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Amrita University ranked as the 8th best university in the country by NIRF

3 April 2018, New Delhi
Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham has emerged as the 8th best university in the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) Ranking 2018 for Indian Universities, that was released by Prakash Javadekar, the Minister of Human Resource Development.

“This is a testament to the tradition of academic excellence, outstanding faculty and world-class infrastructure that Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham is known for since its inception in 2003” said Dr P Venkat Rangan, Vice Chancellor, Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham.

On behalf of AMRITA, Dr Sasangan Ramanathan, Dean-Engineering and Prof. Prashant R.Nair, Vice-Chairman, Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC) received the ranking certificate from the Union HRD Minister, Sh. Prakash Javadekar.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, which is only 15 years old, has been ranked the 8th best university in India behind well-established public institutions.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, with 20,000 students and 1800+ faculty (including about 200 international faculties), is a multi-campus, multi-disciplinary research university that is accredited with ‘A’ grade by NAAC and also ranked high by international ranking agencies such as THE, QS, etc. The University is currently spread across five campuses in three states of India – Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Karnataka, with the University headquarters at Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu.

The foundation stone for its upcoming campuses at Delhi and Amaravati have been laid recently.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham continuously collaborates with top US institutions including Ivy League universities and top European universities for regular student exchange programs and has emerged as one of the fastest growing institutions of higher learning in India.

Foundation stone laid for Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s 200-acre campus at Amaravati

07 Feb 2018, Amaravati, Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Sri. N Chandrababu Naidu today laid the foundation stone for Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s 200-acre campus at Amaravati, the defacto state capital. Over the course of two decades, the new facility will see an investment of more than Rs 2,500 crores.

Speaking on the occasion Swami Amritaswarupananda, said: “Amma says education should enrich students both internally and externally. Collecting information from the world, books, and instructors are only a part of it. For real education to happen, the student’s heart must open up. This cannot be gained by merely increasing one’s intellectual capacity. Nurturing this is the ultimate goal of Amrita.”

The Chief Minister said “Amrita is number one among all private varsities in India. As part of Mata Amritanandamayi Math, it will offer students strong moral and cultural values along with regular academics. That is why I give it great preference.”

The Amaravati campus, once completed, will offer the full complement of courses including Engineering, Management, Medicine, Humanities, Arts & Sciences, Bio-Technology, Nanosciences, Philosophy, Yogic Sciences, Ayurveda and other upcoming technologies. It will have state-of-the-art infrastructure, having tie-ups with top-ranked universities globally.

“As a top-ranked deemed-to-be university, we feel immense pride and joy in expanding our geographical footprint to Amaravati, which will be our seventh campus. It will impart education for life, not just to make a living,” said Dr Venkat Rangan, Vice Chancellor of the University.

“The Amaravati campus will be constructed in two phases – the first phase will comprise 150 acres and the second phase, 50 acres. Admissions will begin in 2018 for courses such as Computer Science, Information Technology, EEE and MBA – HR, Finance, Marketing, Production, Operations and strategy. By the year 2020, we expect to reach 2,000 students, starting with 300 in 2018. It will have state-of-the-art R&D centres doing cutting-edge research in frontier areas of technology, with a particular focus on societal benefit. To ensure academic excellence, the ratio of students to faculty will be kept at 10:1.” said& Br. Sadasiva Chaitanya, Director of Amaravati Campus.

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Universities should be the engines of innovation

10 Sep 2017, Amritapuri

1424 Graduates from Amrita University, Amritapuri Campus

The graduation day for Amrita University’s Amritapuri Campus was held at the Amritapuri Ashram today, in the Darshan Hall.

There were 1424 graduates from the Schools of Ayurveda, Biotechnology, Business, Arts & Sciences and Engineering, to receive their graduation certificates after successfully completing various degrees – PhD, MD, MBA, MSc, MCom, MA, MSW, MCA, MTech, BAMS, BSc, BBA, BCom, BCA and Btech.

Award of PhD degrees and award of Gold & Silver medals and Certificate of Merit for the University toppers from various batches were given out by Dr.M.Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences, Govt of India, Dr.G.Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor to the Defense Minister & Director General of Missiles & Strategic Systems, Govt of India and Swami Amrita Swarupananda Puri, President of Amrita University.

“All of you should be very proud of your university. It is one of the premiere Universities in the country. learning is a continuous process and it never stops. you should have a basic instinct for learning and want to be a student always” said Dr M Rajeevan, Secretary, Ministry of Earth Sciences in his address to the students

Dr G Satheesh Reddy, Scientific Advisor to the Defense Minister & Director General of Missiles & Strategic System inspired the students with these words “We need to do a lot more research in science and technology and come out with many more solutions. The world is moving very fast. Unless, we come out with innovative research, innovative product and innovative technology, we wont be standing in the world today. This innovation has to come from the University. Universities should be the engines of innovation.
“Today you are the best in among the private universities. You should become of the best in the country and produce graduates who will be leading in the world, come out with technologies and products which are required for the nation.”

Swami Amritaswarupananda Puri shared 4 points with the graduands, students on this day:
1) Feeling excited and then dissipated is becoming a DNA thing with this (facebook) generation. In most time, our celebrations are outside without feeling real celebration within.

2) The current generation communicates a lot through emojis and sms language. Using the medium of language, expressing through proper words or from the heart is surely much better. When it comes to sharing deep emotions like love, joy, sorrow write them in a proper manner. One may otherwise lose the skill to communicate and to open up the heart.

3) Always use your power of discernment or discriminative intellect before arriving at a conclusion or taking a decision. Freedom is not a license to do anything – but freedom’s true meaning is flexibility. If you are afraid of being in a structure, it is not freedom at all. Home is the source of mental and physical wellbeing. Always love, respect and serve your parents who sacrificed their entire life for you.
4) Our society is a result-oriented society, a what-is-in-it-for-me scenario. Become action-oriented rather than result-oriented. That is why Masters like Amma say Live in the present.

Swamiji, quoting Bhagavad Gita, also reminded that the mind is the friend of the conditioned soul and its enemy as well and highlighted how Amma had gone against all odds to conquer and achieve through her love and selfless actions.

This is the first time that the convocation ceremony is happening at Amritapuri, since Amrita University’s first batch of graduates 13 years ago.

-Kannadi

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Love & Serve, that is the real Gurudakshina

18 Feb 2017, Amritapuri

The 2017 batch of MBBS medical students at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences in Kochi came to Amritapuri today to receive their graduation certificates from Amma. They also had their class portrait taken with her.

During darshan Amma gave certificates to all, one by one, and had a small interaction individually encouraging them to do well or pursue higher studies. After they received the certificates, two of the young doctors came to Amma with a Guru Dakshina (a collection of sum of rupees offered to Amma).

When they offered it to Amma, Amma said, “Children, love and serve the serve the patients that come to you. That is the dakshina Amma wants from you, not this. The profession of a doctor is very blessed one. They are the ones who can help people in their suffering, who can help ease their pain. That is the greatest service. Help people when they need it. Love them and care for them. That is the real Guru Dakshina.”

-Sakshi

Amrita University to help Indian Army with solutions in the field

26 Jan 2017, Coimbatore

Amrita University faculty members and researchers met with a delegation of the Indian army for developing lightweight bunkers, smart hybrid power sources in the field and bio-friendly waste management systems among other solutions.

Faculty members of Amrita University Coimbatore made a series of presentations to a team led by Lt Gen Subrata Saha, DCOAS (P & S) on solutions to some of the problems faced by troops in the field. This was a follow up to the field visit undertaken by a group of Professors, PhD Scholars and Industrialists to the Sikkim Sector in November last year.
Earlier in June 2016 similar field trip had been sent to Kashmir, which yielded some good solutions and ideas.

Seven teams lead by heads of faculties from the Amrita University presented a range of solutions from light weight, high strength construction material too high density batteries specifically designed for very low temperatures.

Amrita University gets UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality

UNESCO chair on gender equality and women’s empowerment for Amrita University

27 Oct, Paris, France – Europe Yatra 2016

During Amma’s programmes in Paris, France, the United Nations officially made Amrita University India’s first-ever UNESCO Chair on Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment. The official bestowing of the UNESCO Chair took place before an audience of 8,000 people in Paris who were Amma’s programme.

Special guests included Ruchira Kamboj, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO; Dr. Peter Wells, Chief of Higher Education Section, UNESCO; and Gopinathan Achamkulangare, Inspector of the Joint Inspection Unit. Amrita University vice-chancellor P Venkat Rangan handed over the signed agreement on behalf of the university to Dr. Wells.

Dr. Peter Wells, Chief of Higher Education Section, UNESCO, said: “There is no greater force for development, resilience and peace in the world than girls’ education. Universities such as Amrita have a guiding and strategic role to play in this quest. This UNESCO chair will be at the crossroads of research and action, with the ambition to develop toolkits focusing on vital areas, from skills to health to climate change, on mobile technology applications, and better mapping of vulnerabilities. Amrita University and UNESCO share the same humanist agenda, and we look forward to a collaboration which advances the most important frontier for human rights, peace and progress.”

Ruchira Kamboj, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of India to UNESCO, said: “This is certainly the first-ever UNESCO chair in this discipline. What is truly remarkable is the strategy, where it is proposed to map out vulnerabilities of women and girls at various levels and from different perspectives, and through research, study, training, and an exchange of best practices, to find the best possible solutions, replicable by others. My thanks to Amrita University for the inspired idea and for the beautiful project. I am confident that through this chair, Amrita University will make sure that both the ceiling and the floor for women will be raised.”

Launched in 1992, the UNESCO Chairs Programme comprises a global network of more than 700 universities, across 128 countries. It promotes international inter-university cooperation and networking to enhance institutional capacities through knowledge sharing and collaborative work. Through the network, higher education and research institutions all over the globe pool their resources, both human and material, to address pressing challenges and contribute to the development of their societies.

UNESCO Chair for Amrita University

26 Sep 2016, Amritapuri – Amritavarsham 63 celebrations

The Government of India’s Minister for Human Resource Development Prakash Javadekar announced the establishment of a UNESCO Chair for Gender Equality & Women’s Empowerment at our own Amrita University. The Chair will focus on mapping vulnerabilities of women for a holistic approach to designing necessary solutions.

Said Prakash Javadekar: “Nothing is more noble than creating centres of excellence in education, and Amrita University is among the best in the country. The UNESCO Chair for Gender Equality and Women Empowerment will play a vital role in future. It takes care of all the millennium development goals, as they are directly or indirectly linked to the health, welfare and upliftment of women, be it maternal health, education, sanitation or infant mortality.

“The British were not interested in the empowerment of the country. They were interested to create a cadre of obedient officers and not uplift the education of the poor and underprivileged. After independence, the country has taken education to all houses, and achieved 98 percent enrollments in primary care. We have achieved expansion, now we have to receive quality education. That equality can be brought by Women Empowerment and Gender Equality, which is the focus of Amma’s new initiative with the UNESCO Chair on Women Empowerment and Gender Equality . As a HRD minister, it will be my duty to help good universities such as Amrita University, and it will be given boost for the future.

“Education is not a political agenda. Education is neither Left, Right or Centre. Education will be the top priority of our nation and I hope Amma will guide us. And we are all here to celebrate, to get blessings , and to give our pranams to Amma because she is the embodiment of love, compassion and humanity.

“Looking at the institutes which she has created in her birthplace, I can only say Brahma created this Sristhi, but you created another Srishti here. Nothing is more noble than creating centers of education. And you have created one, and today I am very happy to launch and declare the UNESCO chair. This is a very unique chair – it takes care of all women empowerment goals accepted by the UN. If a man is taught, one is taught, but if a woman is taught, the entire family and society is taught, because she is mother to all. When we teach women, this takes care of universal primary care education, lowers infant mortality, improve health, lowers possibility of contracting HIV.

“All religions teach respect, culture of live and let live, non-violence, truth. If people become religious, they will follow this noble path. I am happy as HRD minister and it will be my duty to help good universities like the one you have created. We are all creating a system where good universities have more autonomy and less regulation” said the Minister announcing the UNESCO Chair for Amrita University.

Amrita University ranked among the top 200 universities in BRICS

Amrita University has been ranked among the top 200 universities in BRICS (Brazil, Russia, India, China, South Africa) countries by reputed international ranking organization QS (Quacquarelli Symonds). Amrita is ranked ahead of many well known established universities.

QS has been bringing out the World University Rankings, which is regarded as one of the most influential and coveted university rankings in the world. QS was developed to track the relative progress of leading universities in BRICS countries. This ranking is based on eight key performance indicators relating to global reputation, employability, internationalization, faculty quality and research output & impact.

read more about the University www.amrita.edu

Amrita hospital brings open fetal surgery to India, fourth country in the world

26 Aug 2015, Kochi

Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre has unveiled a Centre of Excellence in Fetal Care for open fetal surgery – the first in Asia for treating complex and rare fetal conditions. With this, India becomes the fourth country in world after USA, France and Spain to offer open surgery on fetus.

“Open Fetal Surgery entails taking a baby with birth defects out of mother’s womb, performing corrective surgery and placing the fetus back inside the womb. The pregnancy is then allowed to continue. Later a caesarean section is done and the baby is delivered,” said Professor Mohan Abraham, Head of Pediatric and Fetal Surgery at Amrita Institute of Medical Sciences & Research Centre. “This prevents complications to the baby from birth defect, even before delivery, thereby helping to obtain a normal baby.”

The Centre has already done EXIT procedure for a baby with a swelling in the neck. The baby’s head was delivered from the womb, fluid from the swelling removed and a tube was put into the windpipe to enable breathing.

Amrita Centre of Excellence in Fetal Care has a dedicated fetal care team including experts from Fetal Medicine, Perinatology, Obstetrics, Paediatric surgery, Paediatric Genetics, Paediatric and Fetal Cardiology, Paediatric Neurology & Neuro Surgery, Paediatric Cardiothoracic Surgery, Human cyto-genetics, Biochemistry and Fetal pathology. The Centre offers every aspect of fetal care from conception to delivery and complete postnatal care.

Five new technologies and one very old one that will save the world

The United Nations has been focusing intently on the use of technology to solve global problems and drive development that’s both affordable and sustainable.

Amrita University itself is a lesson in innovation. It was founded not by scientists and scholars but by one of India’s most influential humanitarians and spiritual leaders, Sri Mata Amritanandamayi, who serves as Chancellor of Amrita University and believes that integration of the latest technologies with spiritual principles is the right way forward.

Amma gave the keynote address at the recent UNAI conference, stressing for the participants the Amrita University’s core tenet: progress that is driven by compassion and understanding for all people.

Amrita University has committed itself to the development of technologies to address these very concrete needs, without forgetting that human happiness and well-being also has a spiritual dimension. Amrita have been joined in this mission by scientists and technologists from top institutions around the world, including Oxford, Cambridge, Stanford, EPFL, Monash, Twente, and the National University of Singapore.

Amrita and our fellow researchers presented a few of these solutions-in-progress to over 700 representatives from 93 international universities at a conference on Technology for Sustainable Development that Amrita co-hosted with the United Nations Academic Impact (UNAI) program, a global initiative that aligns institutions of higher education with the UN to advance sustainable development.

Nanotechnology

• Health and Medicine — The problem of increasing antibiotic resistance is a concern for people everywhere. We’re developing nanotechnology materials that can serve as a new type of antibiotic materials that will overcome resistance. We’re also developing more effective and nanotech-enabled vaccines and nano-therapeutics for diseases of the immune system, such as multiple sclerosis and diabetes; new and less toxic nanomedicines for combatting drug resistance in cancer. We have shown the potential of a light-based diagnostic tool for early detection of oral cancer that can save countless lives.

• Clean Water — Hundreds of millions of people globally have limited access to clean water. Amrita’s research teams are using nano-textiles to create low-cost and effective filters that can remove disease-causing bacteria, parasites and viruses.

• Energy Storage – Many communities in India have little or no connection to an electric grid, but existing battery technologies have limitations of weight, cost, and storage. Nano-based solid-state thin-film energy-storage systems that our researchers are developing are capable of providing battery life of ten years or more and better storage capacity. The potential applications for better battery technology are exciting even for people with ready access to the grid.

Haptics & Robotics

• Education — The science of haptics is the science of touch and perception, using vibrations and other forces to simulate what it feels like to handle a tool or manipulate objects. Amrita and its fellow researchers are using haptic technology to address the need for effective and affordable training in construction and other hands-on vocational skills that men and women in developing communities need.

Sensors and Wireless Communications

• Disaster Management – Natural disasters have caused an estimated $1.7 trillion in damage and killed more than a million people, just since the year 2000. One of India’s biggest concerns is landslides, so Amrita scientists have developed a novel Deep Earth Probe that can sense when landslides are imminent and then send out warnings so people who live in high-risk areas can move to safer ground.

Traditional Medicine

• People have been practicing traditional medicine for thousands of years, notably in places such as China and India, and many of the herbal and nature-derived treatments are as effective or better than modern synthetic medicines. We are studying very carefully the mechanisms of action of these traditional medications and creating a new database that will help in bringing the curative aspects of these traditional medicines to the people. A good example is our demonstration of a traditional remedy for diabetic wound-healing made from the outer shell of the cashew nut that can potentially save many limbs from amputation due to incurable diabetic wounds.

– Dr. Shantikumar V Nair