ANNAMALAI UNIVERSITY

The Annamalai University was founded in the year 1929 by the munificence and single -minded devotion of the far-sighted and noble-hearted philanthropist and patron of letters, the Hon’ble Dr. Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar of Chettinad, Kt., LL.D., D.Litt. Since then, during these seventy-nine years, the Annamalai University has grown into a premier, unitary, residential institution of higher learning and research.

The University today is spread over an extensive campus of about one thousand acres and has the Faculties of Arts, Science, Indian Languages, Engineering and Technology, Education, Fine Arts, Agriculture, Medicine and Dentistry and, in all, they comprise 49 Departments of Study.

Dr. Rajah Sir MA Muthiah Chettiar of Chettinad, Kt., B.A., D.Litt., the Founder Pro-Chancellor from 1948 to 1984 assiduously nurtured the growth and development of the University and devoted his life to realize the aims of his noble father Dr. Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar.

Dr. M.A.M. Ramaswamy, BA, D.Litt., D.Sc., the present Founder Pro-Chancellor, the distinguished son of Dr. Rajah Sir Muthiah Chettiar, is a philanthropist and patron of sports, and has fulfill ed the dreams of his illustrious father by building up the Rajah Muthiah Institute of Health Sciences. Under his dynamic leadership, the University has become one of the frontline universities in India.

The University has had the unique good fortune of having a succession of eminent Vice-Chancellors to guide its destiny. The University is all set to grow from strength to strength under the stewardship of the present Vice-Chancellor, Prof. Dr. M. Ramanathan, who is a reputed surgeon, conscientious educationist, an able administrator and an ardent promoter of social activities. His perceptive understanding of the expanding horizon of distance education in the country and his encouragement to the Directorate of Distance Education are highly appreciated by educationists.

Annamalainagar is a busy and self-contained University township, east of Chidambaram town, the abode of Lord Nataraja, the Cosmic Dancer. The sprawling and scenic campus enclosing the Departments of Studies, Students’ Hostels, Staff Residential Quarters, Playgrounds, etc. is situated at a holy place (Tiruvetkalam, currently known as Annamalainagar), 2 kms from Lord Nataraja Temple.

The Rajah Muthiah Institute of Health Sciences, a dream-project comprising the Rajah Muthiah Medical College, the Rajah Muthiah Dental College and the Rani Meyyammai Institute of Nursing offers various UG and PG Programmes, besides serving the rural populace through its modern 1210 -bed hospital.

The Sir C.P. Ramaswamy Aiyar Library, the third biggest in Tamil Nadu, has a collection of more than 4.7 lakh volumes besides journals, reports and rare palm-leaf manuscripts. It has all the modern facilities including E-mail, Internet and Microfilming.

The University, being unitary and residential in character, has about 20,000 students, pursuing various on-campus programmes of study and nearly 10,000 of them are accommodated in its 16 hostels, acclaimed to be the biggest in the country.

The University plays a vital role in disseminating knowledge acquired through research to the surrounding rural areas in which it is placed and it serves the larger community through its Centre for AdultEducation and Extension, the Regional Centre for Modernisation of Rice Mills and Extension Services,

Centre for Rural Development and Uplift of Weaker Sections, the Department of Community Health and Preventive Medicine, the Rajah Muthiah Dental College, the NSS; and above all, through its Directorate of Distance Education it takes education to the doorsteps of thousands of adult learners all over the country and abroad.

The Directorate of Distance Education established in 1979 offers four hundred and one different programmes of study under the Regular Stream. It is credited with the largest enrolment in India and is well equipped with computer and other infrastructure, adequate teaching faculty and administrative set-up of its own, study centres, computer training centres, etc., to serve its students’ clientele in their best interest at their door steps. It has also the unique distinction of offeri ng first in India, Postgraduate Degree Programmes in Applied Psychology, Physics, Chemistry, Zoology, Botany, Bioinformatics and Law through Distance Education mode. The Directorate of Distance Education is also offering the Programmes on Fashion Design, Textile Design, Interior Design, Hotel Management and Catering Technology Programmes, Retail Management, Twinning Programme, Programmes on Health Science, Commonwealth Youth Programme, Yoga, Music, Fire and Safety, Pharmaceutical and Taxation Programmes.

All the programmes of study offered by the Directorate of Distance Education have the approval of the Distance Education Council, New Delhi National Assessment and Accreditation Council has accredited Annamalai University.

BRAHMA KUMARIS &
RAJYOGA EDUCATION & RESEARCH FOUNDATION

Brahma Kumaris Ishwariya Vishwa Vidyalaya is, in many ways, a unique Vishwa Vidyalaya; it is a well known spiritual value-based educational institution which has gained global acceptance and unique imitational recognition.

Global acceptance of its teachings: The world-wide acceptance of its teachings can, perhaps, be gauged by the fact that its affiliate centers have spread in over 130 countries in all continents, and they number over 8000. Its recognition by various world bodies can be appreciated by the fact that It is affiliated to the Department of Public Information (DPI) of the United Nations as a Non-Governmental Orgnisation (NGO). In the Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) of the United Nations, it holds Consultative Status. It has Consultative Status also with the UNICEF (UN Children’s Fund). The United Nations ‘University for Peace’ in Costa Rica receives its co-operation in the field of peace education by means of an official agreement. This Vishwa Vidyalaya has been awarded UN Peace Medals for 1981 & 1986. The Commonwealth of Russia has granted official recongnition to this Spiritual Vishwa Vidyalaya Vidyalaya in their country.

The Education Wing promotes value-based education through a variety of programmes and activities, including Moral and Spiritual Rajyoga Education Training Courses conducted for in-service primary, higher primary and high school teachers, as well as for lecturers of pre-university colleges. These training courses are approved by the Department of Education,

Governments of Karnataka, Andra Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh, Horyana, Delhi, Gujarat. etc. It also conducts childrens’ Personality Development camps and organizes national and international seminars, conferences and educational dialogues.