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Cover Story

endowments must be continuously What’s now beginning to
upgraded with investments in educa- strengthen this further is the calibre
tion that encourages imagination, of our faculty — and the access they
critical thinking, and cross-disci- bring. And it starts right at the top.
plinary competence. India’s future Our Vice Chancellor, Prof. P.G. Babu,
can’t be secured by mere technical has long-standing credibility in both
expertise; it will require humanistic academic and applied economics cir-
intelligence and cultural fluency — cles. Professors like Chandan Gowda
skills that design education develops and Roopa Madhav bring with them
very well. deep networks in government, law,
and public policy. These aren’t sym-
Dr. Kiran Pai bolic names — they’re people whose
Pro-Chancellor, Vidyashilp University, work continues to shape institutions
Bangalore and ideas in India.
Dr. Kiran Pai R&D and innovation are widely perceived
science graduate of the as Indian academia’s infirmity. What’s
American School of your institutional response to create new
A Education, Dubai with a knowledge?
Masters in education from Monash and Aarohan, ensuring that well- At Vidyashilp, research is not a
University (Australia) followed up being and social responsibility are checkbox. It is a sacred duty. It is
with a doctorate in education from woven into our fabric how we hold ourselves account-
University of Southern California’s able to the idea of a university. We
Rossier School of Education, Dr. How satisfied are you with your progress began our research activity even
Kiran Pai is co-founder and Pro- thus far? before we welcomed our first cohort
Chancellor of Vidyashilp University, I have never seen a serious university of students, because we did not
Bengaluru and chairperson of claim it is satisfied. But the type of want to wait for maturity or metrics
Vidyashilp Education Group. people and institutions reaching out before contributing. The belief that
to Vidyashilp gives us confidence — we must create, not just consume,
What are the major objectives set for faculty from SOAS (UK), University has remained consistent. For us,
Vidyashilp University for India’s 100th of Michigan, Temple University knowledge is not created for the sake
Freedom Anniversary in 2047? (USA), IIM Ahmedabad, IIT Ma- of publication, it must be usable,
From the start, we were clear about dras, NLSIU, IISc Bangalore and responsible, and relevant.
what we don’t want to replicate. We Tbilisi Art Academy and Camberwell
don’t want to design a university College of Art (UK). Our students What’s your prescription for transform-
system where structure limits possi- have presented at forums like the ing India into a $30 trillion GDP economy
bility. Right now, we have education International Mediation Clinic by 2047?
systems in the country where the Network hosted by the University India’s path to a $30 trillion econo-
curriculum, assessments and peda- of Strathclyde, UK and have taken my will depend not just on growth,
gogy are all geared towards produc- up internships with Education New but on the people driving it. We need
ing clerks and entry level administra- Zealand. Prof P.G Babu, the Vice problem-solvers, but more impor-
tors, as the highest possible outcome Chancellor of the university, and I tantly, problem-identifiers who think
for a university graduate. We have no feel reassured by the credibility that ahead, ask better questions, and lead
interest in following this tradition. our institution is earning. Parents with integrity. This mindset begins
Now it is time to build, design, tell us that they see Vidyashilp as the in our university. India won’t reach
develop, improve, create products, only serious alternative to sending its future just through infrastructure
start-up companies, bring technology their children to university abroad. or investment. It will get there by
into daily life, strengthen public sys- nurturing a generation that knows
tems, and solve real-world problems How satisfied are you with your connect how to think, lead, and imagine
through research. with Indian industry and business? differently. That’s the real economic
In alignment with these goals, From the start, we’ve built industry engine.
Vidyashilp U has established Centres into the design of our programmes
of Excellence for education inno- — not as outreach, but as a core How optimistic are you about India’s
vation; public policy; AI for social academic layer. Internships, live future growth and development?
good; health systems and entrepre- projects, expert-led modules, and Very optimistic — but not blindly. In-
neurship; to build a strong base of mentorship are all part of the way dia has the talent, the demographics,
global academic partnerships to give our students engage with the world and the growing geopolitical influ-
our students international exposure beyond the classroom. Whether it’s ence to lead in the 21st century. With
without diluting Indian context; en- through the BECK Law Cell, Go- over 65 percent of our population
hance faculty development to build CrackIt, or UST, our students are under the age of 35, and a thriving
world-class teaching and research contributing to real-world work — startup ecosystem, that has already
capacity; scale community engage- not simulations. crossed 120 unicorns, the momen-
ment through initiatives like VU Care tum is unmistakable.

58 EDUCATIONWORLD JULY 2025