Pitroda likely to be first Chancellor of Vedanta varsity

The proposed Vedanta University is likely to get chairman of the Knowledge Commission Sam Pitroda as its first Chancellor, Orissa's Higher Education minister Debi Prasad Mishra said today.     

While replying a debate on the controversial Vedanta University Bill-2009 in assembly, Mishra said the varsity authorities were in consultation with Pitroda to assume office of the Chancellor of the proposed world-class institution to be set up in Puri district.     
Mishra gave this information while some members from the opposition Congress and BJP raised doubts on establishment of the Vedanta university which would be given at least 6,000 acre of valuable land.     

Besides Pitroda, the varsity authorities also informed the state government, Mishra said that they had already contacted at least three nobel laureates to join as faculty of the proposed world-class university.     

Stating that the developers of the varsity would invest about Rs 15,000 crore, Mishra said the varsity aimed at providing a core campus comprising academic and non-academic buildings for one lakh students, 20,000 faculty members and matching number of non-teaching staff in phased manner.     

The Vedanta university would offer academic programmes like basic science, humanities, engineering, business management, law, medicine, agriculture, performing arts and bio-science, he said.

Orissa assembly also struck down the varsity's proposal to set up high calibre sports complexes through third party. "The varsity can develop its sports complex and not through third party," Mishra said.

Supporting establishment of Vedanta University in the state, the Minister said that the country required as much as Rs 4 lakh crore investment in higher education by 2020. "Orissa alone needs Rs 10,000 crore in higher education sector during the period," he said.

Stating that Vedanta University would be set up at an investment of Rs 15,000 crore, Mishra said that the state should in no way leave the opportunity of getting a world-class varsity.     

The controversial Vedanta University bill-2009 was likely to be put to vote in the assembly tonight, sources said.