For Vikram Handa, giving back is woven into a broader vision of sustainable progress, clean energy, and creating a better world through innovation. As a 2001 graduate of Tufts University and a global industrialist, Handa has always bridged the gap between academic research and practical industrial applications. His recent $11.5 million sponsorship to establish the Tufts Epsilon Materials Institute is his latest initiative to that commitment.
The new institute at Tufts’ School of Engineering will focus on sustainable materials for clean energy, especially advanced battery materials that are eco-friendly, longer-lasting, and faster-charging. The collaboration aims to reduce reliance on rare earth elements by exploring more abundant options like sodium that would advance both academic insight and real-world energy solutions.
As founder and managing director of the Epsilon Group, established in 2010, Handa has led India’s push toward decarbonization through two major arms: Epsilon Carbon and Epsilon Advanced Materials (EAMPL). From setting up a zero-water-discharge carbon facility in Bellary to scaling battery-grade synthetic graphite production for electric vehicles (EVs) and electronics, his work directly addresses global energy challenges. With expansion targets across India, North America, and Europe, his companies aim to become leading suppliers of both anode and cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries.
Through it all, Handa hasn’t lost sight of social responsibility. The Epsilon Foundation, under his guidance, has positively impacted the lives of over 500,000 people across India. Its wide-ranging efforts in the areas of healthcare, education, sports, and infrastructure demonstrate how corporate success can coexist with community upliftment.
The entrepreneur’s commitment to giving back, however, is perhaps most powerfully seen in his investment in future generations. By supporting faculty hiring and seed research at Tufts, Handa is enabling innovation that outlives business cycles and geographic boundaries. “This is a proud moment for me as an alumnus,” he said, adding that the institute will “build a robust supply chain for energy transition” and create deep collaboration between academia and industry.
For Vikram Handa, giving back means more than charity. It means powering possibility scientifically, socially, and globally.
