Mr. S.D. Sharma was president of the Republic of India and was also the roommate of Vinod’s dad at the University of Lucknow. Therefore, Vinod decided to honor him with the Shanker Dayal Sharma Institute for Democracy (SDSIFD). SDSIFD has been constructed, furnished and equipped at Lucknow University from funds donated by Vinod Gupta Charitable Foundation. It was inaugurated by Mrs. Bimla Sharma, wife of late Dr. Shanker Dayal Sharma, former President of India in November 2009. It has since then, been running courses on Democracy and Governance . It also takes up Parliamentary and Judicial Training Programs and Research Projects.