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Preamble |
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The Foundation for Life Sciences and Business Management was established in 2003-04 with the aim of working in areas of higher education and research, and helping set up entrepreneurial ventures in biotechnology and related fields.
Mr Ramesh Mehan, a leading NRI entrepreneur from USA, with roots in Himachal Pradesh, conceived the idea of promoting biotechnology education, and of integrating it with management sciences during a visit to India in December, 2003. He joined hands with renowned academician Prof P K Khosla, former Vice Chancellor at HPAU, Palampur and Mr Satish Anand, a local businessman with vast experience in local infrastructure development, for this venture.
The executive members of the Foundation are academicians and professionals with distinguished backgrounds. Prof P K Khosla, Ex-Vice Chancellor, HPAU (Palampur) and former Advisor, Biotechnology (H P Government) is at the helm of the management and functioning of the Foundation.
The Foundation, with the support of visionary educationists, scientists, administrators who are on either its Executive and Advisory Boards or a part of the faculty, has very successfully set up the Shoolini Institute of Life Sciences and Business Management (SILB). The institute is affiliated to Himachal Pradesh University, Shimla and has attained several distinctions over the last four years. It is one of the most sought after institutes for higher education in biotechnology, microbiology, basic sciences (botany and chemistry), management and pharmaceutical sciences. The institute is duly recognized by the Department of Scientific and Industrial Research, GOI, New Delhi as a research institute; and was graded at 8th rank amongst private biotech institutes of the country (Biospectrum Survey, 2008). Students of Shoolini Institute have earned top positions in biotechnology, microbiology and botany during 2007-08 and 2008-09. In M.Sc. Botany and Microbiology SILB students occupied six to seven positions among the top 10 ranks of Himachal Pradesh University.
SILB has successfully developed international linkages with Seoul National University, Seoul, South Korea, a leading international university ranked 50th rank amongst the 100 Top Global Universities. In addition, the institute is the technical advisor for the upcoming HP Biotechnology Park.
With the vision of building a world-class university that combines academic & teaching pursuits with a research driven model, the Foundation put forward a proposal for setting up of a University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences to HP Government in 2005. The proposal has been accepted by the government and Shoolini University of Biotechnology and Management Sciences is now established under the auspices of the Foundation for Life Sciences and Business Management.
The foundation envisages significant investments to develop well equipped state of the art labs as well as to recruit and retain the best faculty through a challenging work environment, competitive emoluments, and access to global information sources. Faculty members will be expected to drive research through research grants from national and international donors. The research facilities will also serve as an incubator for the HP Biotechnology and Nanotechnology Parks being set up close by.
The Foundation is committed to UGC regulations (2003) for Private Universities and will also follow the guidelines of different regulatory bodies (AICTE, PCI, ICMR, ICAR, CSIR, etc.). Partnerships with industry, academia and the Government shall be the special focus of the University. These linkages will help in customizing education to the needs of the industry, leveraging the best available teaching resources, and participating in the quest for a better quality of life for the people in the region.
Lastly, we believe that Himachal Pradesh is at the cross roads of capturing India's Biotech revolution--and that Shoolini University can play a significant role in helping achieve this objective. Developing Shoolini University into one of the best global universities is the prime mission of the foundation.
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