Academic

The Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, (DHSS), Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Prasanthi Nilayam organized a 5-day Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on “Academic Ethics, Scientific Writing, and Unit-Level Data” from October 25th – 29th, 2023. This FDP has been delivered in two significant segments that are of great relevance in the present social science research domain. In the first segment, participants were ably guided on topics like ethics in academic communication, scientific writing, and techniques of research publication followed by issues in secondary research. The participants were also acquainted with the elements of survey research.

In the second segment, the scholars discussed various large-scale survey datasets like NFHS, IHDS, and NSSO that are freely available on public platforms. The FDP specifically trained the researchers to handle large-scale complex health survey datasets (i.e., NFHS) for detailed analysis. It covered obtaining the publicly available NFHS dataset, managing the data, and conducting basic data analysis to draw useful insights. The widely used statistical software Stata was used for data management and data analysis. The FDP has guided participants in importing NFHS data to Stata, data management, data manipulation, and reshaping datasets, and introduced them to visit and regression analysis.

The FDP Resource Persons were:

1. Abhishek Singh, Professor, International Institute of Population Sciences, Mumbai.
2. Ashish Singh, Associate Professor, Shailesh J. Mehta School of Management, I.I.T. Bombay
3. Kaushalendra Kumar, Assistant Professor, International Institute of Population Sciences, Mumbai
4. Ajit Kumar Kannaujiya, Monitoring and Evaluation Lead, Karnataka Health Promotion Trust (KHPT), Bengaluru
5. Debarshi Dey, Head of Bio-Statistics and Data Management, MorphoSys, Munich, Germany

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On November 3, 2023, the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) announced the recipients of the CAS University Recognition Program, aimed at acknowledging academic institutions that demonstrate a strong commitment to preparing future property and casualty actuaries through their educational offerings. The program offers three levels of recognition: Bronze, Silver, and Gold.

We are delighted to announce that Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) has been honored with the Gold Level, which is the highest level among these three categories. This prestigious status places us among the ranks of other top universities globally and distinguishes us as the sole recipient from Asia thus far.

The esteemed universities that have achieved the distinguished Gold Level status include Arizona State University, Brigham Young University, Bryant University, Georgia State University, Illinois State University, McMaster University, Middle Tennessee State University, Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Temple University, University of California – Santa Barbara, University of Connecticut, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, University of Texas at Austin, University of Toronto, and University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire.

This achievement represents a significant opportunity for the SSSIHL Center of Excellence for Actuarial Data Science (CADS) to further expand its educational and research initiatives.

Read More about recent achievements:

CAS 2022 University Award

CAS  2022 Individual Research Grant

SSSIHL Student Achievements

About CAS:

The Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) is a leading international organization for credentialing and professional education. Founded in 1914, the CAS is the world’s only actuarial organization focused exclusively on property and casualty risks and serves over 10,000 members worldwide. CAS members are experts in property and casualty insurance, reinsurance, finance, risk management, and enterprise risk management. Professionals educated by the CAS empower businesses and governments to make well-informed strategic, financial, and operational decisions. (https://www.casact.org/about)

CAS Student Central: Summer Program 2023

Congratulations to Srinand Hegde and Sumanth Chebrolu from the I M.Sc. (Math) batch, Prasanthi Nilayam campus, on their successful completion of the CAS Student Central: Summer Program in 2023.

CAS Student Central Summer Program is an eight-week interactive professional and educational experience offered by the Casualty Actuarial Society. This includes successfully completing all modules of the program including Property and Casualty Basics, Excel, Data Visualization, Ratemaking, Reserving, Predictive Modeling, Soft Skills, and a Property and Casualty Case Competition. The program was developed by practicing actuaries who are subject matter experts in the field of property and casualty insurance.

CAS Student Central: Independent Summer Program 2023

Congratulations to the students from the Brindavan campus, on their successful completion of the CAS Student Central: Independent Summer Program in 2023: Arrnav Dutta, Shashi Kumar, Hursh Gupta, Saiprasanna G, Sathya Sai Sri Charan, K Damodar Reddy, KVSS Kasyap, and V Ram Sai Deep.

CAS Student Central Independent Summer Program is a six-week self-paced professional and educational experience offered by the Casualty Actuarial Society. This includes successfully completing all modules of the program including Property and Casualty Basics, Excel, Data Visualization, Ratemaking, Reserving, Predictive Modeling, and Soft Skills. The program was developed by practicing actuaries who are subject matter experts in the field of property and casualty insurance.

Actuarial Exams (July & October 2023)

Congratulations to the students for successfully passing the Actuarial exams administered by the Casualty Actuarial Society (CAS) and The Society of Actuaries (SOA): Swayam Kumar Patro (Exam FM), C Sai Kartheek (Exam FM), Manan Luthra (Exam FM), KVSS Kasyap (Exam FM), K Damodar Reddy (Exam P) and C Sai Yashwanth (Exam P).

As part of their curriculum, the Final-year MBA students of both the Anantapur campus and the Prasanthi Nilayam campus completed their industrial tour in the months of August and September respectively.

The students of the Anantapur campus held their tour from 10 – 14 August 2023 and visited: Sundaram Home Finance, Hunter Douglas, Rams Fittings & Accessories Pvt. Ltd., and Kone Elevators.

The students of the Prasanthi Nilayam campus held their tour from 11 – 15 September 2023 and visited: Caterpillar, Schwing Stetter, and Ashok Leyland.

The students returned to their respective campuses with a renewed perspective and an even better understanding of what they had been studying in the classroom, several learnings from their interaction with the professionals at these companies, and lots of great memories and experiences that they will cherish forever.

View Detailed Reports:

Industrial Visit 2023, Anantapur Campus

Industrial Visit 2023, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus

Ms. B. Sai Latha, a 1st-year B.Sc. student from the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, secured the 3rd position in the prestigious essay writing competition at the World Food Day 2023 and 9th IFCoN 2023 Curtain Raiser Program held on 16th October 2023, at CSIR-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology Tarnaka, Hyderabad.

Her essay titled “Apamahabhuta” (meaning: Water is a great element) was chosen as one of the three best essays among 80 other entries made by students from the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Miss B. Sai Latha received a Certificate of appreciation and a cash prize. The theme of the competition was “Water is Food & Water is Life: Leave No One Behind”.

The competition was organized by the Association of Food Scientists & Technologists (India) – AFSTI (Hyderabad Chapter), in collaboration with CSIR-Central Food Technological Research Institute (CFTRI) Resource Centre, Hyderabad and Oil Technologists’ Association of India (Southern Zone).

The Vice-Chancellor, Prof. B Raghavendra Prasad, Sri R J Rathnakar, Managing Trustee, Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT), along with Trustees, Sri S S Naganand and Sri Manohar Shetty had the pleasure of meeting the Hon’ble President of India Smt. Droupadi Murmu at the Rashtrapathi Bhavan, New Delhi on the evening of 25 October 2023.

The President was briefed about the activities of the Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust (SSSCT) and Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL).

Acknowledging the services rendered by both SSSCT and SSSIHL, the Hon’ble President expressed her desire to visit Prasanthi Nilayam at the earliest opportunity.

The Lit-Treat Edition IV, International Seminar on ‘Earthy Echoes in English Literature’ was conducted by the Department of Languages and Literature (English), Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning, Anantapur campus, on 29^th and 30^th September 2023.

As a lead-up to this event, on 26^th September 2023, a Literary Poster Competition on the theme of ‘Ecocriticism’ was held at the campus for all the students. A total of 13 pairs of students presented their posters out of which one was selected for the award of the best poster. A Photo Caption competition was also held for the research scholars and the faculty members of the campus. 17 spectacular photos of picturesque nature spots around the Anantapur campus with apt captions were received. One of them was selected for the award of the best photo caption.

On 29^th September 2023, day 1 of the event began with invocatory Vedam chants, followed by the ceremonial lighting of the lamp by the dignitaries. The audience both onsite and online was warmly welcomed by Dr. Mrs. Maitali Khanna, Associate Head in charge, of the Department of Languages and Literature (English). Dr. Rani. P.L., Former Head of the English Department set the context for the event.

The guest speaker for the day, Prof. Krishnaprabha V.P., Former Head, of the PG Department of English, and currently an Adjunct Faculty at Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru, delivered the inaugural address titled “Women and Indigenous Knowledge: A Holistic Paradigm”. She spoke about the wisdom, resilience, and holistic knowledge of the indigenous women in her inaugural address. The event proceeded with the first plenary talk by Prof. Swarnalatha Rangarajan, Department of Humanities, IIT Madras. The talk titled “Greening of Literature: Articulating an Earth-Based Relational Identity in the Anthropocene” explored the ecocritical streams of thought in detail.

The next plenary talk for the day was delivered by Ms. Niveditha Subramaniam, writer, illustrator, and independent researcher from Rotterdam, Netherlands. Her talk titled “Seeding Ideas: Children’s Literature in Ecoconsciousness” was interactive, looking into the various aspects of empowering children with ecoconsciousness through literature for children. With this, the forenoon session came to a close.

The afternoon session comprised of paper presentations by the undergraduate and postgraduate students of the department. A total of 8 research papers were presented, followed by special presentations given by Mrs. Aarthi R.M., an Asst. Prof., and Ms. Pratiksha Pradhan, a Research scholar, from the Department of Languages and Literature (English). The students and the faculty then went through the display of the posters and photos and appreciated the novel thoughts that inspired them.

The 2^nd day of the Lit-Treat Edition IV, International Seminar on ‘Earthy Echoes in English Literature’ began at 9 a.m. with a plenary talk that was delivered by Prof. Pramod K. Nayar, Professor in the Department of English, The University of Hyderabad. The talk titled “Reading Environment, Writing Disaster: The Literature of Climate Crisis” explored the ethical imagining of the future and a change in crisis stories on a global scale. This talk was insightful and full of wit. It was followed by another plenary talk titled “The Dance between the Imaginal and the Ecological; A Writer’s Perspective on Eco writing” by Dr. Shivani Sivagurunathan, University of Nottingham Malaysia. The talk conveyed her perspectives on the place of imagination in the development of ecoconsciousness. With this, the forenoon session of day 2 came to an end.

The distribution of prizes to the winners was held during the Valedictory Ceremony in the afternoon. Prof. B. Raghavendra Prasad, Vice-Chancellor, of SSSIHL, presided over the ceremony. Prof. V.V.N. Rajendra Prasad, Distinguished Visiting Faculty, Central University of Andhra Pradesh, delivered the Valedictory address. The event concluded with a drama titled “Egocentrism to Ecocentrism: Ecological Wisdom for our Times” by the students of the Department of Languages and Literature (English).

The students expressed their joy and fulfillment at the end of the 2-day seminar, which has now left them looking forward to the next edition.

View Recording:

Day 1 (29 September): https://www.youtube.com/live/BxBSZ_IrO6g?si=jOyImrw9lvJact-5

Day 2 (30 September): https://www.youtube.com/live/PQqL5TBuGE0?si=5v2_iQpcxLfAlTL-

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MILAN 91-93, the 38th MBA Day at SSSIHL, marked a special occasion where alumni from the 1993 batch of MBA students reunited to share their insights and experiences with the current MBA students. The two-day event featured various activities and discussions.

On the first day, alumni mentored MBA students in exploring case studies covering topics like market analysis, funding pitches, technological adaptation, and leadership challenges. This hands-on experience provided students with practical skills and knowledge.

The second day included speeches from distinguished speakers. Dr. Sayee Manohar K, Head, Department of Management and Commerce welcomed the audience, Prof. B. Sai Giridhar, Registrar, SSSIHL gave the Inaugural Address, followed by talks by the Chief Guest Shri R J Ratnakar, Managing Trustee, SSSCT, the Vice-Chancellor of SSSIHL Prof. B. Raghavendra Prasad, and the CEO of Barclays India Sri Ram Gopal. They emphasized the importance of aligning education with industry needs, workplace ethics, and ongoing competence development. The event aimed to prepare students effectively for their future careers.

The celebration concluded with a video presentation and a heartfelt discourse by Sri Sathya Sai Baba, leaving everyone nostalgic and emotional.

View Detailed Report

View Recording: https://bit.ly/SSSIHLEvent-38thMBADAY-MILAN

Program Schedule

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) has been celebrating National Science Day for the last five years. This year, SSSIHL has jointly organized and celebrated National Science Day 2023 (NSD – 2023) in collaboration with Dr. K. V. Rao Scientific Society (KVRSS), Sri Sathya Sai Seva Organizations (SSSO), India, and Nexus Consulting, Bangalore at the Prasanthi Nilayam campus.

As part of NSD 2023 celebrations, different competitions were organized for both school and college students, namely Essay, Painting, and Quiz were organized for schools across India to participate.

The registrations for these three different competitions were held between January 16 -February 7, 2023. Each of these competitions witnessed over 300 registrations from over 19 States in India.

On National Science Day, 28 February 2023, the Finalists of all the competitions convened at the Prasanthi Nilayam Campus, of SSSIHL and participated in the grand finale.

The winners were all felicitated during the Valedictory ceremony by the Honorable Chancellor, SSSIHL, Sri K Chakaravarthi, the Managing Trustee of Sri Sathya Sai Central Trust Sri R J Ratnakar and the Vice-Chancellor (Acting) Prof B. Sai Giridhar. Further, the members and guests of Dr. K. Rao Scientific Society too were felicitated by the dignitaries.

A detailed report with photographs from the Finale event is enclosed here.

View Report

View Recording:

Quiz Finals: https://www.youtube.com/live/27LW-00-Yls?si=apSdirI4y0xYXXep

https://www.youtube.com/live/35b_ZbFmT7M?si=2zx0Y68Z-k8rq9y8

https://www.youtube.com/live/FWalNznu35Q?si=JVMUn8jv9pBXT6Fi

View Schedule

The Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning’s Department of Humanities and Social Sciences conducted a National Workshop on “Macro Stabilisation Policies for India in the post-pandemic era” on August 26, 2023, at Prasanthi Nilayam Campus. The event featured lectures, presentations, and discussions, uniting experts, academicians, policymakers, and students to tackle the complex economic challenges faced by India during and after the COVID-19 pandemic.

The workshop commenced with traditional rituals, including Vedam chanting and lamp lighting. Dr. G Raghavender Raju, Head, Dept. of Humanities and Social Sciences, welcomed attendees and expressed gratitude to the distinguished speakers. Vice-Chancellor Prof. B Raghavendra Prasad highlighted the pandemic’s impact on India’s economy and praised the government’s focus on preserving lives and livelihoods, aligning with India’s values.

Prof. N R Bhanumurthy Vice-Chancellor, Dr. B R Ambedkar School of Economics University stressed the need for an active fiscal policy coupled with an accommodative monetary stance and urged reconsideration of the public debt-to-GDP ratio in his talk.

Dr. Deba Prasad Rath Principal Adviser, Department of Economic and Policy Research at Reserve Bank of India (RBI), Mumbai, emphasized the importance of cohesive fiscal and monetary policies.

Dr. Nadhavael GV, Director of the Division of Reports and Knowledge, Dissemination at the Department of Economic and Policy Research, RBI Central Office, Mumbai policies should enhance productivity, harness technology, and manage human capital strategically.

Prof. Ashima Goyal, Member of the Monetary Policy Committee of RBI, and Emeritus Professor at IGIDR Mumbai emphasized the significance of credible inflation targeting, timely structural reforms, and clear communication in policy implementation.

The workshop also featured student presentations on topics like interest reference rate changes, de-dollarization, central bank digital currency, and non-basmati rice bans, fostering engaging discussions.

Overall, the workshop successfully merged academic knowledge with practical insights, garnering positive feedback.

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View Event Brochure

View Recording

Session 1.: https://youtube.com/live/SkIjau6Izsk

Session 2.: https://youtube.com/live/IeopuTCJjYk