The Dinesh Dhamija Fellowships
Fitzwilliam is delighted to announce a gift from alumnus Dinesh Dhamija (Law, 1971) to permanently endow three Fellowships in his name at the College
The Dinesh Dhamija Fellowships are designed to increase the College’s capacity in teaching and research across disciplines of applied engineering and science that help drive the radical technological development and innovation that is changing the world today.
The gift will support three UTOs (University Teaching Officers) in eligible subjects as diverse as Computer Science, Applied Mathematics and the University of Cambridge’s new Design Tripos which launches in 2024. This will enable academics working on cutting-edge research and in new fields to make the most of College membership at Fitzwilliam and benefit the wider College Community. The gift also builds upon the College’s commitment to modern and contemporary learning and sustaining the environment as outlined in the new College Plan.
In recognition of the generous gift, the College is appointing Dinesh Dhamija an 1869 Fellow Benefactor, only the fifth in the college’s history.
Dinesh is a leading international businessman and was named Management Today’s 2003 Entrepreneur of the Year. He is the founder of ebookers.com, the first internet travel company in the UK and Europe. It achieved FTSE 250 status in the London Stock Exchange, created 2,000 jobs and was based in 11 European countries.
Dinesh served as an MEP in the European Parliament for the Liberal Democrats 2019-2020. He continues to advise a number of start-ups, business leaders, and voluntary organisations.
Baroness Sally Morgan, Master, said: “We are delighted to receive this landmark gift to further strengthen the College’s commitment to its academic excellence. These Fellowships, focused on the applied sciences and engineering, will support academics at the heart of Fitzwilliam College, and will make a real difference in ensuring the College is well-positioned to meet the demands of a rapidly changing world.”
Dinesh Dhamija said: “The future of tomorrow will transform the world in ways we can’t imagine. I went in to using the internet for travel sales in 1996. I founded ebookers.com in 1999 after a visit to San Francisco, when I realised its transformational potential. The increasing rate of change in the world makes it imperative that ‘disruption’ is understood, grappled with, and grasped. This gift will enable Fitzwilliam to do this in cutting-edge subject areas such as Computer Science and the new Design Tripos. I am thrilled to be helping the College with its contemporary academic programme.”
Peter O’Connor, Development Director, said: “Dinesh has spent his life being at the vanguard of change. This wonderful gift is a testament to his vision and that spirit of embracing the future. It is a true example of a taking a desire to make sense of the complicated contemporary world in which we live and acting upon this in a bold way. The College thanks Dinesh for this wonderful benefaction.”
