US varsity building to be renamed after Indian-American couple

 ​Houston: A building at the University of Houston will be renamed after an Indian-American couple in recognition of a gift that will provide ongoing support for faculty, students and research, the varsity has said. The university's Engineering Research Building will be named after Durga D and Shushila Agrawal who made a sizable donation to the college, the varsity's Indian- American President Renu Khator said. The USD 51 million building, which opened in 2017, already had a floor named for the couple.

 Durga Agrawal came to Houston in 1968 with a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Delhi College of Engineering. He earned his master's degree and Ph.D. in industrial engineering from the UH Cullen College of Engineering. "My message to the students is to always be optimistic; one can achieve any goal with hard work, persistence and determination," Agrawal said. 

Eloise Brice, vice president of University Advancement, said the Agrawal's gift will benefit a number of key objectives. "Recruiting the best and brightest students and faculty is a key goal for the University of Houston, and this generous gift will allow the Cullen College of Engineering to make great strides in that arena," Brice said.