The proposed Vedanta University is likely to get chairman of National Knowledge Commission Sam Pitroda as its first Chancellor, Orissa's higher education minister Debi Prasad Mishra said on Thursday.
Replying to a debate on the Vedanta University Bill-2009 in Orissa assembly, Mishra said that the varsity authorities were in consultation with Pitroda to assume office of the Chancellor of the proposed institution to be set up in Puri district.
The minister gave this information while some members from opposition Congress and BJP raised doubts on establishment of the university, which would be given at least 6,000 acre of land.
Besides Pitroda, the varsity authorities also informed the state government, Mishra said that they had already contacted at least three Nobel laureates to join as faculty of the proposed university, which is being set up by the Anil Agarwal Foundation Trust.
Stating that the developers of the varsity would invest about Rs 15,000 crore (Rs 150 billion), Mishra said the varsity aimed at providing a core campus comprising academic and non-academic buildings for 100,000 students and 20,000 faculty members.
The Vedanta university would offer academic programmes like basic science, humanities, engineering, business management, law, medicine, agriculture, performing arts and bio-science, he said.