Monte Ahuja Family Gives $10 Million To Cleveland State University

India-West News Desk

CLEVELAND, OH – Entrepreneur and philanthropist Monte Ahuja and his family have donated $10 million to Cleveland State University (CSU) to overhaul its business programs, expand student financial support, and strengthen training in artificial intelligence and entrepreneurship.

Announced October 14, the gift will support changes to undergraduate and graduate programs, new learning environments focused on emerging technologies and expanded corporate partnerships. The university aims to give its 2,200 business students more opportunities for practical work experience and help prepare them for a changing job market.

The university’s Board of Trustees will consider a proposal to rename the Monte Ahuja College of Business the Ahuja College of Business and Entrepreneurship. The family has also pledged $100,000 annually to recognize faculty members for research, mentorship, and academic contributions.

The latest gift makes the Ahuja family and the Ahuja Foundation the largest lifetime donors in CSU’s history, the university said.

Ahuja came to the United States from India in 1969 with $12 and a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Punjab Engineering College. He later earned a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from The Ohio State University and an MBA from CSU in 1975.

While studying at CSU, Ahuja developed the business plan for Transtar Industries, which he founded in 1975. The company grew into a major worldwide distributor of automotive transmission and drivetrain parts. He now serves as chairman and CEO of MURA Holdings, a private investment company.

Ahuja and his wife, Usha, previously donated $10 million to CSU in 2011, leading to the business college being named the Monte Ahuja College of Business. Their Ahuja Endowed Scholarship Fund, established in 1992, has provided scholarships to more than 1,500 students.

“My time as a CSU student was instrumental in my career, and we want to give many more students that same transformational experience, so they can go on to lead and build businesses in Northeast Ohio and beyond,” Ahuja said.

CSU President Laura Bloomberg said the gift will help prepare students for a business environment increasingly shaped by artificial intelligence and other emerging technologies.