Goshen College Alum Raj Biyani is scheduled to speak at the commencement ceremony on Sunday, April 26.
Biyani is currently the managing director for Microsoft IT India. Since graduating from Goshen College in 1992 where he studied computer science and accounting, Biyani has acquired an impressive resume. He earned an MBA with honors from the University of Chicago and since then has worked in many areas of Microsoft. The Microsoft website has applauded him on his profile page by stating that “Under Raj’s leadership, the Microsoft IT India organization has become a magnet for top talent across India, improved team retention, and ensured reliable delivery consistently.”
Biyani has been awarded several US patents and one EU patent, authored or co-authored ten “Think Week” papers for Bill Gates, and contributed to Microsoft’s cloud strategy. He also helped to drive Microsoft’s partnership with James Cameron and his film “Avatar”, which helped Microsoft establish itself as a critical data management partner for the production.
Through all his success, Biyani has never forgotten his alma mater. According to Becky Horst, registrar, Biyani has stayed connected and involved with Goshen College and has been appreciative of the education he received here. In 2003, he created the “Giving Something Back” award. This award is a scholarship given to a Goshen College international student who has made outstanding contributions to campus life.
Before he had the opportunity to leave his mark on Goshen College through his financial contributions, Biyani left an impression on some of the staff that has remained to this day.
“One memory I have of [Biyani] that will always stick with me was the senior statement he gave in chapel. He said that he ultimately came to GC because his mother thought it was the most Hindu of [all the] colleges he was considering,” Horst laughed.
Biyani now resides in Hyderabad, India, with his wife and two children, and divides his time between his Redmond and Hyderabad offices.
Biyani’s commencement speech is entitled “From the Maple City to Cyberabad: What I wish I had known at graduation.”
