Within just 12 years, Shiv Nadar University has defined a new trajectory for higher education in India. In 2022, the university was recognized as the youngest Institution of Eminence by the Government of India. One of the only four private institutions in the country to receive this recognition, it has set the university on a path to world-class excellence.
Unbounding Knowledge
Foregrounding research and innovation
Trailblazing undergraduate education
Unbounding knowledge
The founding vision of Shiv Nadar University was the creation of an intellectual culture that values the synthesis of knowledge from various disciplines.
Foregrounding research and innovation
Research in its broadest sense, is the fundamental pillar of the academic mission of Shiv Nadar University. We believe strongly that the university must be a center for the discovery and creation of new forms of knowledge and expression, going beyond the dissemination of existing knowledge. The university has established a robust ecosystem of research anchored in excellent research infrastructure rare for private universities in the Global South.
Trailblazing undergraduate education
Shiv Nadar University was the first to launch a 4-year multidisciplinary research degree in India. The degree is a trailblazer on many counts. The multidisciplinary nature of the degree allows Shiv Nadar graduates to gain both breadth and depth in their undergraduate education. Combined with co-curriculars, extra-curriculars, athletics and proximity to nature – Shiv Nadar students flourish intellectually and emotionally. Our undergraduates routinely receive offers of direct admission and funding for PhD programs in top universities of the world. As well, our alumni can be found in many of the top global corporations.
Sustainability is integral to our core academic mission and institutional practices. Every undergraduate student takes mandatory courses in Ecology and Environment, for whom the 286-acre campus serves as a “living lab”. The university practices sustainability in every way possible: saving energy, water, and paper; rainwater harvesting; reducing food wastage; increasing alternative energy (17% of our energy is now solar); sustainable transport; planting trees (13,000 and counting), and much more. All our buildings are certified by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) or LEED. Several buildings, including the 120,000 square ft. sports complex are LEED Gold certified and several others are awaiting gold certification.
Recognized as an Institution of Eminence
1 of the only 4 private universities in the country to be designated as an Institution of Eminence by the Government of India
National Instutional Ranking Framework (NIRF)
Youngest university to be ranked among the top 100 of NIRF, 7 years in a row.
QS Asia Ranking 2024
41 in India; amongst top 36% in Asia
#1 India’s best young university (Careers 360, 2023 ranking of private universities)
#7 Top Universities in India Careers 360, 2024 ranking of private and public universities)
#20 Chemistry
#26 All Sciences
(Nature Index India 2024 ranking of Indian academic institutions)
Global Top 200; India Top 5
SDG 6 and SDG 2: Times Higher Impact Ranking 2023, 2024
#3 Top private university in India
#5 Top private university for employability (Indian Institutional Ranking Framework 2024)
Shiv Nadar University
4
Engineering
Management and Entrepreneurship
Natural Sciences
Humanities and Social Sciences
Center for Integrative & Translational Studies (CITRES)
Centre of Excellence for Himalayan Studies (CHS)
Center for Advanced Materials (CAM)
Shiv Nadar-Dassault Systèmes Center of Excellence
Center of Excellence in Epigenetics
• Analytics, Data and Computation
• Environment and Sustainability
• Health and Life Sciences
• Global Futures
Shiv Nadar University
13169+ trees
90,000 sq. ft Sports complex
60+ Water-saving (arid and semiarid) plant species
354 plant species
54 species of butterflies
900 Individual trees comprising a 1.85 acre date palm grove
65 species of birds
Shiv Nadar University
47% Decrease in plastic waste as compared to FY 2019-20 and FY 2021-22
27% reduction in Carbon Foot Print (CFP) in 2021-2022 compared to base year 2019-2020 (Scope 1, 2 and 3)
26% Solar power used for total power consumption on campus
US $ 381 Mn+ Investment (till March 2024)
95%+ Plants on campus have medicinal value
85% Buildings certified by the Indian Green Building Council (IGBC) or Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)
To produce engineers who excel in their discipline and are capable of shouldering leadership responsibilities for the 21st century
10 programs are offered in core areas of engineering, ranging from undergraduate to PhD. Undergraduate specializations such as Robotics, Energy, Sustainable Infrastructure Systems, Water, Environment, and Climate are also offered.
The School is a pioneering effort in engineering research. With 44 state-of-the-art laboratories, the faculty in well-known for research in areas such as Materials, AI/ML, Intelligent Systems and Computational Mechanics, Green Technologies, and many areas related to environment and sustainability.
To offer cutting-edge management education programs, designed to equip students with the relevant knowledge, values, and professional attitude to be resilient in volatile, uncertain, hyper-competitive, and complex business environments
The School offers a highly sought after undergraduate program in Management Studies, an MBA, a blended MBA for working professionals and a doctoral program. It also offers an interdisciplinary program in Economics and Finance (jointly with the School of Humanities and Social Sciences).
The School’s research falls in three areas: Innovation and Entrepreneurship Research; Data Science and Technology in Business; and Digital Transformation and Business Sustainability.
Vision
To lead the way in scientific research and development through and foster a true scientific temper in society
9 programs are offered in Chemistry, Life Sciences, Mathematics, and Physics at the undergraduate and doctoral levels.
The School is known widely for its research in a areas such as Genetics, Neuroscience, Green Chemistry, Materials Sciences, Translational research and others.
Vision
To be globally recognized for research and teaching excellence helping shape an inclusive and sustainable society
The School offers 15 programs in Design, English, Economics, Fine Arts, History and Archaeology, International Relations, Sociology from the undergraduate to the doctoral levels. It also offers two interdisciplinary programs: a Masters in Rural Management and an undergraduate program in Economics and Finance (jointly with the School of Management and Entrepreneurship).
Research in the School is interdisciplinary in nature, with key areas of focus such as Global Politics, Environment and Sustainability, World Literatures, Macroeconomy and Institutions. Many faculty members also have distinctive areas of practice such as Media, Design, Visual Arts and Performance.
Our faculty comes from some of the best institutions in the world
Arizona State
Cornell
Delhi School of Economics
Duke
Imperial College
Indian Institute of Management
Indian Institute of Science
Indian Institute of Technology
Indian Institute of Science Education and Research
Indian Statistical Institute
Jawaharlal Nehru University
Alumni in top companies
Apple
Accenture
Adobe
Amazon
American Express
ABB
Bank of America
Cisco
Alumni in government
Indian Army
Central Bureau of Investigation
Airport Authority of India
Indian Railways
Indian Naval Academy
Alumni in top universities
Arizona State
Berkeley
Columbia
Cornell
Dartmouth
Imperial College
CITI Bank
Daimler
Dassault
DE Shaw
Goldman Sachs
HCL
MIT
Oxford
University of British Columbia
University of Delhi
University of Maryland
University of Minnesota
University of Pennsylvania
University of Southern California
UC Berkeley
Yale and many more
Hewlett-Packard
Infosys
Microsoft
Morgan Stanley
NatWest
Verizon and many more
Life Insurance Corporation of India
Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation
National Thermal Power Corporation
NITI Aayog
Johns Hopkins
Kings College
London School of Economics & Political Science
Max Plank Institute
NUS
NYU
State Bank of India and many more
North Western
Oxford
Yale and many more
Since its very inception, the university has invested in research in a comprehensive manner. The flagship research program, Opportunities for Undergraduate Research (OUR), has resulted in undergraduate students publishing with faculty. Several research centers have been created, which are highly successful in bringing together resources and collaborators and supporting doctoral students.
Major Research Centers at Shiv Nadar University
Center for Integrative & Translational Studies (CITRES): The goal of CITRES is to facilitate translational research in human health and various diseases (especially infectious and lifestyle disorders) using interdisciplinary approaches. It is poised to become a national leader with its 30,000 Sq ft facility and specialized laboratories for imaging, surgeries, microinjections, and behavior studies, one of the few in the country.
The Centre of Excellence for Himalayan Studies is a research centre focused on the economy, borders and identities, the environment and regional geopolitics of the wider Himalayan region including the Hindu Kush and the Karakoram. Bringing together scientists, engineers, social scientists and cultural studies scholars, the Center contributes to research, teaching and public policy on the region in unique and significant ways.
Center of Excellence in Epigenetics: The Center's vision is to bring together a group of established as well as young investigators with expertise in diverse fields, including Molecular Genetics, Biochemistry, Molecular Cell Biology, Developmental Biology, Neurobiology, Genomics, Proteomics, and Computational Biology, to formulate and test a set of novel and exciting hypotheses in the field of Epigenetics. In particular, the center is focused on epigenetic modifications underlying various biologically essential phenomena and their role in gene expression, development, regeneration, diseases, evolution, and adaptation.
Center for Advanced Materials (CAM): The Center is committed to primary and translational research in next-generation materials for addressing critical societal issues and technological challenges. The center aims to decipher pressing global issues and find solutions through innovations and transformative research in material science and technology.
Shiv Nadar University-Dassault Systèmes Center of Excellence: Spread over 5000 square feet, the stateof-the-art center is an outcome of a novel academia-industry collaboration. It fuels research, innovation, design and entrepreneurship, through problem solving on industry-based projects using Dassault Systèmes’ globally recognized 3DExperience platform.
Environment and Sustainability
Health & Lifesciences
Data and computational methods are central to solving the grand challenges of our times, be it eliminating poverty, climate change, digital transformations of business and so on. Work towards an interdisciplinary center on data and computation which will bring together the faculty's strength in these areas is under way.
Researchers across the 4 Schools work in different aspects of this theme:
• Environment and Society
• Bioinspired Materials for Healthcare and Drug-delivery
• Green Chemistry
• ESG
• Clean energy
• Smart infrastructure
Health
Health is fast emerging as an area of excellence in its second decade. The current areas of focus are:
• COVID-19 research
• Cancer research
• Metabolic Disorders and Aging
• Epigenetics
• Translational Research of for applied knowledge towards therapeutics
From urban futures in the Global South to international organizations, a focus on China, an exploration of the Himalayas, or the art and literature of the world - the exceptionally rich and diverse research at Shiv Nadar University aims to shape discourses on global futures.
Spread over 286 acres, the campus is a rich habitat of flora and fauna. We have recorded over 250 plant species including unique plant species like the Horsetail from the Jurassic era. Over 95 percent of plant diversity on campus possesses medicinal values. Extremely rich in biodiversity, the campus is home to a thematic botanic garden on 10.4 acres of land. The botanic garden is the first of its kind in northern India, conceptualized and established to increase awareness about various plants and conserve them in their unique germplasm for education and research. It has about 3000 plants in the main garden and 12 theme gardens belonging to 805 taxa. About 40 rare and economically valuable plant species are planted along the path and between the theme gardens to increase plant diversity and conserve germplasms. The campus lake is home to many species of birds, which are endangered, near threatened, or vulnerable in the IUCN category.
Our biodiversity map featured in the Scientific American
To capture the richness of this biodiversity, we created maps using Indian folk art and bringing together three disciplines: ecology, communications and art. Professor Bahar Dutt who created the map in collaboration with a renowned folk artist says she believes this is the first instance of creating a biodiversity map for a built environment.
Shikhar Malhotra
Director, HCL Corporation
Vice Chairman & CEO, HCL Healthcare Trustee, Shiv Nadar Foundation
Chairman, Shiv Nadar School
Chancellor, Shiv Nadar University - Delhi NCR Trustee, The Habitats Trust
Dr. Ananya Mukherjee
Vice Chancellor Professor of Economics, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Shiv Nadar University, Delhi NCR
As we look forward to the next decade, we are determined to continue to drive foundational thinking within, across and beyond disciplines. Our focus will remain steadfast on the fundamental pillars of what makes a great university:
• Through our teaching and research, to contribute to key concerns of our times such as climate change, human health and well-being, techonological change and its societal impact, among others
• To offer an outstanding student experience, comprising of curricular, co-curricular and extracurricular learning
• To become India’s #1 university for environmental sustainability
Established in 1994, by Shiv Nadar, the Shiv Nadar Foundation is committed to the creation of a more equitable, merit-based society by empowering individuals through transformational education, and to bridge the socio-economic divide.
The Foundation pursues the philosophy of Creative Philanthropy. It is a powerful model which envisages creation of institutions that are built to last and continue to impact future generations. It is an approach that allows sustained institutionalized philanthropy for long-term, high impact, socio-economic transformation.
Shiv Nadar Foundation’s primary focus has been on education across a wide spectrum of communities, going all the way from literacy to higher education.
Vision: Nation building through transformational leadership
Mission: Creating equitable opportunities for leadership, through focused philanthropy
2009
Leadership Academy for meritorious rural underprivileged children
2012
Chain of urban K-12 school to create life long learners
2011
India’s premiere multidisciplinary research university located in a 286 acre campus in Delhi-NCR
2018
The University promotes a culture of academic rigour, supported by ample resources, including one of the best-equipped libraries in Southern India, and extensive, world-class research facilities.
1996
Ranked amongst India’s top engineering colleges
2012
Technology-based educational intervention envisioning the eradication of illiteracy
2010
Building Awareness and propagating modern and contemporary Indian art
Shiv Nadar is a visionary, global institution builder and first-generation entrepreneur who is credited with being one of the pioneers of the computing and IT industry in India. He established HCL in 1976 as a garage startup with his close friends and colleagues, and with a modest investment of Rs.187,000. Under his guidance, HCL has continued to ride the waves of the changing IT landscape for over 40 years and remains at the forefront of the revolution in this space. While HCL started off as a hardware organization, manufacturing the country’s first indigenous computers and introducing them to the Indian consumer, it eventually evolved into a more comprehensive software and services organization. HCL is in fact one of the few global IT companies founded in the 1970s that remains in existence today. HCL is today a global $12.3bn IT/Technology firm.
Shiv has always acknowledged that successful institution building is dependent on forging result-oriented partnerships while creating new knowledge. He steered HCL to create several valuable joint ventures and alliances that propelled the organization’s emergence as a global technology enterprise. His pioneering spirit and belief in engineering and research shaped the course of the organization and is the reason that HCL Technologies today boasts one of the largest IT Engineering and R&D divisions in the world.
Shiv credits his success to the education and scholarships that he received during his early years in school and college. He strongly believes that access to quality education is the most potent tool of transformation, which led him to establishing the Shiv Nadar Foundation in 1994. Drawing inspiration and lessons from Shiv’s experience of building world-class organizations, the Foundation endeavors to create institutions of transformational education that will continue to influence and nurture the country’s youth for generations to come, and deliver global impact. The Foundation has invested close to $1bn in its transformational institutions and initiatives so far, impacting over 30,000 students.
In recognition of his pioneering role in business and philanthropy in India and across the globe, Nadar has received several honors and accolades, notable being the Padma Bhushan, the third highest civilian honor from the President of India in 2008.
Shiv has an enduring belief in the power of education as a tool of transformation and nation building, often mentioning that the institutions he establishes must outlive him in the same manner as that of other great philanthropists and institution builders such as Andrew Carnegie, John Harvard, and the Stanfords.
"If there is a tool that can empower individuals and narrow the socio-economic, rural-urban divide, I believe that it is transformational education - Shiv Nadar University is a collective dream of many, including me." - Shiv Nadar
I recognized the significance of an open-minded, inclusive culture that values the synthesis of knowledge from various disciplines
Mr. Shiv Nadar, reflecting on the founding vision of the university
