Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla receives Flagship Infrastructural Grant for Shoolini University.
Solan, April 26
Shoolini University, a renowned research-focused university in Solan, has been awarded the prestigious Promotion of University Research and Scientific Excellence (PURSE) Grant by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India. The grant, amounting to Rs nine crore, will be utilised to advance research in water and cancer.
Shoolini University Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla received the award from Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of Science and Technology, at a ceremony in Delhi. Shoolini University is one of 12 universities and four private universities to receive the grant under the PURSE scheme, which provides funding for research activities in institutions with an exemplary research record.
The funds will be used to acquire expensive equipment for research in life sciences, biology, chemistry, and other related fields. Additionally, it will enable the university to establish outstanding infrastructure, which is not provided in other funding schemes. Approximately 70% of the grant is to be spent on modern equipment required for research, while the remaining funds will be used for consumables, human resources, holding seminars, maintenance, and hand-holding of start-ups and industrial collaborations.
Shoolini University Chancellor Prof PK Khosla said winning the grant after competing with hundreds of universities and institutions in the country was a matter of great pride for Shoolini University. Shoolini University is the No.1 Research University in India (Citations per Paper) as per QS Asia University Rankings 2023.
According to Pro Chancellor Vishal Anand, the grant will furnish the necessary resources to sustain pioneering research in domains such as water and cancer, and invest in state-of-the-art equipment and infrastructure, essential to advance the university's research capabilities.
Talking about the grant award, Vice Chancellor Prof Atul Khosla said it reflected the government's confidence in the research capabilities of Shoolini University. “The institution’s consistent excellence in research has already been commended by independent and credible international ranking organisations such as the Times Higher Education, QS, and the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF),” he stated.
The grant will be utilised over four years as per the terms and conditions and the university has been asked to establish a ‘Project Implementation Group’ for its implementation. This grant will help the faculty members and researchers of Shoolini University plan and execute high-end research in water and cancer, contributing significantly to the country's scientific advancement.