Academic Year 2024/25 Tag

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) is pleased to announce the signing of a strategic Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ASPIRE – the Section-8 company of the University of Hyderabad that oversees the University’s leading incubation centres:

• TIDE (Technology Incubation and Development of Entrepreneurs)
• TBI (Technology Business Incubator)
• BioNEST (Biotech Incubation Centre)

The MoU was formally signed on 13 June 2025 at ASPIRE BioNEST, University of Hyderabad.

MoU Signatories:

• Dr. Srikanth Khanna, Registrar, SSSIHL
• Prof. Samrat L. Sabat, Director, R&D Cell, University of Hyderabad

Distinguished Attendees:

From ASPIRE / University of Hyderabad:

• Prof. Reddanna, Founder Director, ASPIRE & Executive President, FABA
• Dr. P. Ratnakar, PAC Member, ASPIRE BioNEST
• Dr. Ramakrishna, CEO, TIDE & TBI

From SSSIHL:

• Prof. Raghavendra Prasad, Vice-Chancellor
• Prof. Pallav Kumar Baruah, Dean – Innovation & Entrepreneurship & President, Institution’s Innovation Council
• Sri J. Lakshminarasimhiah, Finance Officer
• Dr. B.E. Pradeep, Department of Biosciences
• Mr. T.L. Pavan Kumar, CEO, Sri Sathya Sai Research and Innovation Foundation (SSSRIF)
• Mr. Kotikala Krishnamurthy, Member, Finance Committee

Purpose and Scope of the MoU

This partnership lays the groundwork for a long-term collaboration aimed at:

• Supporting the operationalization of Sri Sathya Sai Research and Innovation Foundation (SSSRIF), the Institute’s Section-8 not-for-profit entity
• Facilitating the establishment of a robust innovation and incubation ecosystem at SSSIHL
• Enabling knowledge exchange in governance, financial modelling, and startup acceleration strategies

A highlight of the event was Dr. Ramakrishna’s presentation on ASPIRE’s incubation architecture, operational models, and industry partnerships. His insights offered valuable direction for shaping SSSIHL’s innovation framework.

Towards a Values-Based Innovation Culture

With this MoU, SSSIHL takes a significant step forward in nurturing deep-tech, biotech, and health-tech innovations rooted in academic research, societal needs, and integral human values.

This partnership reflects the shared vision of both institutions to create a values-based innovation ecosystem that empowers students, researchers, and aspiring entrepreneurs to drive impactful change across India.

We look forward to a fruitful and purpose-driven collaboration.

Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Federation of Asian Biotech Associations (FABA) to launch a transformative initiative aimed at empowering students in biotechnology and life sciences. An MoU was formally signed on 13 June 2025 at the ASPIRE-BioNEST facility, University of Hyderabad.

The agreement was signed between Dr. Srikanth Khanna, Registrar, SSSIHL, and Dr. Ratnakar Palakodeti, Secretary, FABA.

The event was graced by:

• Prof. Reddanna, Executive President, FABA,
• Dr. Jagadeesh Gandla, Chief Operating Officer, FABA.

Representing SSSIHL were:

• Prof. Raghavendra Prasad, Vice Chancellor
• Prof. Pallav Kumar Baruah, Dean, Innovation & Entrepreneurship & President, Institution’s Innovation Council
• Dr. B.E. Pradeep, Department of Biosciences
• Sri Lakshmi Narasimhiah, Finance Officer
• Sri T.L. Pavan Kumar, CEO, Sri Sathya Sai Research and Innovation Foundation
• Sri Kotikala Krishnamurthy, Member, Finance Committee

About the Collaboration

The MoU paves the way for the establishment of Biotech Finishing School programs at the SSSIHL Prasanthi Nilayam campus. These programs aim to:

• Provide hands-on, industry-aligned training in key areas of biotechnology
• Expose students to current trends in diagnostics, therapeutics, and research
• Enhance professional readiness and career prospects in the biotech sector

This partnership aligns with the institute’s vision of integrating values-based education with cutting-edge skill development, preparing students to lead with competence, integrity, and innovation in the life sciences domain.

As part of its ongoing extension and community outreach initiatives, the staff and students of the Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL), Anantapur Campus conducted a one-month skills enhancement programme for visually challenged students residing at the “Meenakshamma Inclusive Development Centre” a privately-run hostel in Anantapur.

This initiative was catalysed by Ms. Rama Devi, a visually-challenged alumna and a long-time resident of the Sri Sathya Sai Women’s Hostel, who brought to light the pressing need for skill development among this group. The Meenakshamma Inclusive Development Centre, managed by Smt. & Sri Venkata Narayana, a devout couple, provides accommodation and support to approximately 40 underprivileged girls—most of whom are fully visually challenged and currently pursuing intermediate or undergraduate studies.

The objectives were

• to provide basic computer literacy using assistive technology (talkback-supported systems)
• to develop spoken English and communication skills
• to create awareness among SSSIHL volunteers of the challenges faced by visually impaired students and to foster a spirit of selfless service

Planning and Preparation

A preliminary visit by the Director and a faculty team in April 2025 confirmed the feasibility and need for such a programme. Following this, a call for volunteers was made. Seventeen faculty members and research scholars came forward to offer daily training sessions, each lasting 90–120 minutes over four weeks. The programme was coordinated by Ms. K. Hemalatha, Asst. Director, Physical Education, with four rotating teams conducting sessions from 1st May to 30th May 2025.

Implementation

The programme was divided into two core modules:

• Computer Basics (using talkback): turning on a PC, navigating applications, typing in MS Word, creating resumes, and making PowerPoint presentations.
• Conversational English: confidence-building exercises, basic grammar and sentence structures, interactive speaking tasks.

The students were grouped into two batches that alternated between modules every three days to ensure focused attention and learning continuity.

Outcomes

• Students successfully gained the ability to operate a talkback-enabled desktop system, create documents and presentations.
• They showed marked improvement in spoken English; one student confidently delivered a vote of thanks in English on the concluding day.
• The programme significantly impacted both beneficiaries and volunteers.
• The experience deepened the volunteers’ appreciation for their own privileges and strengthened their resolve to serve society.

Future Directions

The visually challenged students and the management at the Centre have requested continued support. The campus aims to design a sustainable follow-up training module as part of its regular outreach activities, with the continued grace and inspiration of our Founder Chancellor Bhagawan Sri Sathya Sai Baba.

Identifying the Issue

• Current titanium implants, though biocompatible, require surface treatments to improve early-stage bone integration and also to prevent bacterial adhesion causing conditions like peri-implantitis.
• High cost and complexity of typical implant surface treatments limit its accessibility, especially in lower economic settings, warranting the need for simpler and cost-effective methods

Objective of the Research

• Develop a low-cost surface treatment to improve implant to bone integration and minimize bacterial colonisation.
• Create a technique that’s feasible in clinical settings without complex equipment.

Who should read this?

• Dental and orthopaedic implant manufacturers
• Biomedical engineers
• Dental surgeons and clinicians
• Medical device R&D professionals

Solution

A dual alkali (NaOH and NH₄OH) etching was performed at room temperature on titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V). This treatment technique improved surface roughness and chemistry and the etched samples showed better osseointegration and bacterial resistance.

Key Features and Benefits

• Etching performed at room temperature, without the need for any special equipment
• Compatible with existing implant materials (Grade 5 titanium)
• Cost-effective, scalable, and clinically feasible
• Improved bone integration and promotes healing
• Minimises bacterial colonization

Impact

• 7× reduction in bacterial adhesion vs. as received grade 5 titanium
• Good hydroxyapatite formation within 1 week of soaking in SBF that proves ability for early-stage bone formation
• In-vivo studies show improved early osseointegration in 1 and 4 weeks of implantation
• Technique suitable for adoption in a clinical setting

Team

1. Sushmita Chettri (first author) (SSSIHL)
2. Deepa Seetharaman (Corresponding author) (SSSIHL)
3. Wei Zhu (Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences)
4. Huasi Zhou (Uppsala University, Sweden)
5. Håkan Engqvist (Uppsala University, Sweden)
6. Wei Xia (Uppsala University, Sweden)

Title of paper: “Dual alkali etching for osseointegration and reduced bacterial adhesion: a feasible alternative to SLA“

Read Paper Here: https://doi.org/10.1039/d4ma01223b

On 28 May 2025, the Sri Sathya Sai Research and Innovation Foundation (SSSRIF) welcomed its inaugural start-up, Saimeethya Foods Pvt Ltd, founded by SSSIHL alumna Dr Sai Dharshini S (Food & Nutrition, Anantapur campus)

What they do:

Saimeethya Foods Pvt Ltd. offers millet-based, ready-to-eat products that transform under-utilised major and minor millets into convenient, daily foods. The formulations are validated for physicochemical quality, nutrition, and shelf stability by the Department of Food and Nutritional Sciences, SSSIHL.

The impact:

Despite their nutritional value, millets remain underused in Indian diets. Saimeethya changes that—offering ready-to-eat options that are practical, tasty, and aligned with our Founder Chancellor’s emphasis on healthful, indigenous foods.

The moment:

The incubation agreement was formally signed and exchanged by Prof. B. Raghavendra Prasad, Vice-Chancellor, SSSIHL and Chairman, SSSRIF, and Dr. Sai Dharshini, Founder of Saimeethya Foods Pvt. Ltd., in the divine presence of our revered Founder Chancellor on 28 May 2025 at Prasanthi Nilayam

Also present were Prof. Pallav Kumar Baruah (President, SSSIHL-IIC), Mr. Pavan Kumar T. L. (CEO, SSSRIF), Mr. N. L. S. Murthy, members of the IIC team, and several faculty mentors who helped shape the venture.

This milestone reflects our vision: to incubate ventures that nourish lives, respect natural resources, and carry Sai values into the marketplace.

Welcome, Saimeethya Foods. Let the grains—and the good—go far.

The Faculty Development Program (FDP) on Advances in Mathematical Modeling Techniques, AI/ML and Bioinformatics was organized online by the Centre for Excellence in Mathematical Biology (CEMB), SSSIHL, in collaboration with ISMMACS, from April 12–19, 2025, as part of the Sri Sathya Sai Centenary Celebrations. It brought together 72 participants—faculty, researchers, and students—from across India.

Over eight days, expert speakers from premier institutions worldwide delivered sessions covering key domains such as optimal control, parameter estimation, epidemiological modeling, delay differential equations (DDEs), stochastic modeling, bioinformatics, and scientific machine learning. The program balanced theory with hands-on training, using tools like Python, MATLAB, and JAMOVI to simulate real-world scenarios in population dynamics, disease spread, cancer research, and more.

Highlights included sessions on machine learning techniques like Extreme Learning Machines, cryptographic applications of graph theory, and hybrid modeling approaches combining AI and mechanistic models. Real-life case studies, such as modeling the effects of insecticides on crops or hereditary cancer diagnostics through bioinformatics, added practical value.

Participant feedback was overwhelmingly positive, praising the program’s interdisciplinary nature, clarity of instruction, technical depth, and smooth organization. Many appreciated the accessibility of complex topics and the provision of session recordings for continued learning. The FDP successfully enriched participants’ knowledge base and provided a robust platform for future research and collaboration in mathematical biology and computational modeling.

View detailed report:

The Institution’s Innovation Council (IIC) of Sri Sathya Sai Institute of Higher Learning (SSSIHL) successfully organized a one-day hands-on workshop titled “Attracting Investments for Research and Innovation” on 25 April 2025 at the Multimedia Learning Centre, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus.

The workshop comprised three interactive sessions and saw participation from over 50 attendees, including faculty members, research scholars, and students from all four campuses of SSSIHL.

Session I

Following the traditional Vedam chanting, the event commenced with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by distinguished dignitaries:

• Dr. Anand Govindaluri, Guest Speaker and Founder & CEO, Govin Capital, Singapore
• Prof. B Raghavendra Prasad, Vice-Chancellor, SSSIHL
• Dr. Srikanth Khanna, Registrar, SSSIHL
• Prof. Pallav Kumar Baruah, Dean of Sciences and President of IIC, SSSIHL
• Dr. Raghunatha Sharma, Director, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus

Dr. B. E. Pradeep, IPR Coordinator, IIC-SSSIHL, delivered the welcome address, setting the tone for the day. The inaugural address was presented by Prof. B Raghavendra Prasad, Vice-Chancellor, who emphasized the significance of innovation, entrepreneurship, and the role of investment in scaling scientific research.

Ms. Premembika from the Anantapur Campus introduced the guest speaker. Dr. Anand Govindaluri then delivered a compelling keynote address on the topic, “Attracting Venture Capital Funding to Scientific Research and Innovations”. Drawing from over two decades of experience in venture investment and entrepreneurship, Dr. Anand shared valuable insights and inspiring real-world examples. The session concluded with an engaging Q&A, during which he provided in-depth responses to participants’ queries citing real-world cases and insights.

Watch the recording of Session I: https://www.youtube.com/live/p-Um1VMFpvc?si=MEZ8-FmAXMyC69MN

Session II

The second session was a closed-door hands-on workshop, where selected participants showcased their research and entrepreneurial ideas through a concise “One-Slide Presentation”. The participants included:

• Sai Darshini, Research Scholar, ATP campus
• Amrita Shaw, Research Scholar, ATP campus
• Mounika Pandey, Research Scholar, ATP campus
• Dr. Vishweshwar, Assistant professor, DCHEM, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus
• Dr. Murali Ravi, Assistant Professor, DPHY, Prasanthi Nilayam Campus

Each presentation received detailed feedback from Dr. Anand Govindaluri, who expressed a strong interest in two of the projects, noting their potential for commercialization and investment. This endorsement provided a major boost to the confidence and motivation of the participants.

Session III

The concluding session included another enlightening talk by Dr. Anand titled, “Social and Scientific Innovations and Investors’ Dilemma”, where he elaborated on the challenges and opportunities that innovators and investors face in the current global scenario.

An open house discussion allowed for a free exchange of thoughts, clarifications, and further learning. The event concluded with remarks by Dr. Murali Ravi, who appreciated the inspiring guidance provided by the speaker and the active participation of the attendees, followed by a vote of thanks and Mangala Aarathi.

Watch the recording of Session III: https://www.youtube.com/live/-KPq8k3at9g?si=11XjzVObQRfJaJFC

The workshop proved to be a highly impactful initiative, leaving participants better informed about the venture capital ecosystem and inspired to transform their research innovations into real-world solutions.

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