Industrialists unite to launch Nayanta University in Pune, fostering future leaders with innovative education | X
Pune: In a significant move to transform higher education in Maharashtra, some of the country’s most prominent industrialists have come together to establish a new private university in Pune.
The university, named Nayanta, which translates to “New Hope”, is envisioned as an institution to nurture future leaders for India. Among the founders are Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan, Godrej Industries Managing Director Nadir Godrej, and Forbes Marshall co-chairman Naushad Forbes, along with other notable figures.
At the launch event on Saturday, the founders announced that the university would begin its first academic session in August 2025, with an initial batch of 100 students. Nayanta will offer four-year bachelor’s programmes focusing on non-technical disciplines such as literature and public policy, alongside multidisciplinary courses. Admissions are set to open in February 2025, with the founders aiming to create an education model that blends academic knowledge with practical experience.
A unique feature of Nayanta’s curriculum is its focus on internships. “The three compulsory internships in these three sectors will help the students get a clarity on what sector suits them the best,” said Kris Gopalakrishnan and Nadir Godrej.
Students will complete three mandatory one-month, credit-based internships in industry, NGOs, and government organisations, all arranged by the university. At the end of the course, students will undertake a five-month, credit-based internship in a sector of their choice.
“This will help them gain experience and will expose them to find solutions to complex problems arising in the industry,” the founders said. They also explained that the availability of long-term internship placements would depend on vacancies in the chosen industry and the preferences of organisations. “The internships will work as providing eight months of reality to the students,” they added.
The university’s admissions process is designed to ensure inclusivity and reflect the geographical and economic diversity of India. “Our selection process will be a ‘need-blind-merit-based’ process,” the founders said.
Elaborating further, they explained, “A topper of an IB board school, who gets 95%, and a topper of the MCD school, who gets 75%, are equal for us. Both of them have worked hard to achieve the first rank.” The selection criteria will consider not only academic marks but also excellence in extracurricular activities such as performing arts and sports.
The admissions procedure will begin with an aptitude test to assess basic English and arithmetic skills. “This will just be a pass or fail test,” one of the founders explained. Candidates who pass will proceed to an essay round, where they can write in English, Hindi, or Marathi. “After that, there will be an interview round,” they added, noting that more languages would be included in the future.
The founders assured that financial constraints would not deprive deserving students of education. “We will ensure that students from no walk of life are deprived of education because of financial crunches,” they said, promising scholarships through industry funding or direct university support.
To maintain academic excellence, the university aims to attract world-class faculty by offering compensation packages exceeding those at the Indian Institutes of Technology. The founders plan to recruit top researchers who can combine theoretical knowledge with practical problem-solving skills, equipping students with insights to address contemporary challenges.
The university is being established with an initial investment of 5,000 crore rupees. Seven industrialists have already committed 50 crore rupees each, and the founders are seeking three additional contributors to share the investment equally. They clarified that all founders are equal stakeholders in the project, with no single individual contributing more than the others.
