It All Started with Neil
Hi, my name is Alex Anand, Director of Operations at The Neilom Foundation. Let me tell you a little about The Anands…
The Neilom Foundation was established by my late grandfather Davinder K. Anand in honor of my Dad, his son, Dilip “Neil” Anand. Neil was a successful CPA, an amazing father, a self proclaimed basketball star, and most importantly, the kind of person you never forget once you met them. He was one of those people that made you feel like he knew you for years and made you feel like he was there for you to help in any way shape or form. He believed that helping others was a fundamental part of life.
Whether it was helping them get a job, connecting them with a business, recommending a contractor, putting in a good word at bank, or paying for someone’s groceries, he never missed an opportunity to help young people. He would have been very proud of the work of his Foundation and everything that his father was able to accomplish in his honor.
Dr. Davinder K. Anand
In 2012, my late grandfather, Davinder K. Anand, founded the Neilom Foundation, a nonprofit dedicated to supporting young people creating positive social impact using technology in honor of my late father Neil Anand. Under his guidance, the foundation made significant investments at the University of Maryland and other institutions, establishing scholarships and prizes to benefit students in perpetuity.
Beginning in 2015, he took on a new challenge: developing a unique course in collaboration with the School of Public Policy titled Engineering for Social Change. This innovative course taught a new generation of students about the social impact of engineering, unintended consequences, and supported more than $60,000 in important social impact projects carefully selected by students in the course.
My grandfather spent the last decade up until the day he passed planning for the future on how this foundation can help the next generation succeed and do better than we all did before them. He will be remembered fondly for his wise, compassionate mentorship of and support for students, faculty, and staff at the university. His legacy is a testament to the value and importance he placed on education, family, and doing good at every chance he got.