Guntur Chosen for 3D-Printed Housing Pilot as Local Couple Donates $100 Million to UCSF
Two stories put Guntur in the national and international spotlight in early October 2026. The central government selected Guntur for a pilot project to build 3D-printed rural houses, backed by joint funding from the Ministry of Rural Development and the Andhra Pradesh state government. And a couple from Guntur — Dr Ambati Srimannarayana and his wife Rama — donated one hundred million dollars to the University of California, San Francisco, creating an endowment to support innovative research and student scholarships.
🏢 Government Selects Guntur for 3D-Printed Rural Housing Pilot
Guntur district in Andhra Pradesh has been selected to host a pilot project to construct rural houses using three-dimensional printing technology, the New Indian Express reported on October 2, 2026. The total project outlay is Rs 13.93 crore, exclusive of taxes. The Ministry of Rural Development — MoRD — will contribute Rs 9.44 crore, while the Andhra Pradesh state government will provide the remaining Rs 4.49 crore. Union Minister of State for Rural Development and Communication, Dr Pemmasani Chandrasekhar, is associated with the initiative. Three-dimensional printing of houses relies on robotic extrusion equipment that lays down construction material layer by layer to form walls and structural elements. This method can reduce both construction time and dependence on skilled masonry labor, making it attractive for rural housing programs where such skills can be scarce. In areas with pressing housing needs and limited access to conventional building tradespeople, printed structures can offer a faster route to permanent shelter. Guntur's selection for this nationally funded pilot indicates that the district has the administrative and logistical capacity to support the demonstration. A successful result could open the way for the approach to be applied more broadly across Andhra Pradesh and neighboring states, creating a replicable model for rural housing delivery that draws on newer construction technology while remaining within the cost structure of central government housing schemes. [4]
🤝 Guntur Couple Makes $100 Million Gift to UC San Francisco
A couple from Guntur — Dr Ambati Srimannarayana and his wife Rama — have donated one hundred million dollars to the University of California, San Francisco, to support innovative research and fund student scholarships, ETV Bharat reported on October 5, 2026. A photograph published alongside the article shows Dr Srimannarayana presenting the donation to UCSF authorities. The hundred million dollars will not be disbursed directly. The full amount will be invested as an endowment, and only the annual income earned from that investment will be used — to fund scholarships for students and to support innovative research at the university. Structuring a gift in this way means the benefit continues indefinitely: as long as the endowment remains invested, scholars and researchers will receive support from its returns year after year. UCSF is among the most distinguished academic health science and biomedical research institutions in the United States, recognized nationally for its work in medicine, pharmacy, nursing, and related health sciences. The donation by a couple from Guntur to an institution of this standing in California is among the larger philanthropic gifts associated with the district. It reflects the reach of the diaspora from Guntur and the broader Andhra region, many of whose members have built careers in medicine, science, and technology in the United States, and have subsequently invested in American academic institutions at a significant scale. [5]
Sources: [4] The New Indian Express · [5] ETV Bharat