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Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy

Overview

Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy, commonly known by the acronym SASTRA, is a privately funded research university located at Tirumalaisamudram, near Thanjavur, in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is recognised as a deemed-to-be university and offers programmes across engineering, sciences, management, law, education, and humanities.

Key facts

Name Shanmugha Arts, Science, Technology & Research Academy (SASTRA)
Type Private deemed-to-be university
Location Tirumalaisamudram, Thanjavur district, Tamil Nadu, India
Country India
Focus Arts, sciences, engineering, technology, and research

Background

The institution traces its origins to an engineering college established in Thanjavur, which was subsequently expanded into a multi-disciplinary university. It was conferred deemed university status by the Government of India under the University Grants Commission (UGC) framework, allowing it to design its own curricula and award its own degrees.

The main campus at Tirumalaisamudram is situated on the banks of the Kaveri river, a short distance from the historic temple town of Thanjavur. The university also operates additional campuses in Tamil Nadu that house specific schools and programmes.

Academic structure

SASTRA is organised into a number of schools that group together related disciplines. These include schools dedicated to:

  • Engineering and technology, covering branches such as mechanical, civil, electrical and electronics, computer science, information technology, and chemical engineering.
  • Computing, with programmes in computer applications and information technology.
  • Chemical and biotechnology, including bioengineering, biotechnology, and bioinformatics.
  • Management studies and commerce.
  • Humanities and sciences, including mathematics, physics, chemistry, and English.
  • Law, offering integrated and postgraduate legal programmes.
  • Education and arts, science, and humanities at affiliated and constituent campuses.

Research

The university hosts research centres in areas such as nanotechnology, advanced materials, computational biology, drug discovery, and renewable energy. Doctoral programmes are offered across the science, engineering, management, and humanities disciplines.

Ramanujan Award

SASTRA is widely associated with the SASTRA Ramanujan Prize, an international award given annually to a young mathematician for outstanding contributions in areas influenced by the Indian mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan. The prize is presented during a conference held at the Kumbakonam campus, located in the town where Ramanujan spent much of his early life.

Significance

As a deemed university with a strong engineering and applied sciences orientation, SASTRA is recognised among the established private research universities in Tamil Nadu. Its association with the Ramanujan Prize has also given it a notable presence in international mathematics circles.

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