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U of A grad and community builder Rohit Gupta honours his family’s legacy through a transformative gift to the university. (Photo: Supplied)

For Rohit Gupta, ’02 BSc CompEng, ’06 MBA, building better cities isn’t just a professional mission — it’s deeply personal.

Gupta is helping launch a new era of city building through a $5 million gift to establish the Radhe Krishna Gupta Executive Chair in Cities and Communities. Named for his parents, Radhe and Krishna Gupta — visionary community builders and philanthropists — the chair will lead the interdisciplinary Cities Institute, a bold initiative housed in the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ School of Business.

This chair isn’t just a title — it’s a catalyst designed to push past the status quo. Supported by Rohit Gupta’s lead investment, it will advance actional research and visionary education that brings industry and academia together to tackle world urban challenges in a multi-sectoral approach under the Cities Institute.

And donors like Gupta are helping ensure Edmonton is a recognized national leader in this work.

“The U of A is an economic engine,” says Gupta. “It’s one of the key heartbeats of Edmonton — whether it’s employment, students, the technology or the partnerships. When you combine that with the Cities Institute, you create a hub that can actually turn out the kind of talent and thinking that will make better cities.”

One of the chair’s primary goals at the helm of the institute is to work closely with city building sectors to understand the challenges and opportunities. It will unite expertise from across the university, leveraging the U of A’s strengths in business, engineering, data science, urban planning, and social and environmental science — all to support research that drives sustainable, inclusive city building. It will also offer Canada’s first interdisciplinary Master’s in Real Estate.

“This program reflects the complexity of modern city building, bringing together expertise from across disciplines to meet the needs of our communities,” says Vikas Mehrotra, dean of the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ School of Business. “With the Gupta family's visionary support, we’re creating a hub where research, industry and students come together to shape the future of our cities.”

It’s exactly the kind of vision that aligns with the ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥’s SHAPE strategic plan: delivering innovative programs that transcend traditional disciplinary boundaries, deeper integration between research and the business community, and education that prepares students as global citizens.

For Rohit, who grew up in a household where philanthropy and entrepreneurship were intertwined, this gift is also a way of paying tribute.

Krishna, Radhe and Rohit Gupta (Photo: Supplied)

“My parents came to Canada as immigrants and built something extraordinary — our company, our community presence, our family values,” says Rohit, president of the Rohit Group. “They’ve been pillars in Edmonton’s Indo-Canadian community. This chair is about standing them up so others can see what’s possible.”

Radhe and Krishna have long believed in the ripple effect of giving.

“Giving is the cornerstone of our values,” says Krishna. “When we give, others are inspired to do the same. That’s how you build a better community.”

Adds Radhe, “The best time to make a difference is when change is happening. That’s what this chair can do — bring university and industry together to shape something new.”

That kind of change is already taking root for students like Grace Metcalfe, a finance and accounting student who recently completed the U of A’s Real Estate Program.

“This gift opens doors for students to learn, lead, and get involved in shaping our cities,” says Metcalfe. “It’s a major step forward for the next generation to deepen their understanding of the industry and take part in shaping the future of development. It reflects the opportunity we have in ¾ÅÐãÖ±²¥ to be part of something growing, exciting and meaningful.”

The Executive Chair, who begins in July 2025, is Murtaza Haider, a professor of data science and real estate management with decades of experience exploring how to build “economies and societies where we not only flourish and prosper, but also create a sense of shared prosperity.” As the inaugural Radhe Krishna Gupta Executive Chair in Cities and Communities, he will lead the Cities Institute as a draw for leaders across sectors, turning the complexity of urban challenges into opportunities for collaboration, innovation and future-proof solutions.

“When you look at what’s happening around the world today, working with institutions like the U of A brings stability and purpose,” says Rohit Gupta. “This is the right time to invest in thought leadership that can create a better world.”

And in doing so, he’s building something else, too: a legacy that connects generations, uplifts communities and reimagines what cities — and philanthropy — can be.