Rishihood University in Sonipat has announced the establishment of five thematic centers to shape public discourse and policies, as part of its 10-year plan till 2035. The university recently celebrated its 10 years of executing the vision of transformative nation-building at a grand event held at the Bharat Mandapam, New Delhi.
Rishihood University has grown from its origins as Vision India Foundation, inaugurated at IIT Delhi in 2014 to a premier education and policy institution nurturing over 2,000 alumni. The evening was elevated by the Convocation Ceremony, where graduating learners proudly embarked on the next phase of their journey, and the Young Leaders Awards, celebrating five RU alumni who exemplify innovation, leadership, and societal impact.
The university also conferred an honorary PhD upon business tycoon Ajay Piramal, Chairman, Piramal Group, for extraordinary contributions to nation-building and entrepreneurship. His initiatives through the Piramal Foundation, including Piramal Swasthya and the Piramal School of Leadership, have impacted over 11.3 crore Indians.
The occasion brought together eminent thought leaders, policymakers, educators, and changemakers to reflect on the university’s impactful journey and envision India’s bright future. Shri Gauranga Das, Member of the Global Governing Council of ISKCON, also inspired the audience with profound insights on leadership and spirituality on the occasion.
The agenda also included the felicitation of the Young Leader Awards, recognising the exceptional contributions to grassroot nation building of alumni from the Rashtram School of Public Policy at Rishihood University. Veerender Kumar, Founder & CEO of Deshaj Labs, was honored for his pioneering work to develop a rural technology park in Banka district Bihar. Siddarth Gowrav, IFS and Consulate General of India to Vladivostok Russia, was honoured for aiding India to become the first country to set up a consulate in Vladivostok, Russia. Ujjwal Deepak, State Spokesperson of BJP Chhattisgarh, felicitated for his contribution to the CM good governance fellows. Colonel Raghawender P.L., Indian Army, for his role in aiding to secure India’s borders and neutralise cross border terrorism threats. Mohit Garg, IPS, Chhattisgarh Cadre, for his efforts to minimize insurgency by focusing on youth development, tribal relations, safety and inclusive development in Chhattisgarh.
Likening universities to modern-day forts that safeguard culture and produce warriors, Suresh Prabhu, Former Cabinet Minister and Chancellor, Rishihood University said, “Rishihood’s celebration marks a short journey of 10 years. I’m happy that in such a short period, the university has created an impact. As a society, you must have a shared vision. Every student in this university, every member of the community would have an ambition, a dream that ‘I want to be this’. But that’s an individual mission. As a nation, we must have a shared vision. I am happy that the Prime Minister has set a goal for 2047 to be a developed nation. This is where Rishihood comes in as well.”
“We want to be an institution that generates ideas and solutions to social and public problems. These ideas along with the leaders that have to be institutionalized only then will scale happen. That is, Vyakti Nirman, Vichar Nirman, and Vyavastha Nirman. We believe combining all these three is actually what we call Rashtra Nirman. And that is what institutions of the yore had done, whether it’s Takshashila or Nalanda,” said Prof. (Dr.) Shobhit Mathur, Co-Founder & Vice Chancellor, Rishihood University shared the university’s vision of holistic education as a cornerstone for nation-building.
“Today, Rishihood has 2000+ executive alumni, 900 students still on campus, 100+ team members, four futuristic programs, industry integrated, and all of them united by this common vision that we want to build the India of our dreams. Going forward, between 2025-2035, the university wants to focus on building leadership capacity through 5 interdisciplinary majors and fostering a thriving campus of 5000+ students with a problem-solving culture. The aim is to leverage a network of 15,000 alumni to drive impactful changes across sectors. Collaboration for Viksit Bharat, as per PM Narendra Modi’s vision, is also a key part of our strategic vision,” announced the vice-chancellor.
