Update: I talked to one of persons associated with AOLHET. He said that AOLHET is the US arm of Sri Sri University and its main goal is to raise $250 million (about Rs 1200 crores) for the Sri Sri University. He said many of the trustee members listed below have significant experience in fund raising for a university. With a budget like that, the freedom from government by virtue of being a private university, the world wide admiration and visibility of Sri Sri Ravishankar, and the world-wide network of Art of Living, this university could challenge the proposed National University in Bhubaneswar.
I stumbled across a new site for this at http://aolhet.com. AOLHET is Art of Living Health and Education Trust. It has more up-to-date information. From the pages there we have the following information.
Dr. Alfred Balitzer, former United States Special Ambassador to Brunei and Professor of American government, political philosophy and U.S.-Asia relations at Claremont McKenna College, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET
Mr. Raj Shah, Chairman and CEO of Capital Surini Group International, Inc. and Capital Technology Information Services, Inc., is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET
Dr. Salim Aziz, a Cardiothoracic and Thoracic Surgeon and CEO and Medical Director of Capitol Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery Associates and Millennium Scan International, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET
Mr. Jeffrey Houk, Board Member of the Art of Living Foundations, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET
Dr. Dean Harmison, a Specialist in General Dentistry, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET
Dr. Raman Poola, a physician specializing in Gastroenterology and Internal Medicine, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET
Mr. Arif Diwan, President and Founder of WILLIGENT Corporation and Managing Director and General Partner at Chrimatos Investments, is on the Board of Directors of the AOLHET
Dr. TN Seshan, former Chief Election Commissioner of India (1990 – 1996) is the President Designate of Sri Sri University
Dr. S Ramaratnam is Vice Chancellor Designate of Sri Sri University
Dr. NV Vasani, Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Nirma University is on the Advisory Board of Sri Sri University
Mr. S.B. Ganguly, Chairman of Exide Industries, is on the Advisory Board of Sri Sri University
Colleges, Academic Departments and Programs
• College of Management Bachelor’s degree (2 years); students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
Marketing
Business Management
Human Resources
Banking and Finance
• College of Arts and Humanities Bachelor’s degree (2 years); students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
Cultural Studies and Anthropology
Performing Arts
• College of Government Bachelor’s degree (2 years) and Master’s degree (2 years)
• College of Mass Communication Master’s degree (2 years)
• College of Social and Behavioral Sciences Master’s degree (2 years)
• College of Biological and Environmental Sciences Master’s degree (2 years); Students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
Sustainable Development
Pharmacology
Agriculture
Biotechnology
• College of Material and Transportation Sciences Master’s degree (2 years); students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
Textile Sciences
Transportation Sciences
• College of Engineering Master’s/Doctoral degree (4 years); Students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
Electronics and Telecommunications
Computer Sciences
Information Technology
Mechanical Engineering
Electrical Engineering
Instrumentation
Electronics and Electrical Engineering
Civil Engineering
• College of Ayurveda Master’s/Doctoral degree (4 years)
• College of Vedic Sciences Master’s/Doctoral degree (4 years)
• College of Mathematics and Physical Sciences Master’s/Doctoral degree (4 years); Students will focus in one or more of the following areas of study:
Physical Sciences
Chemistry
Mathematics
• College of Medicine Medical Doctoral degree (4 years)
• College of Law Bachelor’s in Civil Law degree (5 years).
Sri Sri University will provide a unique educational experience that blends academic and personal development, which will nurture, educate, and empower students to become leaders in public service. A world-class academic institution, the University will feature multidisciplinary curricula to promote the pursuit of truth through educational and spiritual empowerment. Unparalleled didactics coupled with self-reflection will prepare students of all cultures and creeds for personal and professional excellence globally. A key objective of Sri Sri University is to foster scholarship and collegiality among its students, to inspire them to advance knowledge, to promote understanding, and to serve humanity.
The Art of Living Foundation and the Government of Orissa signed a Memorandum of Understanding on December 18, 2006 to establish a full-fledged multidisciplinary university near the state capital, Bhubaneswar within two to three years. The goal of the university would be to provide holistic education that is firmly embedded in Indian culture and ethos to the global leaders of tomorrow. Admission into the university will be based on merit alone, which will be assessed based on an entrance examination. Admission into the proposed varsity will be open to Indian as well as foreign nationals.
The proposed campus is being constructed in approximately 186 acres of land along the banks of the Mahanadi River in Naraj, about 20 miles from Bhubaneswar. The campus will include academic buildings, recreational facilities, meditation halls, and a sports complex. It will be designed to cater to the needs of 1,500 faculty members, an equal number of non-academic staff members, and 15,000 students. In 2007, the international consulting firm Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu was appointed to chart the strategic plans for Sri Sri University. Under the execution plan developed by Deloitte, Sri Sri University will establish the following colleges between 2009 and 2014:
Year 1: Management, Law, Government
Year 2: Mass Communication, Cultural Studies
Year 3: Engineering, Medicine
Year 4: Ayurveda, Vedic Sciences, Biotechnology
Year 5: Research Sciences
A Sri Sri University education will seek to inspire students to explore, create, serve and lead.
The goal of the Sri Sri University Teaching Hospital is to provide primary, preventive and educational healthcare. The Teaching Hospital will offer state-of-the-art, affordable medical care to communities in underserved areas by using an integrated approach that combines traditional health care and modern technology.
In the period between 2009 and 2014 the Art of Living Health and Education Trust aims to:
• Design and construct the Sri Sri University Teaching Hospital with specialized facilities on campus;
• Build 25 primary care satellite clinics in locations determined by a feasibility study, to be conducted in 2008-2009;
• Offer telemedicine services in primary care clinics with the capability to transfer patients with specialized medical needs to appropriately staffed and equipped clinics;
• Emphasize community-driven development through the International Association for Human Values’ 5H program [Health,Hygiene, Homes, Harmony in Diversity, Human Values]; and
• Develop a replication strategy using the design, construction, and operations of the Sri Sri University Teaching Hospital
as a prototype, in collaboration with other NGOs and charitable organizations, to extend the His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s vision of affordable primary, preventive and educational healthcare to other parts of the world.
• December 2006 – Memorandum of Understanding signed with State Government of Orissa to establish Sri Sri University
• January 2007 – University President Designate Mr. T.N. Seshan (Former Chief Election Commissioner) contracts Deloitte to chart strategic plans for University
• June 2007 – Governing board appointed and faculty recruitment launched
• November 2007 – Hong Kong architectural firm begins blueprint for environmentally friendly campus
• February 2008 – Orissa State Cabinet approves status as an Autonomous Educational Institution
Campus
”Home to more than 15,000 students and 1,500 academic faculty from around the world, Sri Sri University campus will be located less than 15 miles from Bhubaneswar, the capital of Orissa.
…XIMB had sought 60 acres of land from the Orissa government in Bhubaneswar for developing its second campus but the B-school’s plans was marred by inordinate delay on the part of the state government in allotment of land.
“We have already taken up the issue of allotment of land with the state chief minister, industries secretary and other relevant officials. However, we are yet to receive any communication from the state government on allotment of land”, Joseph clarified.
The institute was open to set up its second campus in alternative locations of the state like Cuttack and Khurda if land was unavailable in the city.
Meanwhile, it had also started scouting for private land in Cuttack and Khurda apart from within the city owing to delay in allotment of land by the state government and the B-school was aiming to take possession of the land by the end of this year.
The institute aimed to make its second campus operational by 2012 to mark the 25th year of formation of XIMB.
In another development, XIMB is set to roll out the part-time doctoral programme in management in its existing campus from the next academic session.
This programme is being designed for those work executives who cannot pursue full-time doctoral course in management.
… At present, XIMB offers Fellow Programme in Management (FPM) with an intake of 15 participants every year.
… XIMB had recently entered into a MoU (memorandum of understanding) with the US-based Eastern Michigan University for offering dual degree programmes to its students.
According to the MoU, the students of XIMB will spend two semesters at the Eastern Michigan University and they will be awarded certificates in post graduate programmes like MS degree in Information Systems and MS in Organisational Behaviour apart from the conventional MBA course.
XIMB is awaiting the approval of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) for offering the dual degree programmes to its students.
With an annual intake of over 1,000 students, XIMB currently has tie-ups with ten overseas B-schools in Germany, France and Spain.
Talking to some people who are in the know, the govt. is trying to give 60 acres of land to XIMB for its second campus. The delay is due to several reasons, but the govt. is definitely trying. The possible location of this is near Naraj Mundali in the area called Ramdaspur. This is within a km or two of the Sri Sri University location. That area is slowly becoming a knowledge hub with the following proposed institutions:
Sri Sri University, Govindpur (near Arilo), Naraj side
National law school, Brajabiharipur, Cuttack side
XIM Second campus, Ramdaspur, Naraj side
Ravenshaw University second campus, Bidanasi, Cuttack side
Sri Sri University is conceptualized on a vision of Holistic Inspired Education that aims to ready its students for the demands of the Industry and market economy, along with making them into well rounded human beings. Sri Sri University intends to do this by giving them deep roots in the supple and fertile earth of Indian Value Systems, its cultural history and philosophy while helping them look beyond the horizon towards a Global Perspective.
By doing this we hope to give them the strong foundation that they will need to grow sturdy and rise above the milling forest of humanity and be able to give shade to the teeming billions of tomorrow. In them we do not just see tomorrow’s richest but tomorrow’s leaders and pillars of society on whose shoulders the world of the future will be built.
Industry Relevant Courses
Higher education is critical to India’s aspirations of emerging as a major player in the global knowledge economy. The global competitiveness of Indian industry and also its employment generation potential is clearly dependent on availability of required skills and trained personnel. Higher education trains people to take up different economic roles in society and spurs technological innovation that drives economic growth.
After China and the USA,India has the third largest higher education system in the world. Given the sheer number of qualified professionals India produces, the possibility of finding people with the right skill sets should have been a lot stronger than it is in reality. But companies are finding it increasingly difficult to get the right talent, especially at the middle-management level. Only a small fraction of the qualified labor force can be considered suitable for employment in companies operating in the global arena.
This low employability could be attributed partly to the mismatch between the industry requirements and the academic curricula of most of the professional colleges.
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s vision is to TRANSFORM THROUGH EDUCATION and this is specially kept in mind while putting together a curriculum of Global Standards in the Sri Sri University. Therefore, along with courses that will help the students to be "industry-ready" and make their mark on a Global platform, it will also provide them with all means of self-improvement – like access to yogic philosophy, Art of Living Courses in self realization and conflict resolution, etc. which will make them well rounded Global Citizens.
The Mission of the University is:
To create, preserve and at the same time disseminate knowledge and understanding by teaching; research, training and extension activities by effective demonstration and influence; and to create centers of excellence for providing knowledge, education, training and research facilities of high order in the field of science, technical and other related professional education as per its current status and such other means as may develop in future, including continuing education.
To develop training facilities in higher education including professional education and allied fields; provide for inter-relationships for national and global participation in the field of arts, commerce and science and technology and other fields.
To function as learning resource centre.
To provide for arrangement for national and global participation in the field of higher and professional education including technical education.
To establish close associations with industry.
To make teaching, research and training at the university relevant to the needs of the economy at a national and global level.
To affiliate colleges with similar objects or willing to adopt similar objects in and outside the state to further the cause of higher learning with modern and global teaching techniques university may adopt time to time
To Institute 44 courses in next 5 years across disciplines.
To have 8 fully functional and completely equipped departments in next 10 years.
To initially admit approximately 350 students and approximately 3000 students by its fifth year
To Employ 35 faculty members in its first year and 145 by its 5th year.
The choice of courses in the Sri Sri University Curriculum will be guided by these factors:
Growth in economic sectors, potential for employment within the sectors and commercially viability of the course.
Current and anticipated demand trends for specific courses.
These are not linked to any specific economic sector.
Inspirations from His Holiness and foreseeable needs for further development of the state of Orissa.
Certification Courses that are of short duration and impart quick and marketable skills.
Sixteen major sectors of the Indian economy were examined. They are:
i.Automobile
ii.Banking and Financial Services
iii.Construction
iv. Electronic Components and Assemblies
v. Health Care
vi. Insurance
vii. Textile and Apparels
viii. Retail Services
ix. Telecom Services
x. Transport Services – Shipping and Ports
xi. Transport Services – Railways
xii. Transport Services – Civil Aviation
xiii. Transport Services – Roads & Highways
xiv IT / ITES / BPO
xv. Machinery and Equipment
xvi. Media and Entertainment
For each of the above sectors the following aspects were considered:
• The size of the sector and its growth rate
• Key trends in the sector
• Projected employment
Projected sector growth rate was mapped to the projected employment growth rate. Based on this analysis, the high employment and growth sectors were chosen and courses were instituted according to what was felt would fulfill their needs.
Emphasis on soft skills and values
In the 21st Century every young individual stepping into the “Professional World”, pursues one common goal: Success And Money. From the first day these young minds get busy mapping out their roads, lanes and bye-lanes to the very top.
Lost in this rat race, busy running at their best speed to achieve the materialistic pleasures of our age, they lose out on what some consider the most important qualities of life: Peace of Mind, Ethics, Moral Values and Connection to their fellow being. Lost in the Machinations of life, they forget their place in the bigger scheme of things whether in the corporate world, in the families or even in the universe at large.
Can they really be blamed for following what they have been taught by the world around them, when the media and socio-political structure of our societies preach the creed of materialism? Where will they, our nation’s future, learn to follow the path of higher and finer values?
Corporate houses spend huge amount of money to impart soft skills in their work force which they think will help their employees to:
a) manage their own emotions
b) manage relationships
c) take responsibility of their own actions
Short term courses on soft skills do not change the attitude but just give an idea about them instead. It then depends on the person to practice and bring about the change. Building the course in curriculum will provide ample time and opportunities to bring about lasting shift.
Sri Sri University is fully conscious of its social responsibility to contribute towards the education that shape personalities in such a way that in the students, we do not just see tomorrow’s richest, but tomorrow’s leaders, and pillars of society on whose shoulders the world of the future will be built.
Sri Sri University intends to provide World-Class Holistic Education to its students which will facilitate Cognitive, Physical, Emotional, Social and Spiritual Growth. Its Philosophy on Education revolves around the overall development of a student and not merely academic excellence. The salient features of this philosophy are:
1. Be Child-centered, Culture and Tradition Rooted 2. Key trends in the sector 3. Integrate Love, Care and Compassion into the Education Process 4. Be Curiosity Driven rather than Information Based 5. Instill Self Esteem and Creativity 6. Individual Attention, based on the Uniqueness of Each Individual 7. Interactive Class-room Processes & Experiential Field Trips 8. Discipline through Self-Awareness 9. Teachers as Facilitators, not Instructors 10. Environment Develops Interest, Skill and Likings in the Student 11. Cordial and Friendly Teacher-Student Relationship Emphasis on soft skills and values
Benchmarks
The trend in Indian Education is for large sections of under-graduate and post-graduate students to leave the country for what is perceived as more integrated education in foreign shores. Even though a lot of initiative has been taken in the recent past in terms of private education, public opinion is still swayed by what they believe as the non reliability factor of unconventional private degrees.
To gain confidence of this sector, Sri Sri University intends to become a centre of Excellence matching International Standards in Education with participation of industries which are globally present and with academic experts from developed countries.
The Sri Sri University will match the best standards of the higher education sector for deeper penetration of information and individualized training and comfort for faculty and students alike. Some of them are:
Library 10 books per students
Printer 1 for every 10 students and 1 for each faculty
Computer 1 for every 3 students and 1 for each faculty
Space; 150 sq ft for each student in academic area
Students-teacher ratio 20 : 1
Journals per college 22
Workshop / seminars per academic year per discipline 54
Academic Facilities
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s vision is to TRANSFORM THROUGH EDUCATION, and this is specially kept in mind while putting together a curriculum of Global Standards in Sri Sri University.
Therefore, to facilitate its courses the following facilities are provided:
• Advanced laboratories
• Extensive libraries
• Student centers
• Technically advanced teaching aids
• Alumni association
• Hostels
• Hospital
• Housing and guest house
• Templeof knowledge
• Transportation
• Sports complex
• Meditation hall
• Residential complexes
• Married students accommodation
• Advanced communication and data management systems
• Community centre
• Art and creativity centre
1. Post Graduate Diploma in Bussiness Management (2 Years)
2. Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication (2 Years)
3. Post Graduate Diploma in Government (1 Year )
The first two courses run for about 20 months each while third is 1 year course. A wide range
of meaningful and purposeful elective subjects are offered in each of them.
The second one is the real deal. (I guess at some point the first one may become an extension center of the second one.)
Following is the layout map of the Sri Sri University, near Naraj overlooking Kathajodi river.
Currently the following programs are planned to be offered by the Sri Sri University.
Under Graduate and Post Graduate Courses
Contemporary Courses These courses have a good demand in the market and are likely to be well received in the future due to the demand-supply gap. They are a mix of courses that have traditionally enjoyed a good demand (e.g. engineering and law) as well as those that would be successful in catering to the requirements of an increasingly liberalized modern economy e.g. entrepreneurship.
Inspirations from His Holiness These courses cover a wide expanse of knowledge. On the one hand they include courses in Indology, Ayurveda and Vedic Sciences, while on the other they include courses for Advanced Research in Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics. This versatility is in keeping with the holistic philosophy of the University and what it hopes to achieve. This series of courses also includes courses in Government, which The University believes will help turn out future leaders for Orissa, India and the World.
School of Management 2 Years Degree courses in Marketing, Finance, Human Resources, and Banking and Finance.
School of Law 5 Years Undergraduate Degree course in Law.
School of Government 2 Years Post Graduate Degree course in Government.
School of Cultural Studies 2 Years Post Graduate Degree course in Tourism and Indology.
School of Engineering 4 years Undergraduate Degree courses in Electronics and Telecommunications, Computer Sciences, Information Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Instrumentation, Electronics and Electrical Engineering and Civil Engineering.
School of Biotechnology 2 Years Post Graduate Degree courses in Pharmacology and Biotechnology.
School of Sciences 2 Years Post Graduate Degree courses in Textile Designing and Transportation.
School of Ayurveda 4 Years Post Graduate Degree courses for Research in Ayurveda.
School of Vedic Sciences 4 Years Post Graduate Degree courses for Research and Development on Vedic Science.
School of Research Sciences 4 Years Post Graduate Degree courses for Research in Advanced Physics, Research in Chemistry and Research in Mathematics
The University also offers various certificate courses for the students. These would generate qualified employable individuals in a short period of time. They are also expected to be cost effective. These courses are projected to increase from 5 in the Second Year to 14 by the Fourth Year. Emphasis on soft skills and values
A student at the Sri Sri University would be able to aim for a certificate in the following subjects:
·German, Japanese, Russian, Spanish, Chinese, Italian, French
Formal education trains people to take up different roles in the society in pursuit of economic growth and social order. With the Indian industry poised to take off as a global economic power, the demand for skilled youth to guide and carry on this pursuit can not be underestimated. Paradoxically, it is confronted with an ever increasing number of educated youth, with mismatched skill-sets: youth with an abundance of technical knowledge but clearly lacking in focus on inner joy, initiative and creativity.
Sri Sri University is an international initiative to address this anomaly by developingtomorrow’s leaders, managers of change, trained to the industry requirements, with an attitude and skill-set transcending specific disciplines. Inspired by His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, students will look beyond their own limitations and share bigger responsibilities as worthy citizens and brim with confidence. In them we may see not just the smartest, but the leaders, the pillars of society on whose shoulders the future world will be built – Truly global citizens with traditional and moral niceties, broadening the vision… deepening the roots.
Under the aegis of the Art of Living, through its educational arm Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir Trust (SSRVM Trust), Sri Sri University, situated on the serene banks of the Kathjori River nearCuttack in Orissa, India, will be a multi-disciplinary university matching international standards oneducation. Amply responsive to the industry requirements and committed to all-round development ofstudents’ personality and value systems, it will nurture professionals with relevant information, updated skill-sets and an attitude for understanding their socialresponsibilities and leadership roles in all walks of life.
As part of the overall university initiative, it is also proposed to set-up a separate world-class MedicalCollege within the campus to produce qualified doctors with a deeper sense of commitment and responsibility towards this noble service. The college shall also have an adjacent Super-speciality Hospital with the latest state-of-the-art facilities and equipments to facilitate total practical experience to the students to complement the excellent theoretical education, and also to provide comprehensive treatment facilities for the needy from far and wide.
The website of the university is http://www.srisriuniversity.org. The courses that are on offer now (hope they start working on the engineering and medical school soon) are as follows:
Following is an excerpt of the news item from the Statesman about the foundation laying .
The foundation stone for the Sri Sri University was laid at Naraj in Cuttack district today. The University is going to be set up by Sri Sri Ravisankar Vidya Mandir Trust.
Speaking at the occasion, chief minister Mr Naveen Patnaik said the world-class research-based University will have streams in basic science, arts, engineering, business management, law, art and culture, ayurveda and others.
… The government has provided 186 acres of land for the Sri Sri University and will bring a special law for it.
Spiritual guru Sri Sri Ravisankar said the whole world looks to India for guidance in the present turbulence across the glove.
“The human values are the best gifts of our country to the world”, he said.
On the university he said that that this will be a common man’s university. “There is an urgent need to change the educational system and the prime necessity is the teaching of human values”, he added.
Following is an excerpt from a report in The Pioneer.
Volunteers of the Art of Living on Sunday organised a preparatory meet at Naraj, 30 km from here, … to serve as a prelude to the arrival of Sri Sri Ravi Shankar on September 20.
… Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, during his stay here from September 20 to September 25, would lay the foundation-stone of the university and deliver a spiritual address to over 10,000 devotees expected to gather on the occasion, said AOL faculty Devjyoti Mohanty, adding that over 186 acres of Government lands have already been allocated by the State Government for the proposed university.
This is the first-ever university to be set up by the Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidyamandir Trust, and it would be a regular university with a spiritual touch, he said. Local people have been mobilised for their fullest cooperation for the project, and the university would take into account the interests of the State while selecting the candidates, he added.
Sri Sri Institute Of Management Studies, Bhubaneshwar is the the result of H.H.Sri Sri Ravishankar’s vision of blending high quality education with spirituality and human values. The courses are so designed to train the students in Self Management, Stress Management and Personality Development.
Courses Offered
1. Post Graduate Diploma in Bussiness Management (2 Years)
2. Post Graduate Diploma in Mass Communication (2 Years)
3. Post Graduate Diploma in Government (1 Year )
The first two courses run for about 20 months each while third is 1 year course. A wide range of meaningful and purposeful elective subjects are offered in each of them.
Salient features of the Institute
Courses with high job prospects are offered
Curriculum to match demands of the industry
Corporate bodies will be invited to conduct campus interviews
Holistic Education to equip the student to compete with their counterparts at the global level
Value based and stress free education
Art of Living Courses to teach the students to manage their own emotions and interpersonal relationships.
Adequate Infrastructural facilities
:Address:
N-5/421
IRC village, Nayapalli,
Bhubaneshwar- 751012
:Contact
Dr. S.Ramaratnam 944916801
Qualified faculty
Their trust already has a management school running in Goa. It seems to be a good school with good faculty. Thus it is expected that the management school in Bhubaneswar will also be good. Besides offering a 2 yr PG Diploma in Business management (which is the only degree offered in the Goal school), the Bhubaneswar school will also offer a 2 year PG diploma in mass communication. This program is a longer program than the One year Post Graduate Diploma in Print Journalism & Electronic Media offered by the trust’s journalism school in Bangalore. The Bhubaneswar school will also offer a one year PG Diploma in Government which is not offered by any other school of the trust. Thus the proposed Bhubaneswar school will have more programs than the Goa school and Bangalore school combined.
The Bhubaneswar school page has the following information visible only at the html/php code level:
Address: N-5/421
IRC village,
Nayapalli,Bhubaneshwar-751012
Contact: Dr. S.Ramaratnam 944916801
Perhaps that is the address until the campus is built near Naraj.
Following is an excerpt from a news report in Pioneer.
Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir Trust will set up a medical college and super specialty hospital near Naraj. Earlier, it was announced to set up a private university at Naraj. It has also planned to set up health centre in all the districts of the State.
In this connection, Trust member Yezdi Batliwala called on Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik on Saturday at the State Secretariat.
The State Government has allotted 185.97 acres of land for this purpose. The proposed university would have a core campus comprising academic and non-academic buildings to cater to the needs of 15,000 students, 1,500 faculty and matching number of non-teaching staff.
Basic science, humanities, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, business management, law, bio-science, art, culture and Vedic studies, Ayurveda, aviation and maritime training will be on course list. The campus will house a sports complex, recreational facilities, utility centres and meditation halls.
The draft bill was cleared by the state cabinet, which was chaired by chief minister Naveen Patnaik, today.
The existing law allows the establishment of only government-run university in the state.
The government has, therefore, drafted a unitary law to facilitate self-financed and self-governed private university to be set up by Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidya Mandir Trust.
Chief secretary Ajit Tripathy said the bill would be introduced in the Assembly in the next session. There will be a provision in the bill for representation of the government in the management board through a senior officer.
… This would be the first private university to be set up in Orissa for which draft legislation has been formulated.
Meanwhile, the government has allotted 185.97 acres at Naraj on the outskirts of Cuttack for the project.
The university would have a core campus comprising academic and non-academic buildings to cater to the needs of 15,000 students, 1,500 faculty and matching number of non-teaching staff.
Basic science, humanities, engineering, medicine, pharmacy, business management, law, bio-science, art, culture and Vedic studies, ayurveda, aviation and maritime training will be on course list.
The campus will house a sports complex, recreational facilities, utility centres and meditation halls.
The university would be fully residential with hostels for faculty as well as students. Necessary infrastructure such as roads, communication, water, sewerage, effluent treatment system, power distribution, medical and banking facilities will be provided by the proposed university management in a phase-wise manner.
Orissa Government on Saturday decided to allot nearly 200 acres of land at a concessional rate to Sri Sri Ravishankar Vidyamandir (SSRV) for setting up its proposed multi-disciplinary university in the state.
This was decided at the state cabinet’s meeting today, presided over by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik.
According to the government’s decision, the Bangalore-based trust will pay Rs 6 crore for 185.970 acre of land near Naraj barrage over river Mahanadi in Cuttack district.
Officials said while the actual price of the land sanctioned in favour of the trust would be Rs 30 crore, the government, on the basis of its Industrial Resolution Policy, decided to offer the land at a cheaper price.
"The government is prompted to give land on concessional price as the trust would be setting up a university of international standard in the state," said Chief Secretary Ajit Tripathy. …
Sources said that the government has demarcated land for the purpose in three villages in Cuttack sadar tehsil. "While 105.57 acres are demarcated in Vidyadharpur village, 48.21 acres in Arilo village and 32.19 acres in Govindpur village," he said.
The SSRV had signed MOU with the state government on December 12, 2006 for the university.
The decision came close on the heels of the government’s decision to allot nearly 6,200 acre of land to Vedanta group for setting up its university near Puri.
Pioneers reports on a reply in the Orissa state assembly regarding groups interested in setting up of private universities that have contacted the state government. Following are some excerpts.
The State Government on Thursday said the Government has already received proposals to set up six private universities in the State. These universities included the Vedanta University, Ravishankar University, ICFAI University, Barrister Ranjit Mohanty Law University, Amity University and SBM University.
… Higher Education Minister Samir Dey said Government is planning to introduce a bill to regulate the activities of the private universities.
He further said that all the private universities have to arrange the land for setting up their own campus. But in few cases, the State Government will provide lands to the private universities. He further said that 398.811 acres of land has been provided to Utkal University. Similarly, 250 acre of land to Berhampur University, 573.11 acre to Sambalpur University, 80.73 acre to FM University, 98.02 acre to North Orissa University, 1,674 acre to Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology and 100 acres of land have been provided to Jagannath Sanskrit University.
Sri Sri University is the latest mega project Sri Sri Ravi Shankar Vidya Mandir Trust has undertaken to translate our beloved Guru Ji’s vision of higher education being global, contemporary, relevant, holistic and empowering. The campus will be situated on a sprawling plateau, measuring 200 acres abutted on one side by a rain fed river and a railway line on the other. Only few kilometers away from Cuttack a traditional city and Bhubaneshwar the capital of Orissa an eastern state of India; the campus will sit in the lap of Mother Nature away from the pollution and distraction of a city yet within the reach of urban facilities.
I received a power point presentation about the proposed Sri Sri University. It provides some details on what the plans about this university are. As per my conversation they planned to start in 2007 but it is getting delayed and they won’t start in 2007. One of the reason for the delay is that the government of Orissa has not yet passed the private university act. I hope they pass it this session of the assembly.
The Art of Living Foundation was inspired by the programs of spiritual leader and humanitarian His Holiness Sri Sri Ravi Shankar that began in 1982. It has been a nonprofit 501(c)(3) educational and humanitarian organization in the U.S. since 1989. Accredited as a United Nations Non-Governmental organization in 1996, it is now one of the UN’s largest volunteer-based NGOs. It works in special consultative status with the UN’s Economic and Social Council, participating in a variety of committees and activities relating to health, education, sustainable development, conflict resolution, and disaster relief.
If anyone is interested in helping in the establishment and development of this university, I would be happy to put him/her in touch with the people who are in charge. Please write to me and let me know what kind of help you have in mind.
