Date:10/10/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/10/10/stories/2008101060141200.htm

International - India & World

PIO-NRI varsity in Bangalore soon

P.S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE: An exclusive university for the children of overseas Indians “will start next year” in Bangalore.

Overseas Indian Affairs Minister Vayalar Ravi told The Hindu, after attending a welcome reception on the eve of the first-ever Asia-Pacific conference under the rubric of ‘Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (PBD)’ here, that “work has started” following the acquisition of land.

Emphasising that “the idea was mooted by the Prime Minister himself,” Mr. Ravi said “Manipal Educational Group” was entrusted with the project.

Earlier, speaking at the reception, he said the Cabinet had approved the project for the benefit of non-resident Indians (NRI) and people of Indian origin (PIO) among foreign nationals. And, it would take “one or two years” for the project to come on stream, he had indicated.