NRI couple donates one million dollars to California Univ

Washington, Sep 4 (UNI) An NRI couple has donated one million dollar to the University of California - Merced for starting a scholarship fund for bright students, and to build a new lecture hall.

The couple, Madhu Kris and Vijaya Tangella, both physicians in Merced, California, who migrated from Andhra Pradesh to pursue their medical studies in California, have dedicated the gift in honour of their parents, Nagaratnamma and Venkat Krishnaiah and Lakshmi Kanthamma and Tangella Pattabhi Ramayya.

The gift will be an endowment to support four four-year scholarships. The funds would also be earmarked for students pursuing their studies in pure sciences.

The couple, who gave the donation said their parents had a big hand in educating them and contributing to what they were today.

This was their way to thank and pay their respects to them, they said, according to media reports here.

Mr Jan Mendenhall, Director of Development and University Relations at the UC, Merced said that part of the gift will also go towards the construction of a new lecture hall.

The University, has generated 61.8 million in donations since the fundraising began in 1998, which was in the red a few years ago.

Several couples from Andhra, who graduated from this university have also contributed donations to the university in the past one year.

Notable among them is Hamireddy Lakireddy, whose family recently gave one million dollar gift for the campus' Lakireddy Auditorium, while another couple, Rajender and Jhansi Reddy gave a million dollar donation for starting a student health centre in the university campus.

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