Jivrajka Family Foundation has donated $2 million to University of California, Los Angeles to establish an endowed chair dedicated to specialized cardiovascular medicine, with a strong emphasis on prevention for South Asian and other high-risk populations.
The contribution from the Indian American family creates a permanent source of funding to support research, clinical innovation and community outreach in heart health an area where South Asians face disproportionately higher risks of coronary artery disease and related conditions.
Dr. Ravi H. Dave, director of interventional cardiology and the Interventional Cardiology Fellowship Program, will serve as the inaugural holder of the endowed chair. He also leads the UCLA Health South Asian Heart Program, which focuses on culturally tailored prevention, early detection and treatment strategies.
Read: Indian American couple gifts record $4M to BITS Pilani
The foundation was established in 2024 by Drs. Jayashree and Vinod Jivrajka, both physicians who were born and educated in Mumbai, India, before continuing their medical careers in the United States. Their philanthropy reflects decades of work in patient care and a desire to give back to the profession that shaped their lives.
In interviews released by the university, the couple described cardiovascular disease as a deeply personal concern within the South Asian community, where heart attacks often occur earlier and with fewer warning signs than in the general population. By endowing a chair, they aim to ensure that research and prevention efforts endure well beyond a single grant cycle or campaign.
Endowed chairs provide stable, long-term funding that allows academic leaders to pursue ambitious projects, recruit talent and expand programs without relying solely on short-term funding sources. At UCLA, the new chair is expected to strengthen efforts to better understand genetic, metabolic and lifestyle factors that contribute to elevated cardiac risk among South Asians.
Read: Indian Americans to lead Institute of Medicine of Chicago
Dave said the gift will accelerate work already underway to refine risk assessment tools and expand outreach programs designed to educate families about diet, exercise and early screening. He emphasized that prevention not just intervention is central to reducing the burden of heart disease.
University leaders called the donation transformative, noting that Los Angeles is home to one of the largest South Asian populations in the country. They said the endowed chair will help bridge clinical care, research and community engagement in ways that directly address local needs while contributing to national understanding of cardiovascular disparities.
For the Jivrajkas, the gift is both professional and personal. As physicians trained in India who built their careers in America, they say the chair represents a full-circle moment investing in the next generation of clinicians and scientists working to prevent the very diseases they have spent their lives treating.