Princeton University has announced the endowment of seven new University Professorships, made possible through significant contributions to its Venture Forward campaign. Among these is The U. Krishna Veeraraghavan ’99 and Sejal Shah University Professorship, established by Indian American donors Sejal Shah and Krishna Veeraraghavan.

“The University Professorship is the most prestigious honor Princeton can bestow on a faculty member,” a statement from Princeton noted, adding that the distinction is reserved for scholars who demonstrate exceptional academic achievement and who have made significant contributions to the University’s research and teaching mission.

Sejal Shah, a board-certified dermatologist, is the founder and medical director of SmarterSkin Dermatology, a private cosmetic dermatology practice in New York City. Krishna Veeraraghavan, a member of Princeton’s Class of 1999, serves as the global co-head of the mergers and acquisitions group at the law firm Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison LLP.

“I’ve always been proud of Princeton’s single-minded pursuit of excellence. Coming back to campus last spring for my 25th Reunion and seeing all my classmates and friends reiterated how lucky I am to be a part of this University for my entire life. I think of where I am today, and it all started with my time at Princeton,” said Veeraraghavan in the statement. “As Sejal and I thought about ways to give back, one of the things that became clear to us was the importance of attracting the best and brightest professors. It’s essential to the future of the University to recruit and retain highly sought-after scholars.” 

Veeraraghavan also reflected on the rapidly evolving academic landscape, noting the transformative developments in artificial intelligence, quantum computing, the biosciences, and the role of the humanities in shaping these fields.

“By establishing this University Professorship, we hope Princeton will honor brilliant teachers who’ve not only produced world-class research — but who also have a capacity for even greater future growth,” he added.

In addition to their support of Annual Giving, the couple previously established the Krishna Veeraraghavan ’99 Fund in 2019, aimed at supporting college access initiatives at Princeton.

The Venture Forward campaign underpins the University’s strategic framework and advances key priorities such as college access and affordability, financial aid, data science, bioengineering, environmental studies, American Studies, and groundbreaking research in areas including quantum science, artificial intelligence, and cancer.

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