Following are excerpts from the interview at http://www.livemint.com/richardlevin.htm.
Leading Indian institutes are good at teaching but they are not research-oriented. What should be the focus now?
The IITs and IIMs are basically good teaching institutions… The biggest contribution made by research universities is that they have advanced knowledge as well as educate quality students. The requisite for making that happen is, one, opening up the structure of faculty compensation so that you can actually attract world-class individuals.
The strong Indian nationals go to graduate schools in the US and they will not come back if they don’t get compensation close to what they get aboard. And right now, they would not unless there is some change in legislation.
The second is the state support—the need for quality laboratory, infrastructure and competitive research grant to advance their work. While there have been some advances in research grants in India, there is still by and large not the quality of the facility that you can have access to in the US, parts of Europe or indeed recently in China.
…
You had an interaction with Ratan Tata (chairman of Tata group). Is he sponsoring a chair?
There is nothing particular to announce now. We are talking to lots of leading Indian families who are interested in Yale getting more involved in India. I hope there will be some support for our relationship. There is a lot of philanthropic interest in higher education of India. I hope Parliament will open the market up to those philanthropists to build universities. They can give some money to Yale, but that will not have the impact.
India is very brand conscious and it seems it wants foreign universities to set up shop here. That will help, but that is not the answer. The answer is great Indian universities and Indian brands. You have done it with companies—you got Tata, Reliance (Reliance Industries Ltd and Reliance-Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group), Infosys (Technologies Ltd), you got Wipro (Ltd). These are great global brands now. You can do the same with Indian universities rather than co-branding like Yale-India Campus or Harvard-India Campus.
The impression here is Yale is interested in partnering one or more of the proposed innovation universities. Is that true?
We can have partnership in more than one area (but) not as co-brands. There will be some exchanges.
We may have some advisory role, having some of our faculty helping establish these universities. No joint investment. I think the real hope (for innovation university) is private sector support.
How do you see the growth of education in India vis-à-vis China?
… To compete successfully 20 years from now, India and China will need much stronger research universities. China is very aware of this and politically committed to it.
China is making big investments in research laboratories. They are putting lots of money in top universities to make them competitive with Harvard, Yale and Stanford. They are focusing more on a small number of top universities. Politically, that is very hard for India to do because of India’s democracy. It is very hard for America to do so. Solution is to allow the private sector to have a big role in higher education.
I believe you will succeed because India has built great companies in (the) last 20 years. I think a lot of people responsible for that want to give back to the Indian society. They are eager to do what Leland Stanford (founder of Stanford University) and John D. Rockefeller (founder of Chicago University and Rockefeller University) did in America over 100 years ago. If I am not mistaken, all Parliament needs to do is not to give the money away but pass legislation so that will happen.
The term Ivy League seems to have caught on. After China branded some of its university as C-9 or the Chinese Ivy League, India is set to designate at least nine top universities the Indian Ivy League. Does this help?
It reflected something really in China. Those are the universities that China is making disproportionate investment (in). In fact the government made those investments before naming them as Ivy League of China. I don’t know much about the Indian Ivy League. Unless there are much resources, I don’t think it will have that much of impact.
… prashant.n@livemint.com
I have underlined the part that I thought are important. President (of Yale) Levin is right in his answers. Under the current system Indian government can not pay large enough compensations that will attract a large number of top-quality Ph.Ds and faculty from abroad to populate proposed world class research and innovations universities in India. Only private universities backed by Billion dollar level endowment as well as a viable plan to have global level annual funding year after year (note: My university, Arizona State U, has an annual budget of $1.7 Billion plus; Harvard and Stanford annual budgets are about $3 Billion) have a chance to become world class. Fortunately Vedanta University is exactly such a plan. But unfortunately, the Indian government, instead of helping it and showcasing it such that other billionaires from India follow it, is creating hurdles.
November 13th, 2010
Today I came across the page http://www.perkinswill.com/work/vedanta-university-medical-precinct-master-plan.html which shows the exact location of the proposed medical college in the campus master plan of Vedanta University.
The overall campus plan is as follows:
October 11th, 2010
Following is an excerpt from an interview in yahoo News.
What is your mission?
I will give 75 per cent of my wealth to charity. I enjoy big businesses. Our companies own aircraft because they need it. But I am happy living in a three-bedroom flat. We have brought $20 billion into India which is unheard of. Why is nobody speaking of that?
I think regardless of what happens to his other business in Odisha, if we let him build Vedanta University, he will build it.
September 23rd, 2010
(Thanks to Rahul Barik for the pointer.)
Following is from an India Today story published in its September 20th edition.
The Congress is now soft-pedalling on the Rs 5,000-crore Vedanta University project in Puri. BJD leaders feel Ramesh is under pressure from various quarters to clear the project.
Action taken against what promises to be Orissa’s education city may not fit with the Congress’ neo-progressive image. It might also alarm the powerful education lobby, which has many political patrons. Meant to accommodate one lakh students, the university offers 95 academic disciplines. The Governments of both Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka are now wooing Agarwal to shift to their states – an option he is considering if the project is shut down alleging SEZ violations. "Naveen Patnaik is sold on the university," says Mohapatra wistfully. "He hopes it will become the Oxford of Orissa."
While the above is a bit of good news, the hurdles still remain. Ramesh has not yet given the clearance. Neither the honorable Governor has signed the Vedanta University bill. Moreover, the Congress leadership in Odisha seems to not have any self respect. They are mere followers of diktat from Delhi are only interested in whether they can get a nice position by being subservient to Delhi. In that process whether Odisha loses in Malkangiri due to Polavaram dam or Vedanta University goes away from Odisha to Andhra, they don’t seem to care.
Also, MP Pyari Mohaptra is saying that "Naveen Patnaik is sold on the university." What about Pyari Mohapatra himself?
September 21st, 2010
Following is an excerpt from a report in NDTV.com.
The school, launched in Oxford last evening, has been supported by several world leaders and a 75 million pounds grant by American industrialist and philanthropist Leonard Blavatnik.
… The University is contributing an additional 26 million pounds as well as land in the Radcliffe Observatory Quarter, where the School will be located.
The school will provide a highly practical series of courses, leading to a Master’s degree, with a unique balance of the humanities, social sciences, law, science, technology, health, finance, energy and security policy.
The first students will start in 2012 and student numbers will increase to approximately 120 within the next few years.
Lord Patten, Chancellor of the University of Oxford, said, “This is a once-in-a-century opportunity for Oxford.
75 million pounds is $117.15 million in today’s rate. Contrast this to Vedanta University for which the pledged amount is $1 Billion. While Oxford is calling this grant a once in a century opportunity and is chipping in 25 million (one third the grant) as a matching amount many in Orissa and India do not see the value of a $1 Billion donation and instead of helping its establishment people ascribe all kinds of motives. This attitude of many people of Orissa is exactly why Orissa is at the bottom of everything.
September 20th, 2010
Following is an updated version of http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaColumn.asp?id=21178 with permission from the author Rinkesh Pati.
It’s not been long since the major automobile giant Tata moved out of West Bengal and relocated its new Nano plant to Gujarat after facing stiff opposition from the Trinamool congress party in the Bengal state. Whatever be the stand of the Trinamool party on this matter, the final outcome was that West Bengal lost a great opportunity of aggrandizing its industrial growth that could have brought several benefits to the Singur locality and the state in terms of jobs, per capita income, infrastructure development, etc. The vested interests of few political leaders forced the Tata company to ultimately move out of the state and look for other favored locations. I fear Orissa doesn’t face the same fate with the Vedanta University project.
It is quite obvious that whenever a new industry or any other major construction is going to be set up in a place, there will be issues like displacement, rehabilitation, fertile land acquisition, environmental issues, and concerns of indigenous tribal communities and farmers, followed by opposition to such developments. This is quite natural and it happens everywhere. But these are not issues which cannot be addressed and resolved amicably. The real problem arises when political parties jump into the matter and leave no stone unturned to gain every bit of political mileage out of the issue. They mislead innocent villagers with false stories and try to give them an impression that the development work is going to affect the area’s cultural values and environment.
Their stories may be partially true, but such concerns can be resolved amicably by peaceful and constructive discussions among the concerned parties. In this fight, everyone forgets the bigger picture, i.e. the greater objective behind the development plan. An institution like Vedanta University will definitely change Orissa’s image in the world. Not only will it help Orissa prosper in the field of education and research, it will also bring plenty of opportunities for the state and its people. A big university spreading across 4000 acres of land will bring unimaginable benefits to the economy of Orissa. It will create plenty of job opportunities, scope for new businesses and infrastructure development, and will help improve the living standards of the people of the adjoining localities. This will also help alleviate problems like poverty, unemployment, illiteracy in the state. If Vedanta University turns up the way it has been planned, Orissa will definitely be able to pride for decades and centuries for housing a university of such magnificent stature.
Despite being announced several years back the university project has witnessed only zero progress as it has always been surrounded by controversies. Initially, it was the stiff opposition by the local political parties and the misled villagers who started displaying vehemence against the project staff. Then there were environmental concerns over the proposed project. The project was first granted the environmental nod as well as the CRZ (Coastal Regulatory Zone) clearance by the MoEF (Union Ministry of Environment and Forest) in April this year. However, the clearance was suspended just one month later. Now the MoEF alleges the OCZMA (Orissa Coastal Zone Management Authority) of not producing sufficient information. I am not overruling the possibility of valid environmental concerns, but I believe these concerns can be addressed if all the political parties and government agencies adopt a balanced developmental approach.
My apprehension is that, the continuous hurdles before the university project in Orissa have opened doors of hopes for other states. Chief Ministers of states like Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have already started wooing the Anil Agarwal Foundation for shifting the project to their states. Other states will very soon line up in the race and will offer guarantee of facilitating favorable environment for the giant project. The irony is that major political parties like Congress and BJP, which are running their governments in AP and Karnataka respectively, have been strongly protesting the Vedanta project in Orissa since the very beginning. If the circumstances in Orissa do not change, Vedanta may one day shift the university to some other state.
My views are not pro-vedanta, they are rather pro-development. This is the need of the time that all political parties rise above politics and take steps forward to ensure that the gridlock created before the university project gets cleared soon. With Bhubaneswar being a fast developing city and an upcoming industrial and educational hub, a gargantuan project like Vedanta University will definitely accelerate the momentum and will help in the progress of the state.
[Writer Rinkesh Kumar Pati, from Bhubaneswar, currently staying in Arkansas, USA, users can contact him by adding comments here.]
September 13th, 2010
September 12th, 2010
Following is from a report in Indian Express.
As Anil Agarwal-owned Vedanta Resources battles to save its 1 MTPA alumina refinery project at Lanjigarh in Kalahandi district from the axe of Ministry of Environment and Forests, the much-vaunted Vedanta University project in Puri is for all practical purposes a closed chapter.
The proposed Rs 150 billion university seemed futuristic and sounded too-good-to-be-true when Agarwal signed the MoU in 2006 with the Orissa government. It was claimed that when completed the world-class multi-disciplinary university over an area of 6,800 acres on Puri-Konark marine drive would be at par with Harvard and Oxford universities. The university, when fully operational, was to have an intake of 100,000 students with cutting-edge research facility in 95 academic disciplines. But local opposition, problems over land acquisition and the MoEF’s spanners seem to have taken the wind out of its sail.
“The project is as good as over,” said a Vedanta official. The company’s officials confirmed that Vedanta has shifted 26 of its 30 staff at the site to other locations and all work has been put on halt.
Though the Anil Agarwal Foundation (a registered not-for-profit entity controlled by members of the Agarwal family) had acquired 4,500 acres of the 6,892 acres allotted to it on paper, it was unable to take physical possession of the land due to local opposition. Even the initial plan to build a 500-bed super-speciality hospital at the site met with hostility, the official added.
The first bottleneck for the project came in March this year when Orissa Lok Pal Justice P K Patra recommended a moratorium on the project till the Foundation complied with legal provisions pointed out by the Ministry of Company Affairs for conversion of its status from private to public company. The Lok Pal said the Foundation was a private company and thus the state government can’t acquire any land for it.
Acting on a petition of trade union leader Dwarika Mohan Mishra, the Lok Pal held that Land Acquisition Act and Section 16 of Shri Jagannath Temple Act, 1954 have been violated by the government. The Lok Pal asked the Chief Minister to appoint a competent authority to investigate and inquire into the land deal and take appropriate action against the erring persons.
The university project faced another big hurdle when the MoEF on May 11 kept the conditional environmental and Coastal Regulatory Zone clearance in abeyance over allegations of irregularities, illegal and unlawful deeds by the Foundation.
With the project facing so many bottlenecks, Vedanta officials said the project may go to Andhra Pradesh or Karnataka. Both Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh have sent feelers to Agarwal assuring him all support.
September 8th, 2010
Following is from a report from Business Standard (via sify.com).
… After rejection of the Stage-II forest clearance for proposed bauxite mining by Vedanta Aluminium Limited (VAL), the Union Ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) appears to have trained its guns on the proposed Vedanta University Project (VUP) in the state.
The MoEF, which had suspended the environmental clearance for the university project in May this year over the issues pertaining to the alleged violations of Coastal Regulatory Zone (CRZ) norms, has sought additional information and clarification from the state government.
In a letter to the state Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik datd August 26, the Union minister for environment and forest Jairam Ramesh has stated that the information furnished by the Orissa Coastal Zone Management Authority (OCZMA) is not adequate and more information needs to be submitted.
Ramesh has stated in the letter that OCZMA has not furnished the requisite information despite the reminder of the ministry last month.
The MoEF can place the VUP project before the Expert Appraisal Committee only after the receipt of the said information.
Ramesh has also stated that he has received allegations of violations of CRZ norms at the VUP site from MPs, MLAs and even a member of the technical committee of the OCZMA.
It may be noted that the MoEF had granted the environmental nod as well as CRZ clearance for the VUP in April this year.
The VUP to be developed by the Anil Agarwal Foundation has been envisioned to be a multi-disciplinary university of international standards on the Puri-Konark marine drive at an investment of Rs 5000 crore.
The university which will have an intake of 100,000 students will be spread over 6892 acres with a total construction area of 273.68 lakh sq metres.
The university will have provision for quality higher education and cutting-edge research facility in 95 academic disciplines.
Within the planned construction area of the university project, 1500 acres will be devoted to academic block, 1200 acres will be set aside for R&D centre and research work while 1092 acres will be earmarked for green belt and open spaces.
Besides, a township will be built over 2100 acres for the faculty and other staff of the university.
A sports complex spread over 100 acres and an exhibition centre on 100 acres of land are also set to come up as a part of the project.
September 7th, 2010
Following is an excerpt from a report in Economic Times.
The Anil Agarwal Foundation’s Vedanta University project, to be housed in Orissa, is likely to be issued environmental and coastal regulatory zone clearance. The proposed university project will now have to give up 200 acres of the 6,892 acres allocated to it, to address a coastal regulatory zone clearance.
It will be located on the Puri-Konark Marin Drive. These clearances were put in abeyance in May, after the environment ministry received information alleging irregularities, illegal and unlawful deeds by the Foundation. The university project had been given conditional environment and CRZ clearance in April. The proposed Vedanta University project is estimated to involve an amount worth Rs 150 billion.
We need to keep a close watch for any further hanky-panky. We need to make efforts to convince the honorable governor to sign the bill. Finally, keeping in mind the open offer from Andhra and Karnataka we need to urge the CM as well as Vedanta University authorities to speed up work. (Note that already due to Odisha government’s dilly-dallying we may lose Amrita University and Medical College to Andhra.)
August 28th, 2010
The following is from Dharitri. Vedanta University bill was passed more than a year ago. But the honorable Odisha Governor has not signed it yet. He is originally from Congress.
We need to write to the CM, PM and the Governor about it. Watch out this space for a plan of action.
August 27th, 2010
Following is from http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/rosaiah-invites-aaf-to-relocate-vedanta-university-to-ap/405561/. The highlights are mine.
Even as the Congress and BJP, two parties in the opposition bench in Orissa, are stiffly opposing the setting up of the Vedanta University Project at Puri, two south Indian states, where the government of these parties are in power, are vying with each other to get the project relocated to their respective state.
First it was Karnataka, which had sent feelers to Vedanta chief Anil Agarwal and assured him all support if he decided to relocate the project to the state.
Now, it is Andhra Pradesh chief minister K. Rosaiah, who has gone all out to woo Agarwal to set up the university project in his state. Congratulating Agarwal for entering the shores of Andhra Pradesh through acquisition of majority stake in Cairns India which has interest in KG Basin, Rosaiah in a letter to Vedanta chief has urged him to cement the ties further by complementing the Andhra Pradesh government’s efforts to make the state global centre of learning.
Meanwhile, the fate of jinxed Vedanta University Project appears to be sealed as the company has shifted 26 of its 30 staff at the site to other locations. “All work on the project put on halt and the residual staff will also be withdrawn shortly, said a company official.
In his letter to Agarwal, who is also the chairman of Anil Agarwal Foundation (AAF), Rosaiah said, “I request you to choose Andhra Pradesh as the state has a unique capacity and culture to nurture the institute of your dreams that will put Indian education back on the global map. I depute the chief executive officer of AP Invest, the state government’s nodal agency, to make a detailed presentation to you in this regard. I assure you that the state government will extend every possible support to this endeavour.”
“Your vision of building a research university of the stature of Stanford in India, your dream of providing higher education of global standards to over one lakh students is all the more heartening. My government strongly believes in nurturing great institutions of learning in the state. As part of this vision, we have successfully invited institutions of excellence like Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR), Chrisitian Medical College-Vellore and Indian Institute of Science-Bangalore to start their academic and research campuses in the state”, the letter added.
AAF had sought around 6000 acres of land for building a university project of international standards in Orissa. The universit was to come up on the Puri-Konark marine drive at an investment of Rs 5000 crore.
The university, when fully operational, was to have an intake of 100,000 with a total construction area of 273.68 lakh sq metres. This proposed university would have a provision for quality higher education and cutting-edge research facility in 95 academic disciplines.
The project could not progress on the ground due to stiff opposition from the locals and opposition parties over land acquisition. Though the company had acquired about 4000 acres on paper, it was unable to take physical possession of the land. “Whenever we went to start work on the project, we were chased away by the local villagers”, rued the company official. Even the initial plan to build a 1000-bed super-speciality hospital at the site met with hostility, he added.
To make the matters worse for the company, the Union ministry of Environment and Forest (MoEF) had put in abeyance its earlier order granting environment clearance to the project.
August 24th, 2010
The following is from http://orissasambad.com/news_article.php?id=34016. It states that the Chief Minister did bring up the issue of Vedanta University with the environment ministry. That is a good first step. But more needs to be done. Watch out this space for more plan of action. For now, you may still
August 24th, 2010
If you are concerned, please
August 22nd, 2010
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