Shiv Nadar University Chennai, the third initiative in higher education by the Shiv Nadar Foundation, today welcomed students of the founding batch through ‘Shubharambh’ a uniquely designed orientation program. The selected students represent 10 states in the country and have secured admission among stiff competition that witnessed over 7500 students applying to the University in its inaugural year. Shiv Nadar University Chennai is the first state private University to be legislated in Tamil Nadu after 90 years (since Annamalai University Act in 1928), upon the passing of the Shiv Nadar University Act 2018. Students will be pursuing undergraduate degrees in four specialized programs in the schools of Engineering and Commerce and Management. These programs have been designed in line with the evolving educational and professional requirements within India and internationally.
The orientation program was inaugurated by Mr. R. Srinivasan, Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University Chennai, along with Dr. Kala Vijayakumar, Pro-Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University Chennai and Professor Sriman Kumar Bhattacharyya, Vice-Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University Chennai in the august presence of Mr. Shiv Nadar, Founder of HCL & Shiv Nadar Foundation and Ms. Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson of HCL Technologies and Trustee, Shiv Nadar Foundation. Also present were Prof. Abhoy Ojha, Dean of School of Commerce & Management and other senior faculty members. Dr Raj Reddy, Indian-American computer scientist and winner of the Turing Award will be addressing the gathering via Zoom from the US. Motivational talks by Commander (Retd.) V.K. Jaitly of the Indian Navy and Prof. Jayantashri Balakrishnan on ‘Design your Dreams’ were organized as part of the program.
Speaking about his educational journey, Shiv Nadar, Founder HCL & Shiv Nadar Foundation said, “The truly transformative phase of my student life was when I pursued my undergraduate degree in electrical engineering. Those five years laid the foundation for what were to be the defining characteristics of my entrepreneurial life. I learnt to challenge the norm, to innovate and find new solutions, to collaborate for greater success and to give back. My dear students, transformative education is a force multiplier. It empowers not just individuals, but through them also communities and nations. With your journey at Shiv Nadar University Chennai, you will become a transformative agent. My best wishes to you for the journey ahead!”
Roshni Nadar Malhotra, Chairperson HCL Technologies & Trustee, Shiv Nadar Foundation said, “Today is a landmark day for us as it marks the realization of a dream that was born in 2006 when the Shiv Nadar Foundation envisioned setting up a world-class university in Chennai. I am exceedingly optimistic and hopeful about the future of this University as we have brought our best learnings from the past 27 years of Shiv Nadar Foundation into setting up this institution. Over the past year, we have brought on board celebrated academicians to be a part of the University to offer our students the best learning journey and have formed a robust leadership team to ensure that their time at the University is as fulfilling as possible.”
Welcoming the students Mr. R Srinivasan, Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University Chennai said, “I am sure each one of you is as excited as we are about the intellectual adventure that you are about to embark on. That is at the heart of the experience that Shiv Nadar University Chennai will provide. At this university, you have chosen for yourself an education that will open new possibilities. You will receive the right blend of academic rigor and industrial exposure basis programs curated to develop leaders with strong foundational learning along with industry skills required to build long-lasting and successful careers.”
In its first year, the University is offering four specialized undergraduate programs in the disciplines of engineering and commerce. These contemporary programs are industry-oriented, nurturing knowledge and skill sets that will enable students to enter and excel in an evolving professional or educational landscape, both in India and internationally. Over the next five years, Shiv Nadar University Chennai will continue to introduce new programs and expand its offerings, including introducing an undergraduate program in Business Management (BMS) and establishing a School of Law at the University.
Shiv Nadar University Chennai is housed in a sprawling, vibrant campus at Kalavakkam. The University is home to world-class facilities, including academic and research blocks, a library, a state-of-the-art cricket stadium, a sports center, hostel facilitates for students and 24/7 internet access for all.
About Shiv Nadar University Chennai
Shiv Nadar University Chennai (https://www.snuchennai.edu.
The University campus features state-of-the-art infrastructure for learning, including seminar halls, auditoria, libraries, gymnasium, sports complex and hostels for men and women. The campus is entirely wi-fi enabled with 24/7 internet access.
The University offers a holistic educational environment that is continually evolving to bridge the gap between the classroom and professional demands by a group of world-class faculties who are progressive academicians, leading thinkers, eminent professionals and innovative educators from ranked global universities. The University has commenced its journey towards becoming a globally acclaimed centre for learning and innovation in fields of engineering and commerce and will continue to add diverse disciplines to its repertoire.
About Shiv Nadar Foundation
Established in 1994, by Shiv Nadar, Founder, HCL – a US$ 10.5 billion leading global technology enterprise, the Foundation is committed to the creation of a more equitable, merit-based society by empowering individuals through transformational education, and to bridge the socio-economic divide. Over the last 27 years the Foundation has directly touched the lives of over 30,000 alumni and students through its marquee institutions in literacy, K12 and higher education. Today, the Foundation has a community of over 100,000 constituents, which includes not only globally dispersed alumni and students but also faculty members, corporate executives, and extended families.
The Foundation has invested ~$1bn in its six landmark institutions and initiatives across education and art. Currently, over 12,600 students and over 2,000 faculty members are part of the Foundation along with around 19,000 strong globally dispersed alumni community.
The Foundation’s students have gone to study at some of the best institutions globally including the Ivy League in the US and top universities in other countries including Australia, Singapore, China and UK. Students are also working across major corporations, including Goldman Sachs, Honda, HP, Schindler, and several others both in India and across other geographies. Faculty across the Foundation institutions are drawn from the best Indian and international universities, with a strong focus on research and innovation.
The Shiv Nadar Foundation pursues the philosophy of ‘Creative Philanthropy’. It is a powerful model which envisages creation of institutions that are built to last and continue to impact future generations. It is an approach that allows sustained institutionalized philanthropy for long-term, high impact, socio-economic transformation.
