Nishi Bhatia and her husband Jyoti P. Bhatia have created an endowment for graduate fellowships at the University of Texas. The Indian-American philanthropists have gained attention this year for their donations to U.S. universities. Earlier, textile executive Anil Kochhar and his wife Marilyn pledged to cover education loans for graduating students at North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, aiding 176 bachelor’s and 26 master’s recipients. The Bhatias’ gift names the fellowship after them and designates a collaboration area in the Engineering and Computer Science West Building at the Dallas campus. Jyoti Bhatia, an alumnus who earned a degree in international management studies, noted that two of his children also graduated from the university, giving it special meaning. He is active in groups such as the Hindu Temple of North Texas and the India Association of North Texas. Nishi Bhatia studied at the University of Kentucky and worked as an educator in the Plano school district. She described the recognition as meaningful and expressed gratitude. The university will select the first fellowship recipients in the fall. Officials said the awards will provide financial aid and collaborative spaces. Nishi Bhatia stated that the support removes barriers so students can focus on learning and research, adding that the goal is to offer an open door that recipients might later extend to others.
