Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham Vice Chancellor Dr. P. Venkat Rangan shares his views on what Indian institutions can do to strive for excellence. There are several aspects to a university becoming world class. The most important aspect of these is the faculty, students and the research and learning that occur as a result of the interaction between the two. The university facilitates interaction between teachers and students resulting in research and higher learning with active involvement.
The State University of New York (SUNY) presented spiritual leader and humanitarian Sri Mata Amritanandamayi Devi (Amma) with an honorary doctorate in humane letters at a special ceremony held at 2 p.m. on May 25 at Lippes Concert Hall in Slee Hall on the University at Buffalo North Campus.
“To introduce a saint is a big job, but to film an angel is something else entirely,” said Academy Award-nominee Sharon Stone upon presenting Amma with the ‘Prix Cinéma Vérité 2007’ Award in Paris. By “filming an angel,” Stone was referring to the 2005 Jan Kounen documentary about Amma, Darshan.
Amma was presented with the Interfaith Center of New York’s 4th Annual James Parks Morton Interfaith Award. The Interfaith Center of New York (ICNY) bestowed the award upon Amma for her outstanding role as a spiritual leader and humanitarian, citing in specific her Ashram’s massive relief work in the wake of the 2004 tsunami. As part of the award ceremony, Amma delivered an address on intra-religious understanding and collaboration.
The World Movement for Nonviolence confers upon Amma the Gandhi-King Award for Non-violence at the UN in Geneva.
