Tirupati: RSVP to be upgraded as National Sanskrit University

Tirupati: Lok Sabha passed the bill to upgrade Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha (RSVP) in Tirupati along with two other deemed Sanskrit universities into Central universities. The proposal was pending for quite some time with the central government. RSVP will become 'National Sanskrit University' with its headquarters in Tirupati after the Centre issues the Gazette notification after the bill passes in Rajya Sabha and gets President's assent.

After the general elections, the Union Minister for Human Resources Development Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank speeded up the process and see that the bill was passed on Thursday by the Lower House. Along with RSVP, two other institutes Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, New Delhi and Shri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, New Delhi are to be made Central Universities. Of these three, RSVP is the oldest one as it was established in 1961 while the other two came into existence in 1962 and 1970.

The RSVP was made deemed university in 1987 and subsequently given the status of Centre of Excellence in traditional Sastras. It is also having the distinction of getting NAAC-A grade. By possessing the Central University status, it will bag more reputation and funds to introduce more activities towards the development of Sanskrit language.

The HRD Minister has said in Lok Sabha that the government was committed for the development and promotion of all Indian languages. He described Sanskrit as the 'Soul of the Country' and had contributed to India becoming 'Vishwa Guru' in the past.

RSVP Vice-Chancellor Prof V Muralidhara Sharma expressed happiness and described it as 'a dream come true' which was made possible with the cooperation and hard work of all. He said that, the Chancellor N Gopala Swamy, Minister for HRD Ramesh Pokhriyal and Home Minister Amit Shah have put in great efforts in the entire process.

On Friday, a felicitation meeting was also held in Vidyapeetha in which Registrar Prof GSR Krishna Murthy, former V-C Prof MLN Murthy, Academic Dean Prof R Sadasiva Murthy, other faculty and non-teaching faculty, RSVP Standing Counsel K Ajay Kumar and others felicitated the Vice-Chancellor.