The 10 Most Promising Institutions in South India, 2020 by The Knowledge Review

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India | 2020 | VOL. - 11 | ISSUE - 03

ICCS College of Engineering & Management

The 10 Most Promising Institutions in South India, 2020

EDITOR’S NOTE

EXCELLING IN ACADEMIC SERVICES

he southern part of India has always been known for its literacy rates and educational institutes. Be it school education or higher education, the southern states have always disseminated quality education with various initiatives from the government, public-private partnerships and collaborations with industries. Higher education in South India has always been scaling new heights. Educational schemes and scholarships have helped students of all strata to take the beneﬁt of education. South India is known to spend the most on higher education as compared to the other states of the country. South India has excelled in all spheres of education and if the experts are to be believed, the education models or practices can be replicated across the country to equip students with all the requisite skills to help them scale heights in their careers.

In the Fifth Higher Education Conference in Chennai last year, experts discussed the potential of South India to be the hub of higher education. Long before the pre-independence period South India had tied the nuptial knot with education, and it is only getting stronger by the day. The ever-growing love for education, the thirst to acquire knowledge and the eagerness to satiate this thirst, the consistent approach to bettering the education system and quality prompted us at The Knowledge Review to feature few of the many institutes in the southern states in our latest edition, The 10 Most Promising Institutions in South India, 2020.

Administration that are producing future global citizens with competency, competitiveness, ethics, social responsibility and much more, National Institute of Fashion Technology Chennai that is grooming the future fashion makers. As you ﬂip through the pages of this interesting edition, do also read the articles and CXO curated by our in-house editorial team and industry expert respectively. Have a wonderful time reading this edition! T R

On the cover, we have ICCS College of Engineering and Management that is empowering the students with technology and social skills, imparting high quality academic and professional training. We have also featured Saveetha Institute of Medical and Technical Sciences that has been exhibiting educational excellence since more than three decades, Loyola Institute of Business

Sumita Sarkar sumita@theknowledgereview.com

Cover Story

ICCS College 10 of Engineering & Management

Shift in Learning Learning environments change for good

Nurturing Self-motivation, Research, and Problem-solving skills among Students

ARTICLE

26 COMPANY OF THE MONTH Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences Sculpting Exceptional Medical Professionals

Contents Loyola Institute of Business Administration

Producing Globally Competent Leaders with Ethics

NIFT Chennai

Pioneers in creating fashion designers

CXO

36 PROCESSING THOUGHTS How do you dene success? Is it wealth? Is it happiness? Or is it your life?

NOVEMBER, 2020

People behind this edition

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Name of the Institution

URL

Brief

ICCS College of Engineering & Management

iccscem.ac.in

Establishing educational and social institutions to match the upcoming demands and needs

Loyola Institute of Business Administration

liba.edu

Developing effective leaders with a global perspective and ethical values

NIFT Chennai

nift.ac.in/chennai

Transforming students into professionals whose scope for employment remains vast in the eld of haute couture

Saveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences

saveetha.com

Exhibiting excellence in education by ensuring a faculty-student ratio of 1:8.

Sona College of Technology, Salem

sonatech.ac.in

Producimg technology graduates with competency to excel in the organizations they serve and to cater to the needs of the community.

Tamil Virtual Academy

tamilvu.org

Providing opportunities for Tamil people around the world by making them tech-savvy

Vel Tech Dr.RR & Dr.SR Technical University

veltech.edu.in

To nurture excellence in teaching, learning, creativity and research

Vels University

velsuniv.ac.in

Shaping and ne tuning students as per the requirements of global industries

Vinayaka Mission’s Research Foundation, Deemed University

vinayakamission.com

Helping every student to achieve excellence in their chosen eld of specialization

VIT University

vit.ac.in

Educating students with innovative methods to improve the quality of higher education on a consistent basis

ICCS College of & Management

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We are dedicated to establishing educational and social institutions to match the upcoming demands and needs

St or Co ve r

Nurturing Self-motivation, Research, and Problem-solving skills among Students

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f Engineering t

The wide array of disciplines under the title engineering means that regardless of the interests of the student, one facet of the sector is bound to be alluring and engaging. Regardless of whether one wants to make, construct, design, or construct civil, electrical, chemical, or mechanical engineering, the engineering industry has its place. With evolution at bay, we need engineers in an advanced technological world to put ideas into practice. By using mathematical and scientiﬁc principles, engineers develop solutions for the most important technical issues in the world. For the same reasons, we commence The 10 Most Promising Institutions in South India, 2020 with ICCS College of Engineering & Management, an ISO 9001-

2015 Certified Engineering Institute which is creating a bright career for students who will shape the world beyond the horizon. The College vision and mission are read as: Vision To be in the forefront in community development through quality education by empowering young generation with technology and social skills to mould as Social Engineers. Mission To engineer the next generation with emerging technologies, social skills, and essential guidance at the right moment. Also, to provide high quality academic and professional learning opportunities in various fields which are designed to advance technical, intellectual, cultural, social, and economic well-being of the society Quick Reasons to Choose ICCS • Earn while ‘you’ learn • Multidisciplinary approach • Integrated courses on B. Tech with BBA/ BCA and MBA from NAAC A grade University • Job Assured Professional Certificate courses in

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Our college campus is entrenched with an intention to provide quality education in engineering studies

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he world is changing and so many in this development are driven by engineers. Engineers don’t sit around and watch – they do things. Engineering graduates use innovation, creativity, and a wealth of knowledge to disrupt industries. The majority of today's products and services involve at least some engineering elements, paving the way for people inﬂuenced by them to live long and healthy lives.

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ICCS at a Glance Previously known as SETCEM, the ICCS College of Engineering was established in 2010 with the approval by AICTE, and affiliation to APJ Abdul Kalam Technological University. At ICCS, the engineering discipline has been expanded into five different sectors, Civil Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Computer Science Engineering, Chemical Engineering, and Food Technology. It has succeeded in implementing different approaches and strategies in teaching and engineering the process to gain unique experience as a newly established institute. A Society that Contemplates Innovation The institute is set up in a quiet, eco-friendly setting with an outlook on rural growth. The atmosphere is therefore effective in letting students concentrate on curricular,

We are committed to facilitate seamless access to such platforms throughout the academic period to each and every student

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Engineering 4.0 (Artificial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Internet of Things, Data Science, Robotics and Full Stack) from International Skill College • Internship with international industries in and outside India every year • Twenty short skill courses in every year • Twenty-five companies to offer part-time jobs. • Start-up facilities

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extracurricular events with the greatest pleasure, without any unnecessary interruption. The college also encourages interaction zones, reprographic hubs, campus cafeteria, and open room for students to show their creative flair. ICCS has paired up with well-qualified, industryexperienced faculty for the highest expertise in teaching. Management is willing to provide them with more preparation and research and development facilities in their respective fields of expertise. Courses at ICCS ICCS provides the best-in-class system for students to study without any restrictions. They also implement all the appropriate categories of laboratories for each school, which, in addition, lets students attain the highest level of education without depending on any external assistance. With the professionally built, industry-experienced equipment, the laboratory environment will be much more practical than the book environment.

The extracurricular events and out of-box projects aimed at teaching students about modern technology and promoting their creative, entrepreneurial perspectives have strongly added. Students are given a range of resources to learn about emerging technology, including Artiﬁcial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Blockchain, Neural Networks, Neuromarketing, IoT, Robotics, Biometrics and many more, by workshops and conferences conducted in collaboration with industry’s representatives. Popular Courses at the institute include: UG Level Programmes Civil Engineering: Prepares students for the world of unlimited possibilities in this sector. Computer science & engineering: Students learn the concepts and skills needed for designing, programming, and applying computer systems while also learning the theoretical and mathematical foundations of computer science.

Dr. Sojan V Avirachan graduated from Anna University in Chennai with an MBA in Finance and HR in 2007. As reorganizing his talent and activities in the nancing industry, he received an Honorarium Doctorate from International Tamil University in 2018, particularly in the cooperative sector. He worked as a branch manager in a reputable nancial rm and won the organization's best award at India's best investment nance company. He is now Chairman Cum Managing Director of the Indian Cooperative Credit Society.

Food Technology: Produces professional food scientists and technologists who can take a leading position in developing regional people’s socio-economic status Chemical Engineering: Produces skilled, social, and ethical Chemical Engineers capable of taking leadership posts on the industrial and/or societal environment. Diploma Level Programmes Civil Engineering: Plan, design, construct and maintain civil engineering structures and buildings Mechanical Engineering: Practice or apply the principles of Mechanical Engineering in a variety of employment areas.

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ICCS focus on the overall development of the students with special emphasis on industrial and corporate training

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About the Chairman

Mechanical engineering: Through an academically strong theory and practical programs, students build a solid foundation in Mechanical Engineering.

and reinforce employability skills.

The ICCS Advantage

Qualied Teachers Brilliant and erudite teachers ready to fabricate engineers of tomorrow.

Academic Brilliance & Development Targeting 60% in all semesters, Semester clearing without supplementary papers, 3% built upon semesters

Graduation Degree Graduation degree allows students to learn a subject in-depth, have the exibility to t your studies around your working life,

Language Training & Development Condence building in English, English Fluency, Presentation skills

Library System A library system, also known as a library management system, is an enterprise resource planning system for a library, used to track items owned, orders made, bills paid, and patrons who have borrowed.

Project Training and Development Industrials Exposure, Industrial Tie-ups, On job Training

Electrical & Electronics Engineering: Provide graduates with a strong foundation in mathematics, science, and engineering fundamentals to enable them to devise and deliver eﬃcient solutions to challenging problems in electrical, electronics and allied disciplines A Look into Future The institute will continue to provide excellent education across engineering disciples for the students. For the forthcoming years, ICCS has planned to commence Management Courses, Arts and Science Courses at the institute. Further, the College wants to make the department more vibrant and a hub for entrepreneurship and placement and enhancing placement ration with the help of Alumni. T R

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Shift in Learning

NOVEMBER | 2020

he Covid-19 pandemic saw a sea-change in the way education is imparted. Though many educational institutions had introduced digital mode of education, it was at a very minuscule level. Little did anyone imagine that virtual classes would totally replace the physical classroom sessions. Particularly, in India where online education had just began to percolate across all geographical locations, the seismic change was a huge jolt. Adapting to this change was not easy even for the teachers, students and parents in the urban sector. One can then only imagine the scenario in rural areas. But as the need arises in any crisis, there is no choice but to accept, adapt and implement. The roadblocks are aplenty in rural India, ranging from network issues to availability of resources and skilled manpower. Lot of students are unable to access the internet, many do not have the gadgets but some proactive teachers chose to reduce this gap by volunteering to take classes for their students. Some committed teachers in rural India and Kashmir were reportedly conducting classes for students in the open with social distancing and masks. A government

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teacher the remote Nandurbar district rows 14 km daily so that the students do not suffer. In the urban areas, however, according to a survey more than 60 percent parents refused to send their children to school even if they reopened. Instead, parents want the government to take the necessary steps to improve online learning. It is pertinent for education to continue, particularly during adverse times like this to keep children engaged and in touch with learning. Unless education providers do not ﬁnd alternatives to conduct classes, education would take a backseat. But teachers have always been the backbone and pillar of the education system owing to which they have not only learnt new skills, adapted to new environments but have also improvised ways and means to overcome hurdles in dissemination of knowledge. One thing that the pandemic taught everyone is that the show must go on no matter what. The seismic change in the system is not restricted to schools alone but the entire education ecosystem. Be it remote learning or learning in the open, under the blue sky, the learning environment has changed for good and would continue to keep changing with various experiments so that the student is not affected. And these would continue at least for this academic year. But the change, it seems is here to stay for good. T R

roducing leaders with a rare combination of competency, competitiveness, ethics, principles, social responsibility, global perspective and entrepreneurial skills is no mean feat. But for the Loyola Institute of Business Administration (LIBA), inculcating excellence in all of the above qualities besides providing good academic curriculum are of paramount importance. The Journey, Vision and Mission LIBA’s foray into management education was with the Part-Time PGDM in 1979 much before the existence of AICTE and it was well recognized by the industry because of its quality and commitment to ethics. LIBA stands for Excellence with Ethics, which are the hallmarks of Jesuit business education and all its programmes and activities embody these two elements. LIBA earnestly strives to inculcate in the students’ the values of excellence, justice, honesty and service to the society. The vision and mission of LIBA were framed based on the philosophy and values of the Jesuit Higher Education. Along with an attitude of positive thinking, high ethical values and service to society, students are groomed to reach 'Magis' - Excellence in everything with ethics. All our programmes are designed in line with the mission of focusing on holistic growth and developing eﬀective leaders with a global perspective. There is a strand of business ethics incorporated in every module of courses which highlights the importance of the human element in every aspect of decision-making.

LOYOLA

INSTITUTE OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION Producing Globally Competent Leaders with Ethics

B-School with a Diﬀerence Competent, Committed, Creative and Compassionate men and women for and with others -this is the core of Jesuit Higher Education. This is what has made LIBA climb to the top league of B Schools in India. Many schools excel but LIBA excels with Ethics and continues its journey towards Excellence with Ethics in preparing its students to become globally responsible citizens surpassing all qualities. The result of all this underpinning is seen during placements. LIBA has an enviable record of securing 100% placements since inception of Full-Time PGDM programme. The pre-placement oﬀers/interviews every year bear testimony to the fact that our students are in great demand in the industry. A Far-sighted Leader Rev. Fr. C. Joe Arun, SJ is a thought leader. The thought NOVEMBER | 2020

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process he has is innovative, creative and far-sighted. His ideation originates from his grounded training in anthropology in Oxford, UK. He is an institution builder and system creator. He is a multitalented leader who has a great ease in moving from art to literature, music to dance, behavioural studies to management studies. To substantiate it, we can confidently say that he has been instrumental in building many institutes. This includes Secretary and Correspondent of Loyola College, Chennai, where he played a key role; led 300-plus faculty and 230plus non-teaching staff in 32 departments and 15 institutes to optimum level of performance; restructured its financial system, reorganized human resources, enhanced the

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infrastructure and brought all the activities under ERP system. He was bestowed with CSR’s award of ‘Eminent Director of Leading Institute of India’ in January 2017. Rev. Dr. Arun has done extensive research in the areas of consumer behaviour, cross-cultural management, conﬂict and identity construction. He has published books and scientiﬁc papers in areas such as personal growth, culture and interculturality, globalization and marginalisation, leadership and strategy. He is a founding member of Institute of Dialogue with Cultures and Religions (IDCR) that researched into issues

of conflict in religions and cultures and evolved conflict resolutions. He played a key role in founding an engineering college by negotiating with a French group, Icam Groupe. Now the college, Loyola-ICAM College of Engineering and Technology (LICET), is successfully run by Loyola College. He is one of the founding members of a group called, Knowledge Xchange, that remains a platform for exchanging ideas and strategies on education. Dr. Arun is a member of European Association of Social Anthropologists (EASA) and Anthropological Society of Oxford, UK. He is a consultant to many companies and organizations on strategies. He is also a trainer in competence building, communication skills, and entrepreneurial skills. Courseware and Infrastructure LIBA has responded to the broad range of changing corporate demands by developing a wide assortment of Executive Diploma programmes alongside our traditional Full-Time PGDM and Part-time PGDM programmes. These programmes are designed to cater to the working managers to acquire and enhance world class managerial skills. Understanding the need for a more customized approach to the latest managerial practices, the Management Development Centre (MDC) was formally started in 2004. The Centre offers Post-Graduate programmes which are tailor-made to suit needs of companies like Maveric, Ford, TVS Logistics, RBS, to name a few. In 2006, LIBA was recognized as a Centre of Excellence for Research by the University of Madras and a Ph.D. program affiliated with the University of Madras was initiated. Realizing the importance of analytics and Artificial Intelligence (AI), more focus is on machine learning, deep learning and emphasis on technology enabled learning. Incorporating the Latest LIBA actively mandates innovative Learning-TeachingEvaluation by empowering the faculty to use their creativity within the broad scope of the course syllabi. We imbed technology in our business classrooms through an average of five different technology tools at the same time. LIBA is not a teaching, but a learning institute, where everyone learns and assists in learning. To create a unique and valued position involving different set of activities, to transform from teachers to facilitators, and to offer Experiential and Immersive learning that is

industry relevant, new TLA based learning system was implemented. The new learning system is an innovative one, modeled after the Oxford Learning System OLS. This is in consonance with AACSB accreditation. We do not just impart knowledge but we also form the character of our students. The approach we take is that every learning is a formation of character that leads to building competencies. Thus, the uniqueness of LIBA is that we do not simply excel, but we excel with ethics. Faculty Development LIBA’s faculty are qualiﬁed, experienced and connected to industry. Constant faculty development programs enhance their knowledge and the institute provides them with the needed tools such as labs, simulation softwares and they have exposure to the recent trends like machine learning and analytics. LIBA faculty are trained in design thinking with the help of industry experts from Intellect Design Studio that would embed into the ecosystem of learning and teaching. More importantly, every faculty is asked to be associated with a company and an NGO to enhance their teaching, which is a mandatory and non-negotiable element in being a faculty in LIBA. To foster ideas, alternative viewpoints and diﬀerent perspectives LIBA promotes faculty exchange programs with foreign institutions (United States, Germany, France, Belgium and Malaysia) and bring to the classrooms diversity of opinion and the latest knowledge of business practice. Expansion Plans For the forthcoming years, there is one thing on the management’s mind of LIBA i.e. to innovate and expand. In terms of expansion, LIBA will start three verticals PGBM in Analytics, Healthcare Management, and Logistics. To accomplish this, the institute will work with TCS (analytics), CMC (healthcare) and Kerry-Indev Logistics (logistics). LIBA and KerryIndev Logistics Pvt. Ltd. have signed a Memorandum of Understanding on collaboration in the area of academics involving teaching, curriculum development, research, internship and placement. The construction of a 77-crore new building with state-ofthe-art infrastructure, guided by design thinking, is in progress. This will strengthen LIBA’s resolve and provide space for future orientations. T R

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INSTITUTE OF THE MONTH

Dr N. M. Veeraiyan Founder, Chancellor

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SAVEETHA INSTITUTE OF MEDICAL & TECHNICAL SCIENCES Sculpting Exceptional Medical Professionals

aveetha Institute of Medical & Technical Sciences (SIMATS), began its journey in a single storey building more than three decades ago and extended its bryophyllum to grow into a fullﬂedged University today. It has extended its educational service to medicine, allied medical education, engineering, dentistry, law, management, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, pharmacy, nursing, physical education and architecture. In over the three decades of its journey, the university has evolved through miles of transition to become a university from a single institution.

The Guiding Light Every journey has a torch bearer, and in this case, the torch bearer is an alumnus of Madras Medical College, one of the premier Institutions of this country. A renowned dental surgeon, Dr N. M. Veeraiyan established a 100-bedded multi-specialty hospital in 1977 and a School of Nursing for Diploma course, the first of its kind in Erode. Dr Veeraiyan, Founder, Chancellor, had the ambition to start a model dental college and started Saveetha Dental College & Hospital in Chennai in 1988 and subsequently College of Nursing in 1992, College of Physiotherapy in 1993 and College of Occupational Therapy in 1998 .The service to the cause of education was extended to other fields by establishment of Saveetha Engineering College in 2001. He had a vision to impart education at par with international standards by updating the curriculum and reforming examination system, to expose and engage students and faculty in research activities. This led to the creation of a Deemed to be University namely Saveetha University in 2005. Later three more institutions were added to the Saveetha family - Saveetha Medical College, Saveetha School of Management and Saveetha School of Law. Dr Veeraiyan is a Fellow of international honour from Pierre Fauchard Academy. His proficiency in Tamil language is revealed from the Tamil

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book “Vaai Pal Maruthuvam”, which was co- authored by him and fetched him an award from the Government of Tamil Nadu. He is the proud recipient of “The Lifetime Achievement Award” by T.N. Dr. M.G.R. Medical University, Edupreneur Award by The Times Of India, Inspiration Leaders of India Award 2013 by Gerri Schroder Henderson City Council Member, Dr Ruby Dhalla - Indian Canadian Politician and Brand Ambassador PBG, Valerie Paker - President National Association of Women Business Owners and Award of Excellence 2013 by Indian Red Cross Society, Tamil Nadu branch. The staff and students of Saveetha University look up to him for guidance, as they admire his vision and his genuineness and commitment to the human cause and education. Exhibiting Educational Excellence The university offers a wide array of courses ranging from undergraduate, post-graduation, post- doctoral, diplomas, fellowships, certification courses which makes it around 158 courses in all. The university ensures that all the students are attended with equal care with a faculty-student ratio of 1:8.

Saveetha University hosts a massive and unique infrastructure encompassing teaching and training facilities. One of its primary beliefs as an education provider is that students and faculty learn and perform par excellence when they love the workplace. The university has attempted to establish a workplace which provides comfort and convenience along with academic resources. The entire campus is wi-fi enabled with a connectivity speed of up to 1.6 GBPS. For the first time in India, 100% of the university’s clinics have adjoining ICT enabled seminar halls for academic purposes. There are 208 classrooms and 80 seminar halls each of which hosts a computer connected to a projector and smartboard unit. The campus spanning high-speed wi-fi access along with its integrated digital visual system allows for seamless interactive classes and activities during classroom sessions. There are 54 demonstration rooms, two simulation labs for laboratory and pre-clinical training of students and 275 staff rooms all of which are air-conditioned and Internet-enabled providing a soothing yet connected working environment. There are 258 laboratories which includes biochemical labs, preclinical and clinical laboratories as well as an Animal NOVEMBER | 2020

Saveetha University is certified as the largest centre for microscopic training centres. Its commitment to providing a comfortable experience extends from classrooms to examination halls as well, for each hall is adequately ventilated with spacious tables, chairs, and air conditioning for students. The University has 16 museums which display a wide array of models and specimens. There are 27 libraries encompassing three central libraries and 24 department libraries. It also hosts six highly equipped auditoriums with massive LED displays and can cumulatively accommodate 4,000 people. There are three photography studios which enable precise documentation of patients, clinical and laboratory procedures. The University’s other facilities include three drawing rooms, eight placement cells, one moot court, one tutorial room, one legal aid cell, student counselling cell and a women empowerment cell in each institution. Staying at par with technology The equipment in Saveetha University’s facilities rival that of a large-scale IT company in terms of digital communion to its academic workflow. For seamless integration of its proprietary MILA education system, the university has installed approximately 4,294 computers which includes 2,650 iPads along with 190 projectors and smartboards and 12 Apple TVs. It is also the first and only institution in the entirety of India to host a CAD-CAM unit as well as a 3D printer for in-house production of advanced dental prostheses in its Tessellation Centre. The university’s radiology department also possesses a CBCT machine for dental implantology and surgical treatment planning. Its combo clinic system contains 300 scaler units, 300 LC units and 400 articulators for each student to learn and perform gold standard dental therapy. There are about 600 dental equipment, 2,500 wards, surgical equipment and 150 engineering related equipment. Numerous collaborative researches across the institution under SIMATS, across other institutions in India and abroad are also going on. The MOUs that the university holds with national and international universities ensures the culture of pursuing research at various international universities by student exchange programs.

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SIMATS oﬀers a wide array of courses ranging from undergraduate, post-graduation, post-doctoral, diplomas, fellowships, certiﬁcation courses which makes it around 158 courses in all.

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House for animal studies and 21 research labs for in-vitro and ex-vivo studies. There are 75 wards for inpatients with adequate facilities, nurse stations and attenders’ recreation rooms. There are 196 clinics to reduce waiting time for patients, 24 surgical operatories equipped with imported modular state-of-the-art surgical equipment, these facilities are very rare in other institutions.

Undergraduate students also pursue research. The university holds thousands of publications in reputed indexed and high impact journals. Patents and innovative strategies are of prime importance and the university has proved its excellence. Continuing education and faculty development programs, workshops and conferences at all levels are a routine all along the years. Adequate importance is given to co-curricular and extracurricular activities, there is an inhouse gym, a swimming pool, a badminton court, and a track area too. At SIMATS, food and stay for students are also given with utmost care. They have an al-a-carte menu which enables them to have what they want and a hostel with an at-home environment. A strong alumni base is another strength, where they meet every year in the campus to see their alma mater grow and show how they grew because of their alma mater and to inspire the next generation too. SIMATS holds four records in the Guinness Book of World Records. It is accredited with “A” by NAAC, recognized by UGC. The University has an IQAC cell for quality management. It was ranked the 43rd position as a university and fourth position as a dental college by NIRF ranking system. SIMATS’ prospects for the near future include an international ac creditation like CODA and providing health care services with numerous satellite dental and medical units. The university is striving hard to improvise and be a better version of itself year after year. T R

NIFT CHENNAI

Pioneers in creating fashion designers

o perceive Chennai today to be a regional town devoid of a sense of fashion is to remain delusional! Bringing the city ﬁrmly into the fold of “haute couture” and keeping it that way since 2007 has been the motive of National Institute of Fashion Technology, otherwise known by its famous acronym, NIFT Chennai.

A creation of the NIFT Act 2006, it is as statutory and seemingly iron clad as can be. There is though, an essential difference. It is perhaps the only such institute in the world to award its own degrees for undergraduate, post-graduate and doctoral studies in the field of fashion education! It started small with just four courses and forty students, which today boasts of nine degree courses and several diploma and certificate courses with over 1000 students. Couture in normal parlance stands for a sense of being elite, distinct and haughty, none of which signifies NIFT Chennai. Compassion remains its driving force. The other factors which make the institute stand out are its concerns for social responsibility that makes it a platform accessible for everyone from every background, and an environment that encourages non-predictable thinking in realistic situations. Creativity being central to the field, education here is about self-learning and independent thinking with inputs coming from various sources including the industry, professionals and live projects. Being hands-on field, interactions with practicing professionals via industry-led pedagogy and mentoring by industry stalwarts is practiced

here with justiﬁed rigour. The institute professes and practices transparency in all that it does and gives equal opportunity to all aspirants of knowledge. NIFT Chennai’s Charismatic Leader Central to the growth and establishment of any entity, more so one in education of the couture kind, is its leadership which ought to have vision, values and a drive. At NIFT Chennai since 2013, this has come about under the able leadership of Prof. Dr. Anitha Manohar, Director NIFT. A doctorate from Avinashilingam University for Women, and M.Sc. and M.Phil. from the University of Madras, she has over two decades of experience working at various institutes and has been instrumental in nurturing young designers to become promising entrepreneurs. Contributing to several social and design projects, she is also an empanelled PhD guide at NIFT who has to her credit research papers published and presented at known international fora. A prestigious Guru Shreshta Awardee (awarded to teachers for excellence) and a Bharat Vidya Shiromani Awardee of 2017, she is the force behind the institute’s ranking to a proud number three in just a few years. Readily accessible, scrupulously honest and radiating warmth, she remains a favourite among the students, the community and in various government bodies. Compassion being central to her persona, she remains an able guide in all the social concern activities of the institute. NOVEMBER | 2020

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The Distinguished Faculty A strong in-house faculty drawn from a distinguished group of intellectuals who have spent time to gain the right experience, form the team led by Dr Anitha. They are the ones who put forth a sense of dynamism and create a pathway to effective learning and facilitate meaningful interactions with industry for real-world experiences. Besides these, NIFT leverages the potential of guest faculty and experts from various disciplines through a wellintegrated academic plan where the industry exchanges its views with the students and faculty through seminars, classroom lectures and formal interactions on specific topics. The faculty also undergoes training regularly both within and outside the country by way of specifically designed training programs and sponsorships. A unique initiative is the faculty-industry attachment under which each faculty undertakes at least two weeks of internship in an industry of their choice to upgrade their knowledge. NOVEMBER | 2020

Educational Content The institute encourages its students to study and assimilate aesthetic industrial dynamics across levels and disciplines in the context of inquiry-based teaching and learning. These help in transforming students into professionals whose scope for employment remains vast. Making this possible is a remarkable array of courses such as: ¦ Bachelor of Design (B Des) in Ÿ Fashion Design Ÿ Leather Design Ÿ Accessory Design Ÿ Textile Design Ÿ Knitwear Design

Fashion Communication

Bachelor of Fashion Technology (B FTech) Apparel Production

¦ Master’s Degree Programs Ÿ Management- Master in Fashion Management (M.F.M) Ÿ Technology - Master of Fashion Technology (M.F.Tech)

The institute’s curriculum keeps in mind the future needs of the industry and ensures the all-round development of its millennial students. To this end, it has integrated general electives in large numbers, besides its main course to give the students a rich repertoire of experience and understanding. To aid the student`s research and education, the resource centre here comprises of more than 15,600 national, international books, journals, periodicals and eBooks apart Wi-Fi being available on the entire campus. The Award-winning Ambience The campus of NIFT Chennai, conferred with the Journal of Indian Architects Award of 2002, is spread over 6.5 acres. Buildings here have unique angles, pockets and features that exude ‘kinetic aesthetics’ said to subtly encourage students passing by to think differently and out-of-the-box. The facility also has a gym, football, volleyball and badminton courts. Social and Cultural Activities The bit to do with life takes place while participating in social and cultural activities on and off-campus. At NIFT Chennai, these are in the form of Cultural Club, Sports and Adventure Club, Environmental and Social Service Club and Literary Club. Of these, ‘Fashion Spectrum’, the annual fest provides a pulsating platform for students to showcase their talent in varied inter-college and intra-college activities and events. The best from these compete at ‘Converge’, a centralized cultural and sports event. India’s clothing and design sense is like the mountains. Unfortunately, without the right encouragement and impetus, it is today scattered among artisans in different pockets of India. The institute has initiated a ‘Craft Cluster Initiative’ into its curricula that enables students to work in collaboration with artisans and show their creations at graduation shows at the end of every academic year, which are well-attended by the who’s who of the industry. These

additionally help promote dying art forms and artists in dire need of patronage. Inclusion part of values and ethos Partnerships with the surrounding community undertaken as “Daan Utsav help” demonstrate that education is about values such as informed citizenship and a sense of responsibility. To this end the institute is strongly associated with the Spastic Society of India and Ability Foundation to nurture its students prepared to take up the complex problems of our society if they are to succeed in their careers. Another initiative under its philosophy of inclusion is ‘Spectrum’, a unique event where specially abled children from various schools and institutes in and around Chennai showcase their talents on the NIFT platform. Each invited institution is mentored by a department with students and faculty teams interacting with the children to form a bond of familiarity, which enables the latter to perform in an alien environment with verve and conﬁdence. International collaborations The world is a connected village where nothing works in isolation for long, for want to creative inputs and energies. The institute is thus connected through strategic agreements and partnerships with various leading international fashion institutes and organizations that share the same academic ethos and ideas. These international collaborations allow the students to experience study abroad options through exchange programmes as also facilitate their participation in international events and competitions. Students have won their share of laurels and awards at prestigious events. Future Vision of the Institute In passing, NIFT Chennai, a renowned centre of excellence and innovation foresees for itself the central role of a proactive catalyst in the growth of the fashion, textiles and craft business by providing the latest and best in professional education with marked concerns for social and human values. Education here would pertain to, among other things, design, technology and management that would encourage its remarkably creative student body to draw inspiration from India’s textiles and crafts while focusing on emerging global trends relevant to the industries it serves. T R

NOVEMBER | 2020

Vijay B

NOVEMBER | 2020

Processing Thoughts

SUCCESS_MY WAY... How do you deﬁne success? Is it wealth? Is it happiness? Or is it your life?

About the Author Vijay B is an engineer by education, a passionate teacher by profession, educator by choice and an enthusiastic learner by mind. He aspires that education can ignite our future persistently and also believes in “Attitude is everything”.He has coordinated various research related activities and bagged many awards for his innovative projects. He is currently positioned as a Math teacher in a k 12 CBSE school, Chennai.

NOVEMBER | 2020

uccess is a state achieved when one attains their goals after walking long miles in their life. It is not like getting things in a single day, but it really needs dedicated enthusiastic work and strong determination to have a nice taste of success. It is the result of many years of sweat by mere satisfaction and beautiful thoughts rather than target achieved. “Success is not measured by what you accomplish, but by the opposition you have encountered” says Lucille Ball. Likewise, many failures knock your door only to open the gate of success. Bees won’t stop their work though their beautiful craft of honey is being used by people. So, with fulﬁlled optimism, you can feel success as you are born for it. Questions that should hit you on the way to success are as follows. How can I tackle this problem in some other way so that I can succeed? What do I need to do to take control of my future? What resources are available to me? What other strategies might I try? Many people used to say that success is the result of hard work but we should do smart work to have an eﬃcient result and cent percent satisfaction. To be a successful person, you need to be courageous like a mountaineer reaching high peaks with his own striving potential and will power. We all know Ludwig Von Beethoven, a great composer of the world who was inspiration for many, was orphaned when he was 2 years old and became deaf at age of 25 years. Though he cannot listen to his own music, he gave himself to this world with his truthfulness. Put your foot forward to enjoy further chapters of your life which will enlighten the way that leads you to success. T R

NOVEMBER | 2020