Princeton University announces new endowed chair funded by Indian American couple

Sejal Shah and Krishna Veeraraghavan. PHOTO: Alumni.princeton.edu

Princeton University announced earlier in June that seven new University Professorships have been endowed at the higher education institute through major gifts to the Venture Forward campaign. Among them is one entitled, The U. Krishna Veeraraghavan and Sejal Shah University Professorship.

Veeraraghavan, a 1999 graduate of Princeton, and his wife Sejal Shah, are endowing the professorship to attract highly accomplished individuals to the University.

The University Professorship is the most prestigious honor Princeton can bestow on a faculty member, the University said in a June 2 announcement. Recipients of the honor are recognized for demonstrating scholarly preeminence in their professional accomplishments, as well as making exceptional contributions to the University’s research and teaching community.

Shah is a board-certified dermatologist and the founder and medical director of SmarterSkin Dermatology, a private cosmetic dermatology clinic in New York City; Veeraraghavan is global co-head of the mergers and acquisitions group at the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

“I’ve always been proud of Princeton’s single-minded pursuit of excellence. Coming back to campus last spring for my 25th Reunion and seeing all my classmates and friends reiterated how lucky I am to be a part of this University for my entire life. I think of where I am today, and it all started with my time at Princeton,” Veeraraghavan said in a statement.

“As Sejal and I thought about ways to give back, one of the things that became clear to us was the importance of attracting the best and brightest professors,” he added, a step that was essential to the future of the University.

“So much has changed in just the past few years when you consider where we are on AI, quantum computing, the biosciences and the role of the humanities in all those disciplines. By establishing this University Professorship, we hope Princeton will honor brilliant teachers who’ve not only produced world-class research — but who also have a capacity for even greater future growth.”

In addition to support of Annual Giving, Veeraraghavan and Shah previously made a gift to Princeton in 2019 that established the Krishna Veeraraghavan ’99 Fund in support of college access.