Dr. Aruna Mukesh Katara, President of the Hope Foundation and Research Centre, Pune (www.hfrcpune.org), a Public Charitable Trust championed by the renowned FINOLEX Group, stands as a beacon of transformative leadership and enduring vision. Under her aegis, the Hope Foundation, founded in 1979 by her father, the venerable Shri Pralhad P. Chhabria, has transcended its original mission to become a formidable force in enhancing medical health accessibility and fostering quality education and research across both rural and urban landscapes in India.

With an illustrious career spanning over 25 years in management, administration, and business expansion, Dr. Katara has emerged as a pivotal architect behind the conception and growth of numerous educational initiatives. Her strategic acumen and relentless pursuit of excellence have been instrumental in the establishment of world-class IT facilities at the International Institute of Information Technology (I²IT – www.isquareit.edu.in) in Pune. Notably, she hosted the visit of Bharat Ratna Dr. A P J Abdul Kalam, the former President of India, to the I²IT campus, engaging in profound discussions about the future of creating similar educational facilities and infrastructure for the youth of this country. Her multi-faceted expertise encompasses Infrastructure Creation, Material Procurement, Budget and Financial Management, Optimal Resource Usage, Student Affairs, Estate Management, Business Development, and Promotional Activities. Her visionary approach has not only fortified these institutions but also positioned them as premier hubs of knowledge and innovation.

“It gives me a sense of fulfilment that I have been in a way instrumental in providing higher education and industry opportunities to hundreds of students in India to equip themselves with skill-sets and knowledge through knowledge assimilation at Pune and other educational hubs in the U.S., Russia, and France through I²IT’s various academic and research collaborations with many foreign universities, an international exchange of knowledge was also facilitated where foreign university students were being provided with a chance to grasp IT skills which India is so well known for, through various courses offered at the institutes.” – Dr. Aruna M. Katara