Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Deemed to be University) is an independent and self-governing institution. It was established by the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Public Charitable Trust), which in turn has been established by the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust. Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba is the founder of these Trusts.

The Trust
The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (Public Charitable Trust) was founded to foster the culture of India and promote in the students and teachers an awareness and understanding of the social needs of the country; with special focus to the needs of the rural population. It is aimed to inculcate in students a world perspective – an international outlook imbibing human values along with a spiritual and secular education. Its current members are:
Sri T K K Bhagwat
Member, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Former Chairman of Indian Overseas Bank and Former Advisor, International Monetary Fund
Sri S S Naganand
Member, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Senior Partner, JustLaw Advocates, Senior Advocate, High Court of India and Supreme Court of India and Former President, International Commission of Jurists (Karnataka section)
Sri R J Rathnakar
Managing Trustee, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust, Active Social Worker and Alumnus, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning
Prof. S P Thyagarajan
Former Vice-Chancellor, University of Madras, Professor of Eminence & Dean (Research), Sri Ramachandra University and Eminent Microbiologist and Inventor
Dr. V Mohan
Chairman & Chief Diabetologist (Dr. Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre, an IDF Centre of Excellence in Diabetes Care), Director & Chief of Diabetes Research (Madras Diabetes Research Foundation, an ICMR Centre for Advanced Research on Diabetes)
Prof. K B R Varma
Former Vice-Chancellor (Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning), Retired Professor (Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore)
The Principal Bodies
The administrative and academic functioning of the university is carried out by the following two principal bodies:
- The Board of Management
- The Academic Council
The Board of Management
The Board of Management is the principal authority of the University, responsible for its general management and administration. Its current members are:
- Prof. (Dr.) C B Sanjeevi, Vice-Chancellor, SSSIHL (Chairman)
- Sri S S Naganand, Member, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust Nominee, SSSIHL (Public Charitable Trust)
- Dr. (Ms.) Renu Swarup, Secretary, Dept. of Biotechnology, Ministry of Science & Technology, Govt. of India
- Prof. D Narasimha Rao, Professor, Dept. of Biochemistry, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
- Prof. B Raghavendra Prasad, Senior Professor, Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore
- Prof. G Nageswara Rao, Professor, Dept of Chemistry, SSSIHL
- Prof. R Prabhakara Rao, Professor (Hon.), Dept. of Economics, SSSIHL
- Prof. C N Sundaresan, Dean of Research, SSSIHL
- Dr. (Mrs.) M Praphulla, Dean of Education, SSSIHL
- Prof. B Sai Giridhar, Registrar, SSSIHL (Member Secretary)
The Academic Council
The Academic Council is the principal academic body of the University. It has general control over and is responsible for the maintenance of standards of teaching, research and training, approval of syllabus, coordination of research activities, and examinations and tests within the University. Its current external members are:
- Prof. V Nagaraja, Dept. of Microbiology and Cell Biology, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
- Prof. S Ramasesha, Solid State and Structural Chemistry Unit, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore
- Prof. V Nagadevara, Former Professor and Dean, Indian Institute of Management, Bangalore
- Prof. A Ramanan, Dept. of Chemistry, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
- Dr. Kamini Walia, Scientist F, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi
- Dr. Anil Dutt Semwal, Scientist G, Director, Defence Food Research Laboratory, Ministry of Defence, Mysore
- Prof. Ratnamala Chatterjee, Dept. of Physics, Indian Institute of Technology, Delhi
- Dr. M Venkateshwar, Formerly Professor and Head, Dept. of Hindi & India Studies, The English and Foreign Languages University, Hyderabad
Important Committees
In addition to the principal bodies that govern the university, there are various committees that have been set up to ensure that academics and administration are in accordance with the high standards that SSSIHL has striven to consistently maintain. Some of these committees include:
- The Boards of Studies
- The Finance Committee
- Planning and Monitoring Board
- Research Advisory Board
- Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC)
- Institutional Ethics Committee
- Institutional Biosafety Committee
- Research Conferments Cell
- Building and Works Committee
- Campus-Hostel Management Committee
Mandatory/Essential Committees
- Anti-Ragging Committee
- Anti-Discrimination Cell
- Committees for SC/ST/OBC/Minority
- Internal Complaints Committee
- Intellectual Property Rights Cell and Innovation Cell
- Social Media Cell
- Student Counsellor
- Internal Committee for students with disabilities