Delhi-based Akshay Munjal, a science and business management alum of Bradford University, UK, and Pepperdine University, USA, is executive director of the spanking new state-of-the-art, BML Munjal University (BMU) spread over 50 acres in Manesar (Gurgaon), on the periphery of Delhi.
Newspeg. Named after Brij Mohan Lall Munjal, the founder-chairman of the Hero Group of 20 companies (annual revenue: Rs.30,000 crore) — the world’s largest producers of bicycles and automotive two wheelers (scooters; motorcycles) — BMU, constructed at an estimated project cost of Rs.200 crore, is ready to admit its first batches of 200 engineering, 70 business management and 30 commerce students on August 19.
History. Established under the Haryana Private Universities Act, 2006, the fully residential university is being launched in two phases. Construction of the schools of engineering and technology, business management, and commerce has been completed. Additional schools — liberal arts, arts, architecture and design, natural sciences and law — will be added each year starting with the BMU law school which will admit its first batch next August.
USP. The Imperial College, London (estb. 1907), routinely ranked among the world’s Top 20 universities, has been roped in to play a major mentoring role and will be closely involved in BMU’s curriculum design, content development, research, faculty training and digital research programmes. BMU engineering students will have the added advantage of preferential admission into Imperial College, if compliant with pre-defined criteria.
Direct talk. “Our family is not new to education. As far back as 1962, we promoted the Dayanand Medical College & Hospital, Ludhiana. Since then, we have been associated with establishment of the Mohali campus of the Indian School of Business. The BCM chain of Schools in Punjab, Raman Munjal Vidya Mandir, Gurgaon, BML Munjal Vidya Mandir, Hardwar, and BCM College of Education in Ludhiana were our earlier education initiatives. Moreover, a group company Hero MindMine Institute Ltd (estb.2000) has trained over 250,000 students in life skills and English language during the past decade. Hero Group companies and our ancillaries recruit hundreds of engineers every year who require further training and education. Therefore, BMU is a natural consequence of our activities in education spanning several decades,” says Munjal.
Future plans. With BMU all set to get rolling with the arrival of its first batch on August 19, Munjal who is working full time on getting the varsity on track, is confident of transforming it into an internationally respected university, which will attract foreign faculty, researchers and students. “Within the next five-ten years, BMU will be a prestigious and well-ranked university in India and abroad,” he predicts.
Smooth sailing!
Autar Nehru (Delhi)