Date:26/11/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/11/26/stories/2008112651580600.htm

Karnataka

Autonomous varsity at Sir MV’s birthplace soon

Special Correspondent

CHICKBALLAPUR: Muddenahalli, the birthplace of Sir M. Visvesvaraya, will soon occupy a prominent place in the educational map of the country as the Satya Sai Central Trust, Puttaparthi, is all set to establish an autonomous university in the village on the outskirts of Chickballapur.

Sathyanarayana, principal of Sri Sathya Sai educational institutions situated at Muddenahalli, said here that Sri Sathya Sai Baba had announced at Puttaparthi on Sunday that an autonomous university on the lines of one at Puttaparthi would be started at Muddenahalli.

The trust would spend around Rs. 4 crore on establishing the university at the proposed Sri Sathya University campus at Muddenahalli. The university would start functioning by the end of 2009. It would offer courses in all disciplines except science and engineering. It would focus on music, arts, literature and spiritual studies, Mr. Sathyanarayana said. The trust owns around 130 acres of land at Muddenahalli.

Mr. Sathyanarayana said the Baba had announced that the trust would take up a project to supply drinking water to Chickballapur town and neighbouring villages and also start a free high school for girls at its Prashanthi Bala Mandira campus at Vapasandra in Chickballapur town.