ – at the College’s east Oxford site on Iffley Road.

As a result of Mr Pathak’s previous gift, the College currently has four Pathak Scholars and is looking forward to welcoming a further four in October. The new scholarship programme will commence in 2009.

Exeter College currently has 221 graduate students studying for a range of subjects at post graduate level. The College is committed to attracting and supporting the best graduate students from all over the world. Over the last few years the Rector and Director of Development have been identifying individuals, such as Mr Pathak, who care passionately about the education of young graduates and wish to offer them the opportunity of studying at Oxford.

Thanking Mr Pathak, the Rector, Frances Cairncross, said: ‘this generosity is an outstanding example of how Friends of Oxford can make an extraordinary difference to the lives of those who would not otherwise be able to take up their place at this wonderful institution. We are deeply grateful for Mr Pathak’s vision and support’.

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