Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi

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We need a cold head with clear thoughts and a warm heart with compassion

19-21 October, Winterthur, Switzerland, – Europe Yatra 2018

Amma arrived at Eulach Hallen, Winterthur to a grand welcome by the Swiss devotees, accompanied by the traditional Swiss alpenhorn and clanging of the traditional Swiss cowbells. Upon her arrival, Amma served a prasad dinner to all the gathered volunteers and devotees.

Being the Maha Navami day, Amma spoke that evening about the importance of Navaratri, highlighting the fact that only when the ego is obliterated can one attain real fulfilment in life. The sword of the Divine Mother represents the Knowledge which slays the ego, represented by the head of the demon. Amma explained that darkness is not an object that can be removed; rather, when you bring in light, it automatically disappears. In a similar way, as you bring in the light of knowledge in your life, all ignorance will vanish and you can revel in the presence of the Divine Mother in your heart all the time.

On the first morning of her programs, following the morning meditation, as per tradition on Vijaya Dashami, Amma led the initiation into writing, by tracing the letters Om Hari Sri Ganapataye Namah in a plate of rice. By video conference, her children in Amritapuri and other centres all over the world also participated and Amma interacted with them directly, initiating them from afar and calling to mind her declaration, “Where there is love, distance is not a barrier.” The love exchanged between Amma and her children all over the world as she gently guided them in the traditional invocation of Lord Ganapati’s blessings was palpable in every corner of the program hall.

Amma was welcomed to Switzerland by Nik Gugger, member of Swiss Parliament and social entrepreneur; India’s Ambassador to Switzerland Sibi George; and Prof. Dr Michel Carton, former director of the Development Studies Institute in Geneva, former executive director and now senior advisor of NORRAG.

Mr. Sibi George said, “I am delighted and happy that one of the greatest daughters of India is with us today. As a diplomat of India for the last 25 years, I have seen Amma connecting the East and the West through her message of love and peace. Today, through her life and mission, Amma teaches the world that serving humanity is indeed serving God.”

As NORRAG had recently facilitated a collaboration between Amrita University and the University of Witwatersrand in South Africa in a pilot project to provide vocational training to underserved populations in South Africa, Prof. Dr. Carton expressed appreciation for Amma’s commitment to guiding academia toward fighting poverty: “I wish to express my thanks to you Amma for your humanitarian engagement and compassion. This is manifested not only in the field but also through the applied research and action for the human and socio-economic development of your university, which illustrates your approach toward research and universities.” Prof. Carton closed his speech by quoting Amma directly: “Today, universities and their researchers are ranked mainly based on the amount of funding they receive or the number of papers they publish and their intellectual calibre. Along with this, we should take into consideration how much we have been able to use their research to serve the lowest and most vulnerable strata of society. In our approach to sustainable development, we should not forget that it is by strengthening the people at the base of the pyramid that the entire edifice of society becomes healthy and strong.”

Reflecting on Amma’s significance for Swiss society, Gugger said, “Amma achieves that which is very important to me: she reaches people from different cultures, religions and social layers. She touches people through her message of selfless, non-judgmental love. Not only that – through her far-reaching charitable projects, she supports hundreds of thousands of people all over the world, and inspires them… Amma said very aptly – and I think this is very important for all of us tonight – ‘In today’s world, people have hot heads and cold hearts.’ The head is hot because it is full of egoistic desires and aggressive thoughts. The heart is ice-cold because the warming love is missing. What we need is the opposite. We need a cold head with clear thoughts and a heart filled with compassion for our neighbours. We have to learn to develop unconditional love for every human being. Through Amma’s inspiration and God’s grace, we can succeed.”

-Kannadi

 

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Spiritual knowledge should be our eyes, Science should be our arms : Amma

31 August 2018, Amritapuri

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s 15th Annual Convocation & Graduation Day Ceremony of Amritapuri Campus saw more than 1,325 undergraduate, post-graduate and Ph. D. students attaining their degrees in the presence of both Chief Guest, Dr. K Sivan, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), and Amma, who is the also Chancellor of Amrita University, on Friday.

In his speech, Dr. K Sivan, Chairman, ISRO urged that each student must contribute towards the development of the nation and that this is possible only when students take up their tasks without fear of failure.

Amma told the graduates, “In the present times when the harmony of nature is getting more and more disturbed, the world’s hope rests on students like you. The confluence of love, compassion and societal responsibility in students like you should lead the world towards peace. Rather than just thinking only about your own needs, you should also think about what you can contribute towards the betterment of the world.”

Amma told the graduates, “Your lives should also be for the service of the world. You should try to understand what is needed to protect the harmony of nature and put it into practice. At the same time, you should move forward, keeping your faith in the divine power that controls everything. Spiritual knowledge should be our eyes. Science should be our arms. Our life should be in such a useful way that with the knowledge we gained will be helping the world. For this, our heart should be filled with compassion.”

 

 

The colourful Graduation Day ceremonies started with all the students dressed in traditional golden Kerala clothing and graduation caps, participating in a procession to the Amritapuri Ashram’s main hall, where the ceremony took place.

Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham’s President, Swami Amritaswarupananda commented in his address that the essence of society is the student community and that gaining knowledge is a continuous process. Everyone should spend each moment of his life for the betterment of the society, he said.

The graduates belonged to the branches of Arts & Sciences, Ayurveda, Biotechnology, Business, and Engineering.

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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.

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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.

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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