BITS' Hyderabad campus' ground-breaking ceremony on Telugu New Years' day

Poor, meritorious students of the institute to get scholarships, says Chief Minister

• Ground-breaking ceremony on Ugadi day
• Allotted 200 acres of land near Shamirpet
• Third campus to offer all courses as in Pilani

Hyderabad: After Fab City and Infosys, it is now the turn of the prestigious BITS (Birla Institute of Technology and Sciences) to set up its campus in Hyderabad.

The State Government received a communication from the Vice-Chancellor of BITS, Pilani, Rajasthan, requesting for allotment of 200 acres of land at Jawaharnagar, near Shamirpet, in Ranga Reddy district.

The Government readily agreed to do so and the result - the ground-breaking ceremony for the third campus of BITS will be held on Ugadi on the Telugu New Year day.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy has written a letter to institute's founder K.K. Birla, thanking him for his choice and invited him to take part in the foundation laying ceremony.

Dr. Reddy, who enjoys a personal rapport with Mr. Birla, had repeatedly suggested to him to open the third campus of the institute, after Goa and Pilani, in Hyderabad.

Nearly eight months ago, Mr. Birla wrote to Dr. Reddy displaying interest in the proposal but expressed helplessness at that juncture due to financial implications.

The fact that nearly one third of seats in the BITS every year are bagged by the students from Andhra Pradesh went in favour of the present decision.

Consequently, a Government Order was issued on Thursday directing the Hyderabad Urban Development Authority (HUDA) to allot land at a cost of Rs.1.5 lakh per acre.

Expressing happiness at this development, Dr. Reddy announced that poor and meritorious students of the institute would be entitled for scholarships just as those studying in other institutes in the States.

Courtesy: The Hindu