Vedanta University

{{promotional|date=December 2017}}

Anil Agarwal, an Indian businessman, who heads the London based Vedanta Resources corporation and Naveen Patnaik, the Chief Minister of Odisha state in eastern India, had signed a memorandum of understanding to create a world class, multidisciplinary university, Vedanta University.{{cite web

| title=Anil Agarwal donates $1 billion to set up university

| url=http://ia.rediff.com/money/2006/feb/16ved.htm

}} The university, which would be entirely a not-for-profit venture, was planned to be funded from Agarwal's personal funds.{{cite web

|title = Major Private Gifts to Higher Education Since 1967

|url = http://chronicle.com/stats/big_gifts.htm

|access-date = 24 November 2005

|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20051124183251/http://chronicle.com/stats/big_gifts.htm

|archive-date = 24 November 2005

|url-status = dead

|df = dmy-all

}} Sam Pitroda, the chairman of the Knowledge Commission was the choice of the first chancellor of Vedanta University. Recent reports also suggest that at least three Nobel laureates have been contracted to join the university.{{cite news

| title=Pitroda likely to be first Chancellor of Vedanta varsity

| newspaper=Business Standard India

| date=17 October 2012

| url=http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/pitroda-likely-to-be-first-chancellorvedanta-varsity/69412/on

| agency=Press Trust of India

}}

File:VedantaUniversityOrissaLogo.jpg

• Engineering
• Medicine
• Business
• Liberal Arts
• Sciences
• Law
• Performing Arts

• Health Sciences
• Manufacturing Sciences
• Agricultural Research
• Rural Economics
• Information & Communication Technology
• Pharmaceutical Research
• Urban Planning
• Nanotechnology
• Biotechnology

The foundation has identified {{convert|6000|acre|km2}} of land near the Puri-Konark marine drive between Nuanai and Balighai for the proposed Vedanta University. However the land acquisition for the university has hit a roadblock with the Supreme court ordering a status quo and hence the project has been stayed.

{{cite news| url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110129/jsp/orissa/story_13504711.jsp | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121102082958/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1110129/jsp/orissa/story_13504711.jsp | url-status=dead | archive-date=2 November 2012 | location=Calcutta, India | work=The Telegraph | first=Samanwaya | last=Rautray | title=Status quo on Vedanta land | date=29 January 2011}}

Several environmental violations were raised against the university resulting in multiple cases in the High court and the Supreme Court. In May 2010, Government of India asked the Anil Agarwal Foundation to stall the construction of the proposed Vedanta University at Puri to address issues related to environmental violations in the project.

[http://www.deccanherald.com/content/68978/centre-halts-vedanta-university.html Centre halts Vedanta university]

[http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/jairam-says-no-to-vedanta-campus-in-orissa-24792 Jairam says no to Vedanta campus in Orissa | NDTV.com]

An academic has questioned whether, given its location and size, Vedanta can achieve its aims of being a leading research university.{{cite news| url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/29/stories/2007082955271300.htm | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071113064913/http://www.hindu.com/2007/08/29/stories/2007082955271300.htm | url-status=dead | archive-date=13 November 2007 | location=Chennai, India | work=The Hindu | title=Vedanta University: a flawed pipe dream | date=29 August 2007}} A rejoinder on the matter was also published.[http://www.orissalinks.com/archives/576 Odisha HRD » Rejoinder to "Vedanta University: a flawed pipe dream"] Another criticism leveled at the Vedanta university by politicians, local academics, and the farmers currently occupying the proposed site relates to the relatively vast area of the proposed campus and its large student intake, although a few individual opinions differ.{{cite web

| title=Vedanta University in Orissa & the dismal state of higher education in country

| url=http://www.orissadiary.com/ShowOriyaColumn.asp?id=14012

| work=Orissa Diary

| date=21 Aug 2009

}}

On 16 November 2010, the Orissa High Court declared the land acquisition for the Rs 15,000-crore Vedanta University project in Puri town as illegal and void[http://www.achrweb.org/ihrrq/issue2/orissa.html Asian Centre for Human Rights]

[http://www.indianexpress.com/news/land-acquisition-procedure-for-vedanta-unive/712043/ Land acquisition procedure for Vedanta University illegal: HC - Indian Express][http://www.financialexpress.com/news/land-acquisition-procedure-for-vedanta-university-illegal-hc/712043/ Land acquisition procedure for Vedanta University illegal: HC]

{{Cite web |url=http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7349104-another-set-back-to-vedanta |title=Another set back to Vedanta |access-date=17 June 2011 |archive-date=20 September 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110920050353/http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/7349104-another-set-back-to-vedanta |url-status=dead }}

A couple of months later, the Supreme court of India based in New Delhi ordered a stay or status Quo on all acquisition proceedings.{{cite news| url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-29/india/28357173_1_anil-agarwal-foundation-sc-orders-status-vedanta-university | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120826003626/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-29/india/28357173_1_anil-agarwal-foundation-sc-orders-status-vedanta-university | url-status=dead | archive-date=26 August 2012 | work=The Times of India | title=SC orders status quo on Vedanta university land in Orissa | date=29 January 2011}}

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 facilities in 95 different academic disciplines. But local opposition and the problems over land acquisition led to the company abandoning the project. according to their statements. 26 out of the 30 staff posted on site had been since posted to other locations and the project is still described as "as good as over" according to a Vedanta official.

A revival of the project is being tried with the hiring of the ex-Chief Secretary of Odisha, Mr. Bijay Patnaik, as the President of the Vedanta University Project. He joined this position on 30 April 2015.

He told TOI

that his priority would be to expedite the decision in the supreme court case. Asked about potential conflict of interest, he said that such a question does not arise as the project he has joined has nothing to do with Vedanta as a company and he personally feels that the university is a desirable project that should take shape in the interest of Odisha. In an interview with Telegraph,

{{cite web

| date=23 May 2015

| title=Hot seat: Bijay Kumar Patnaik, IAS (retired), former chief secretary and current president of Vedanta University project

| url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150523/jsp/odisha/story_21641.jsp#.VWD_JVnBy_S| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150528111503/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1150523/jsp/odisha/story_21641.jsp#.VWD_JVnBy_S| url-status=dead| archive-date=28 May 2015}} he discusses more details on his task in reviving Vedanta University. He also gave an interview

{{cite web

| date=14 May 2015

| title=Kholakatha 14 May 2015

| website=YouTube

| url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PPpX8imawZI |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/PPpX8imawZI |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live}}{{cbignore}} (in Odia) to OTV, a major cable channel in Odisha, where he addressed many questions that were raised by the media on this issue.

Some signs of a possible revival were earlier reported in September 2014

{{cite web

| date=26 September 2014

| title=Anil Agarwal to donate 75% of wealth for good of society

| url=http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/companies/anil-agarwal-to-donate-75-of-wealth-for-good-of-society/article6449869.ece}}

and December 2014.

{{cite news

| date=6 December 2014

| title=Anil Agarwal: Charity on his mind Agarwal has pledged three-fourths of his wealth to philanthropy. Will he deliver?

| newspaper=Business Standard India

| url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/anil-agarwal-charity-on-his-mind-114120501329_1.html| last1=Satapathy

| first1=Bhupesh Bhandari Dillip

}}

However, prior to that, in the previous years (2012, 2013), Anil Agarwal in some of his interviews did talk about his continuing interest in establishing Vedanta University.

See for example:

{{cite news

| date=1 November 2012

| title= Vedanta Group hopeful of revival of varsity project

| newspaper= Business Standard India

| url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/vedanta-group-hopeful-of-revival-of-varsity-project-112110100557_1.html| agency= Press Trust of India

}}

{{cite web

| date=28 November 2012

| title=Anil Agarwal to take a non-executive post at Vedanta in 3-4yrs

| url=http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-anil-agarwal-to-take-a-non-executive-post-at-vedanta-in-3-4yrs-1770830}}

{{cite news

| date=19 February 2013

| title= Vedanta will double earnings to $12-13 bn in 2-3 years: Anil Agarwal: Interview with chairman, Vedanta

| newspaper= Business Standard India

| url=http://www.business-standard.com/article/companies/vedanta-will-double-earnings-to-12-13-bn-in-2-3-years-anil-agarwal-113021800960_1.html| last1= Chatterjee

| first1= Dev

}}

The Supreme court of India on 28 November 2016 gave some positive indications that it may allow Vedanta University. The Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of India and a member of the bench hearing this case, Justice T.S. Thakur, is quoted to have said "Why should anyone oppose setting up of a world class university which will give opportunity to over one lakh students? If somebody is making an investment of Rs 2,500 crore in education, why should somebody oppose it? Students will benefit. Public would benefit."

{{cite web

| date=29 November 2016

| title= SC hope for varsity plan by Vedanta

| url=http://www.telegraphindia.com/1161129/jsp/frontpage/story_121901.jsp#.WErFHqIrJE4| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161130154745/http://www.telegraphindia.com/1161129/jsp/frontpage/story_121901.jsp#.WErFHqIrJE4| url-status=dead| archive-date=30 November 2016}}

The Supreme Court bench seems to have suggested that the court may monitor the setting up of the university so as to make sure that the land is used for the

university and not for commercial purposes.

{{cite web

| date=29 November 2016

| title= May monitor setting up of private university in Odisha: SC

| url=http://indianexpress.com/article/education/may-monitor-setting-up-of-private-university-in-odisha-sc/}}

Following that, the promoter, Mr. Anil Agarwal, said to OTV in Bhubaneswar: "We will definitely go ahead with the plan to set up the university".

{{cite web

| date=1 December 2016

| title= Vedanta hopeful of Puri varsity

| url=http://odishatv.in/odisha/body-slider/vedanta-hopeful-of-puri-varsity-179504/}}

• Higher education in Orissa
• Nalanda University

{{Reflist}}

• [https://web.archive.org/web/20120826003626/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2011-01-29/india/28357173_1_anil-agarwal-foundation-sc-orders-status-vedanta-university SC Orders status quo on Vedanta University]
• [http://www.vedanta.edu.in Vedanta University Official Site]
• [https://web.archive.org/web/20070505053447/http://www.time.com/time/specials/2007/time100powergivers/article/0,28804,1616375_1615711_1615671,00.html Anil Agarwal]
• [http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2006/7/27/newIndianUniversityModeledAfterStanford New Indian university modeled after Stanford]
• [http://baltimore.bizjournals.com/baltimore/stories/2006/07/24/daily11.html Baltimore architects hired to design new Indian university]
• [http://chronicle.com/daily/2006/07/2006072006n.htm Indian Foundation Will Give $1-Billion to Create a Huge Research University]
• [http://diverseeducation.com/artman/publish/article_6146.shtml Billionaire Proposes New Research University]
• [http://www.businesswireindia.com/PressRelease.asp?b2mid=10309 The Anil Agarwal Foundation Announces a Memorandum of Understanding with the Government of Orissa to Establish Vedanta University]
• [http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/articleshow/1767838.cms Vedanta, Orissa to sign MoU for mega varsity]
• [http://indiaenews.com/2006-07/15472-orissa-vedanta-university.htm Orissa to have world class Vedanta University]{{dead link|date=January 2025|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}
• [http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?NewsID=1042717 And a $3 billion hope for education]
• [http://www.financialexpress.com/fe_full_story.php?content_id=134616 Orissa’s $3 bn to Vedanta varsity]
• [https://www.usatoday.com/printedition/news/20060816/1a_opklamoneychartxx.art.htm Giving big: Largest gifts to colleges]
• [http://www.citybizlist.com/lstg/lstgDetail.aspx?id=8794 $1 billion investment inspired India's new Vedanta University]
• [http://vedantauniv.blogspot.com/ Vedanta University]
• [http://www.ibnlive.com/videos/16190/topnotch-univ-to-come-up-in-orissa.html Top-notch Univ to come up in Orissa] (CNN-IBN video)
• [http://www.worldarchitecturenews.com/index.php?fuseaction=wanappln.projectview&upload_id=1137 U.S. firm unveils masterplan for Indian university]
• [http://chronicle.com/weekly/v53/i45/45a02601.htm?=attw "In Rural India, an Ambitious Academic Vision"] Chronicle of Higher Education, 13 July 2007.
• [http://chronicle.com/weekly/v53/i45/45a02602.htm For Planners, the Opportunity of a Lifetime]
• [http://chronicle.com/temp/email2.php?id=KqgGHdJM5mszbhcnbTMKSrpYczpmmbSm In Rural India, an Ambitious Academic Vision] Chronicle of Higher Education, July, 2007.
• [http://daily.stanford.edu/article/2007/10/24/indianCollegeToBeModeledAfterStanford Indian college to be modeled after Stanford]
• [https://www.forbes.com/global/2009/0316/044_campus_politics.html Campus Politics]
• [https://www.forbes.com/global/2009/0316/044_higher_education.html Higher and Bigger Education in Orissa]

{{Vedanta Resources}}

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Category:Universities in Odisha

Category:2006 in education

Category:Puri

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