The campus was inaugurated by Padma Shri Sridhar Vembu, Chief Scientist and Co-Founder of Zoho Corporation, in the presence of His Excellency Ahmed Mir Hashim Khoori, Member of the Federal National Council, United Arab Emirates, and Board Member of the Emirates Airline Foundation, who attended as the Guest of Honour. The event was presided over by Dr. Ishari K. Ganesh, Founder-Chancellor of VELS Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies (VISTAS), along with Dr. Preethaa Ganesh, Vice President of VELS Group of Institutions.
Welcoming the distinguished guests, Dr. Ishari K. Ganesh highlighted the significant contributions of Padma Shri Sridhar Vembu in advancing indigenous technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and nation-building. He also acknowledged the leadership of His Excellency Ahmed Mir Hashim Khoori in strengthening educational, aviation, and international partnerships between India and the United Arab Emirates.
Addressing the gathering, Dr. Ishari K. Ganesh said universities must continuously evolve to meet the demands of a rapidly changing technological landscape. He described the AI-Integrated Vertical University Campus as a smart, sustainable, and innovation-driven institution dedicated to promoting research excellence, entrepreneurship, interdisciplinary collaboration, and the development of globally competitive professionals.
Dr. Preethaa Ganesh, Vice President of VELS Group of Institutions, said technological transformation across industries requires higher education to redefine the way students learn, think, and prepare for the future. She stated that this vision inspired the establishment of India's first AI-Integrated Vertical University Campus, designed not only for present-day learners but also for the leaders of tomorrow.
She further explained that every aspect of the campus has been developed with a student-first approach. AI-enabled classrooms, collaborative innovation hubs, industry-connected laboratories, digital learning environments, and world-class student amenities have been carefully integrated to provide an advanced learning experience. According to her, the objective extends beyond constructing one of India's most technologically advanced university buildings to creating one of the country's finest academic ecosystems capable of producing future-ready, globally competent, ethically grounded graduates committed to making meaningful contributions to society.
A major highlight of the inauguration was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between VELS Institute of Science, Technology & Advanced Studies (VISTAS), Aspin Holding LLC Group, and MH Cockpit to establish a Flying School in the United Arab Emirates. The partnership aims to promote collaboration in aviation education, pilot training, faculty exchange, internships, skill development, research, and international career opportunities for students.
VELS also announced that it will soon sign a Memorandum of Understanding with Zoho Corporation to collaborate in the fields of Artificial Intelligence, emerging technologies, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, digital skill development, and industry-academia initiatives.
The campus features Industry-Academia Centres of Excellence established in collaboration with Intel Unnati, TCS iON, Microsoft, and Oracle Academy. These centres are designed to provide students with practical exposure to Artificial Intelligence, cloud computing, high-performance computing, and other emerging technologies. The curriculum focuses on experiential learning through live projects, internships, research, startup incubation, interdisciplinary collaboration, and industry engagement to prepare graduates for the rapidly evolving global workforce.
Speaking at the event, His Excellency Ahmed Mir Hashim Khoori congratulated VELS on its remarkable growth and compared the institution's development with the rapid expansion of Emirates Airline. He observed that India and the United Arab Emirates continue to strengthen bilateral relations through education, aviation, technology, innovation, and economic cooperation.
Delivering the inaugural address, Padma Shri Sridhar Vembu praised the vision behind the new campus and emphasized the importance of building indigenous technologies. He described the VELS Thiruvanmiyur Campus as a beautifully designed institution with outstanding architecture and stressed that India must build technologies from the ground up, from atoms to bits, to remain globally competitive. He urged the country to develop next-generation technologies, strengthen its innovation ecosystem, and expressed Zoho's interest in collaborating with VELS in the near future.
Following the inauguration ceremony, Sridhar Vembu participated in an interactive session with VELS students, discussing Artificial Intelligence, entrepreneurship, research, technology, rural innovation, and nation-building. He encouraged students to develop deep technical expertise, embrace lifelong learning, solve real-world challenges through innovation, and contribute to India's technological advancement.
The inauguration of the VELS Thiruvanmiyur Campus marks a defining milestone in the institution's journey to redefine higher education through Artificial Intelligence, innovation, industry collaboration, global partnerships, and cutting-edge technology. More than the opening of a new academic facility, the campus represents the beginning of a future-focused educational ecosystem designed to empower students to become innovators, entrepreneurs, researchers, and leaders capable of shaping the world of tomorrow.
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