ACHARYA NAGARJUNA UNIVERSITY

ed by Act 4 of 1991 covering 6 Universities of the State. The present Acharya Nagarjuna University is not very far from the haloed spot, as it derives its moral and intellectual sustenance from Acharya Nagarjuna in which context the University has been renamed Acharya Nagarjuna University through the A.P. Universities (Amendment) Ordinance, 2004, promulgated by the Governor of Andhra Pradesh. The aspirations of the southern coastal districts of Andhra Pradesh to pursue Post-Graduate education nearer their homes resulted in the establishment of Acharya Nagarjuna University. In 1976, Andhra University started a Post-Graduate Centre in Nallapadu, Guntur Dt., Andhra Pradesh, as an Extension Center to cater to the needs of higher education of the people of this region. It is in the fitness of things that a University should grow from this Center to fulfill the desire of the people of this belt. Accordingly, Nagarjuna University came into being in August 1976. INTRODUCTION:-Acharya Nagarjuna University has completed three decades of its existence. It was inaugurated on 11th September, 1976 by the former President of India, Sri Fakruddin Ali Ahmed. There have been many problems, difficulties and teething problems in its onward march. In the course of the last 30 years, the University has successfully overcome most of the initial problems and is moving forward with determination, enthusiasm and hope. From the corridors of a local polytechnic college in Nallapadu to the imposing buildings in Nagarjuna nagar, the road was very long. Sacrifice, service and commitment marked the growth of Acharya Nagarjuna University. ACADEMIC PROGRESS:-Acharya Nagarjuna University, an affiliating University established in 1976, started with only 10 post-graduate courses in the University College. Since then, it has achieved tremendous progress through quantitative expansion and qualitative improvements on various academic fronts. This has been possible by the efforts of its dedicated faculty, an efficient team of supporting staff and high quality student input. The Acharya Nagarjuna University at present offers post-graduate education in 47 courses (39 on the University campus, 4 at University PG Campus at Nuzvid and 5 at University PG Campus at Ongole) besides Post-graduate courses in affiliated colleges. DEVELOPMENT OF POST-GRADUATE CENTRES :-The University has two post-graduate centers one at Nuzvid, Krishna District and the other at Ongole, Prakasam District. Affiliated Colleges :-University has got over 450 affiliated colleges in Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam Districts. Details of the colleges

Affiliated Colleges:-Acharya Nagajuna University since then has grown into a large University with 39 Academic Departments, including several self-financed courses, which started operating since 1992. Its jurisdiction was extended to three districts now having over 450 affiliated colleges offering Under-Graduate, Post-Graduate, Engineering, Education, Law, Pharmacy and Oriental Languages courses. Now it has 39 Post-graduate teaching-cum-research courses on the campus, while 71 affiliated colleges offered P.G. The University runs two P.G. centers-one at Ongole (a fully self-financed center) and another at Nuzvid (aided). The University has been continuously achieving progress during these 30 years, in terms of introducing new subjects in the University College. For instance, two new P.G. courses, in Hindi, and Tourism & Travel management were introduced last year. New courses were started from the academic year: B.P. Ed in the department of Physical Education, while M.B.A. in Health Administration, M. Ed in the department of Education and M.Sc. in Medical Technology are jointly awarded by A.N.U. and N.T.R. University of Health Sciences. Five year Integrated M.B.A., Programme in International Finance is started. This University has also pioneered the introduction of self-financed courses in the country, which is in conformity with the thinking of the national education policy makers such as the University Grants Commission. The University is making concerted efforts towards resource mobilization on different fronts. The policy of the University is to encourage the University College and the affiliated colleges to introduce job-oriented courses at the Degree and Post-Graduate levels. Academic autonomy was extended to four of the colleges as per the directions of the University Grants Commission, New Delhi. The University has ensured that, while there is a need for quantitative improvement with the increasing demand for higher education, from the community at large, the quality of education offered at various levels is also maintained at a high level. The University has been striving to maintain high academic standards in consonance with quantitative increase in the number of students being enrolled every year. Teaching and Research are the two eyes and twin goals of the faculty in the University College. The research programmes carried out in the various Departments cover both fundamental and applied areas. The academic Departments seek to find a reasonable and useful balance between the world of knowledge and its use and application in a more concrete and realizable form. The research programmes and course content focus on these issues and attempt to find solutions, so that feedback obtained by such an interaction could be used to bridge the gap between learning and its utility value. The Humanities and Social Sciences Departments in the Campus have been engaged in the task of studying the many socio-economic problems. Besides general areas, the research projects also cover a study of the problems of women, the oppressed classes of the society (both social and economic) and the problems of governance. The interaction between the funding agencies and their beneficiaries and the managerial problems in industries form other research pre-occupations of the University. The need for providing legal advice to the needy is winning the attention of the researchers. The Science Departments are engaged in carrying out work related to the growing scientific knowledge in solving the problems of society, like the study of pollution hazards and their prevention during development by isolating and characterizing the active principles from both floral and microbial sources; finding alternative energy sources, development of new varieties and hybrids in chilies, computer applications and software development augmenting and preserving fuel supplies and other bio-mass sources, defense research, exploring non-conventional energy sources, aquaculture development, liquid crystals preparation and study of their physical properties, microbiology and psychopathology, etc., all of which have a bearing on the day-to-day problems of society. Knowledge is thus not merely an end in itself but also a means to serve the society which funds the educational institutions and this practical side has not been ignored by the University. Emphasis on research, especially with a strong socio-economic bias has also made the University initiate schemes and projects of practical utility.

-:HISTORY ABOUT ACHARYA NAGARJUNA:-

Acharya Nagarjuna, the profounder of the Madhyamika Buddhism is one of the greatest philosophers India has ever produced. The Buddhists of China, Japan and Tibet river him to be the Second Buddha, who once again set in the motion the wheel of Dharma. He endowed with metaphysical profundity and logical acumen has reaffirmed the basic ideas of Buddhism, apart from providing reinterpretation, clarification and amplification of new concepts of Buddhism. He focused on the fundamental problems of human existence, human aspiration and human actions. He found solutions to them through intuition and reflective thought. He applied and practiced these solutions and his doctrine and experience become a norm to motivate rational and sensitive minds of different generation in different countries with varied cultural environment. Hanayama Shinsho recognizing Nagarjuna's contribution has opined that ‘he may well be called the progenitor of Mahayana thought'. The Madhyamika-karika testifies to the historicity to their author Nagarjuna, the great Buddhist philosopher, who extolled the path of Prajnaparamita. He wrote the Karika in order to expound the basic teaching of the Prajnaparamita-sutras. The recent archaeological discoveries at Amaravati corroborate to certain extent the broad facts about Nagarjuna's life on which his traditional biographies agree. He was born in a Brahmin family in Andhradesa at Vedali. Based on the Chinese author Tao-an (A.D.568) and Kumarjivas' account and his date for Buddha' nirvana and other material of a Japanese Scholar Hakaju concluded that Nagarjuna lived about 113-213 A.D. The fact being his friendship with a Satavahana King Gautamiputra Satakarni (130-150 A.D.) and his having spent the latter part of his career in the monastery built for him by this king at Bhramaragiri (Sriparvata). The Manjuasrimulakalpa and Tibetan sources contend that Nagarjuna had the Amaravati stupa renovated, enclosed and ornamented with the assistance of this King. Dhanyakataka and Sriparvata were the Centers of his activity. Rajatarangini of 11 th century treats him as a contemporary of Kanishka.

-:ACHARYA NAGARJUNA UNIVERSITY - LOCATION:-

Acharya Nagarjuna University is situated between the cities of Vijayawada and Guntur in Andhra Pradesh on Calcutta and Chennai National Highway (NH-5). Its campus is spread over an area of 293 acres. Besides the campus college, it has two University Postgraduate centres - one each at Nuzvid (Krishna Dt.) and Ongole (Prakasam Dt.). Its affiliational jurisdiction extends over the three districts of Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam of Andhra Pradesh.

-:ACHARYA NAGARJUNA UNIVERSITY - OUR EMBLEM :-

The crest and the motto adopted by the Acharya Nagarjuna University represent the creative essence of Indian culture oriented to the contemporary aspirations. The symbolism is based on the concept that all human excellence proceeds from truth and culminates in truth. The individual symbols in the crest are emblematically related to one another so as to suggest the upward evolution of the life force from material plenitude and manifest reality towards spiritual magnificence and universal consciousness. The young initiated into knowledge at the University shall achieve identity, growth, self-differentiation and fulfillment in the various ascensions of intellectual and spiritual states shown in the symbolic scheme of the crest. The vase of plenty (PURNA-GHATA) is a prototype from the Amaravati sculpture of the early centuries of the Christian era. It stands for material prosperity on the one hand and objective knowledge on the other. Its traditional attributes are sasya (fertility), santana (increase), sampat (prosperity) and samriddhi (plenitude). The vase is also a paradigmatic representation of the Universe and the creative cycle according to ancient Indian scriptures. Its face is Vishnu, the sustainer; its neck is Rudra, the apocalyptic transformer; its base is Brahma, the creator. Arising out of the superabundant water of life sprouting from purna ghata and transcending the mundane level, illuminated by the resplendent halo of the Sun, is the freshly blossoming Lotus. The pool of waters (manasa sarovara) symbolizes the creative. On the apex are the dharma-chakra and the Lotus representing the creative readiness of the mind to respond to the summons of the creative evolution symbolized by the solar orb. On the apex are the dharma-chakra (the wheel of eternal law) flanked by harinas (deer), overarched by the visva-padma (the cosmic Lotus) flanked by makaras (symbols of the cosmic consciousness). The dharma chakra is reminiscent not only of rita but also of the Buddhas promulgation of the law (dharma chakrapravartana). The deers, too, have a two-fold connotation. On the one had, they represent beautitude, and on the other, the highest point of universal consciousness. The motto, Satye Sarvam Pratishtitam is an epigrammatic representation of the entire symbolism of the crest. It is singularly appropriate to the ideals and functions of the University which is dedicated to the pursuit of truth which is the ultimate abode of all.