Prasanthi Nilayam Campus Tag

The Department of Biosciences at Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL), in collaboration with the Institution’s Innovation Council, successfully celebrated International Microorganisms Day on 16 & 17 September 2024 at Prasanthi Nilayam. The two-day event featured a hands-on workshop, a prestigious memorial lecture, and an engaging exhibition.

Day 1 focused on a workshop in microbial handling and biosafety, teaching participants key microbiological techniques like media preparation, bacterial streaking, Gram staining, and antibiotic testing. A special session on microbial art allowed students to design bacterial cultures creatively. The workshop saw an active participation of 65 enthusiastic students from Sri Sathya Sai Higher Secondary School, Smt. Eswaramma High School, and Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Medical Sciences, Whitefield, enriching their technical skills and practical knowledge.

Day 2 included the Dr. K. Gopinatha Rao Memorial Lecture by Prof. V. Nagaraja who discussed the challenges of drug-resistant tuberculosis followed by a talk from Prof. D. Narasimha Rao on the human microbiome. The day concluded with the exhibition “Into the Microbial World,” featuring posters and live demonstrations of microbial cultures and innovative microbial technologies like Microbial Fuel Cells.

The event successfully fostered an appreciation for microbes’ roles in health, environment, and research, inspiring future exploration in microbiology.

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Watch Recording: Dr. K. Gopinatha Rao Memorial Lecture

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The Sri Sathya Sai International Centre for Sports was transformed into a venue of reverence as Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning hosted a heartfelt felicitation ceremony for 19 esteemed faculty members who superannuated from SSSIHL between 2018 and now, on Sunday, Oct 6, 2024. These distinguished educators, hailing from diverse departments and across the campuses of the Institute, were honoured for their decades of dedicated service and selfless contribution to the institute’s mission.

Imbued with warmth and gratitude, the gathering celebrated the faculty for their academic excellence and their profound impact on students’ lives. University officials, students, and colleagues came together to pay tribute to these individuals who nurtured intellectual growth and character development, in line with the university’s values.

Heartfelt speeches by a student of the Anantapur Campus and a faculty member of the Brindavan Campus reflected on the unwavering dedication, love for students, and lifelong commitment these educators had shown. Each teacher was invited to be seated on the stage by turn, and his/her contributions in all the years of service were appreciated. The teacher was then honoured with a shawl and presented with a memento and citation, symbolizing the university’s deep appreciation for their invaluable contributions, making it a memorable and inspiring occasion.

Listen to the Message from the Vice-Chancellor

The teachers felicitated were:

• Dr. Sharada Subramaniam – Dept. of Philosophy
• Dr. T R Rajeswari – Dept. of Management & Commerce
• Prof. Ch Radhakumari – Dept. of Management & Commerce
• Dr. Rita Gupta – Dept. of Mathematics & Computer Science
• Dr. M Venkatalakshmi – Dept. of Philosophy
• Prof. M Praphulla – Dept. of Telugu Language & Literature
• Dr. Vijeyakumary Vijayaratnam – Dept. of Biosciences
• Dr. Meera Manikkavachakan – Dept. of Food & Nutritional Sciences
• Prof. G Nageswara Rao – Dept. of Chemistry
• Prof. R Prabhakara Rao – Dept. of Economics
• Prof. B S Vijayakumar – Dept. of Biosciences
• Sri V N Prakash Sharma – Dept. of Management & Commerce
• Sri Sanjay Sahni – Dept. of Management & Commerce
• Dr. T Ravikumar – Dept. of Chemistry
• Dr. K S Narahari – Dept. of Chemistry
• Prof. C N Sundaresan – Dept. of Chemistry
• Sri R Subramanian – Dept. of Mathematics & Computer Science
• Sri Rajkumar Jain – Dept. of Physics
• Dr. A Ashok – Dept. of Biosciences

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Sri Akash Sai S.M, a final-year postgraduate student from the Department of Chemistry, SSSIHL, earned recognition for his outstanding presentation at the Online International Symposium on Current Trends in Advanced Materials 2024. The event was organized by the Department of Chemistry, VIT-AP University’s School of Advanced Sciences, in collaboration with the American Chemical Society, and took place from 26th to 31st August 2024.

During the symposium, Sri Akash Sai received special mention for his insightful research on “Ruddlesden-Popper Phases of LaNiO₃ Perovskite Oxides and Their Application in Supercapacitors.” His work explores the innovative application of these perovskite oxides in supercapacitors, a cutting-edge technology in energy storage. His research was conducted under the guidance of Dr. Kumar Sai Smaran and Sri Undavalli Venkata Gopi.

The symposium featured renowned scientists and researchers from across the globe, who gathered to discuss the latest trends and breakthroughs in materials science and chemistry. Esteemed speakers included Prof. Kazuo Umemura (Tokyo University of Science, Japan), Prof. Sabu Thomas (Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam), Prof. Rachel A. Oliver (University of Cambridge, UK), and Prof. Partha Sarathi Mukherjee (IISc, Bangalore). The poster presentation competition attracted 125 participants from various institutions worldwide.

India observes the National Sports Day on August 29, honoring hockey legend Major Dhyan Chand on his birth anniversary.

The National Sports Day celebrations across the Prasanthi Nilayam, Brindavan, and Anantapur campuses of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning showcased a blend of sportsmanship and learning. At Prasanthi Nilayam, a series of events including cricket, football, basketball, and races took place from 25-31 August 2024, with enthusiastic participation from students and faculty. The celebrations concluded with a prize distribution ceremony recognizing the winners across the sporting events. Similarly, the Brindavan campus held competitions in badminton, tennis, and table tennis, from 27-31 August 2024 where students demonstrated remarkable skills and sportsmanship, with several finals providing thrilling moments for the participants and spectators alike.

At the Anantapur campus, the focus shifted to sports nutrition with a program titled “Optimizing Athletic Performance through Nutrition & AI,” featuring talks by experts like Dr. Geetanjali Bhide and Ms. Stuti Pahuja on the 29^th of August. These sessions offered insights into the importance of nutrition and emerging technologies like AI in enhancing athletic performance. The event highlighted the institute’s commitment to promoting holistic well-being through a combination of physical activities and educational workshops.

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Prof. U Suma, from the Department of Management and Commerce, and her research student, Mr. Sai Naveen R, represented Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) at the prestigious 84th Annual Meeting of the Academy of Management, held at Chicago, Illinois from 9-13, August 2024.

Their research, titled “Rationalizing Vulnerability in Leadership,” was presented in a forum that brought together distinguished academics, industry leaders, and policymakers from across the globe.

The theme of this year’s meeting, “Innovating for the Future: Policy, Purpose, and Organization,” focused on the need for business strategies to evolve in a fast-paced world. Participants were introduced to cutting-edge trends in management research, ranging from novel ideas to advanced methodologies and tools shaping the future of the discipline.

The key highlights of the conference included exposure to global insights allowing participants the opportunity to engage with the latest research and innovations in management, gaining insights from scholars and practitioner researchers worldwide, networking opportunities facilitating meaningful conversations, and exploring possibilities for future collaboration and constructive feedback on their work from peers and mentors, enhancing the depth and direction of their research.

Mr. Sai Naveen also had the unique opportunity to participate in the Doctoral Student Consortium, organized by the Academy’s Division of Organizational Behavior, Change, and Development (DIG). He benefited from interactions with global scholars and received one-on-one mentoring from experts in the field, further enriching his academic journey.

This experience served as a pivotal moment for Mr. Naveen’s PhD journey, fostering both intellectual and professional growth. It reaffirmed the significance of management research in shaping the future of global leadership and organizational change.

Special thanks are due to SSSIHL alumni, Prof. Surya Prakash Pati (Professor of OB & HR, IIM Kozhikode) and Prof. Sai Chittaranjan Kalubandi (Professor of Strategy, IIM Bangalore), whose guidance and support enhanced the quality of this research and facilitated critical networking opportunities during the meeting.

The Summer Course in Indian Culture & Spirituality serves as an induction programme for all students and teachers of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning to expose students of the University to the rich cultural and spiritual heritage of Bharat. It orients students into Bhagawan Baba’s educational philosophy and gives them deep, first-hand insights into how they can directly benefit from this unique institution.

The genesis of the event dates back to the early seventies when Bhagawan Baba organized Summer Courses in Indian Culture and Spirituality for the benefit of students. The course then was usually three to four weeks long and would typically consist of a series of lectures on Indian culture, the essence of the scriptures and other spiritual topics delivered by learned scholars, senior devotees and men of esteem. The highlight however was the daily discourse by Baba Himself, delivered typically in the evening.

In 2011, Bhagawan willed that the Summer Course be reinitiated in a shorter format of two-and-a-half days and which is now an annual event at SSSIHL at the beginning of each academic year that the Students and Teachers of the University eagerly look forward to participate, experience and learn.

The Summer Course was and is an effective way to inspire young minds to follow a life of good values and character. The event also marked the beginning of the academic year for students and teachers of all four campuses of SSSIHL.

Enclosed is a detailed report on Summer Course 2024:

SSSIHL Anantapur Campus

Report & Pics | Schedule

SSSIHL Brindavan Campus

Report & Pics | Schedule

SSSIHL Prasanthi Nilayam and Muddenahalli Campus

Report & Pics | Schedule

“Swaraj Ki Oar” is a powerful narrative that delves into the deeper meaning of India’s freedom struggle by focusing on the contributions of key figures who epitomized unity, courage, and sacrifice. The story begins with a writer on a quest to capture the true essence of the freedom movement, realizing that his previous accounts lack the emotional depth and connection necessary to convey the full significance of the struggle.

The narrative unfolds through the stories of three pivotal historical figures:

Pingali Venkayya, the visionary who designed the Indian flag, is portrayed as someone who understood the need for a unifying symbol to rally the nation. His creation of the tricolor, with the spinning wheel at its center, symbolizes unity and self-reliance, embodying the spirit of the freedom movement.

Baba Ramchandra is depicted as leading the farmers of Awadh in their resistance against oppressive landlords. His leadership, fueled by the chant of “Sitaram,” ignites a movement that empowers the oppressed to rise for their rights, showcasing the strength and resolve of the common people.

Subhash Chandra Bose emerges as a leader who inspires the Indian National Army to fight for India’s independence. His story emphasizes the importance of sacrifice and unwavering commitment to the cause, highlighting the lengths to which individuals were willing to go to achieve freedom.

The drama ultimately conveys that true freedom, or “Swaraj,” extends beyond political independence—it is about mastering oneself and aligning one’s thoughts, words, and actions. Through these historical examples, “Swaraj Ki Oar” underscores that the real heroes of the freedom struggle were not just the leaders, but the ordinary people whose unity and sacrifices brought about India’s independence.

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Our original short video entry by the Wastewater Analysis Treatment and Energy Recovery (WATER) Lab, Department of Biosciences, has been featured in the Science in Shorts video library on the Nature Portfolio YouTube channel. This entry, part of the ‘Science in Shorts 2024 competition’ organized by Springer Nature, highlights the innovative research conducted by our team.

The video, titled ‘Our DREAM – Measuring Bacterial Electron Transfer,’ showcases the indigenously developed Dye Reduction-based Electron-transfer Activity Monitoring (DREAM) assay. It stands out among the 82 entries shortlisted from a total of 250 submissions worldwide. The video was created by Ph.D. students Mr. Shakthi Thangavel and Mr. Sahashransu Satyajeet Mahapatra, under the supervision of Dr. A. S. Vishwanathan, Assistant Professor, Department of Biosciences. The team dedicated their work to our Founder Chancellor, Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

The Science in Shorts competition, organized by Springer Nature in partnership with Merck, invited active researchers to submit one-minute videos that presented their research in an informative, engaging, and entertaining manner.

SSSIHL congratulates the team from WATER Lab for their outstanding achievement and for showcasing their excellent work on a global stage.