During the May 8 commencement ceremony for North Carolina State University’s Wilson College of Textiles, Indian-American philanthropist Anil Kochhar delivered a life-changing surprise. Addressing the class of 2026, Kochhar announced that he and his wife, Marilyn, would pay off all final-year education loans for the entire graduating cohort.
The Gift of Financial Liberty
The donation covers senior-year debt for 176 bachelor’s degree recipients and 26 master’s students. Kochhar stated the gift was intended to provide graduates with the “greater freedom” to take risks and build their careers without the immediate burden of student debt.
Honoring a 80-Year Journey
The gesture was a deeply personal tribute to Kochhar’s father, Prakash Chand Kochhar, who immigrated from Punjab, India, to Raleigh in 1946.
- A Pioneer: Prakash was the second Indian student to enroll at the college.
- Alumnus: He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1950 and a master’s in 1952 from the same institution.
- Full Circle: Anil Kochhar noted that 80 years after his father arrived with only “hope and determination,” his family is now able to clear the path for the next generation of textile leaders.
A Growing Legacy
This loan payoff follows a major investment by the Kochhar family earlier in 2026, which established a named deanship (the Kochhar Dean) and multiple endowments for faculty and graduate research at the college.