By OUR STAFF REPORTER
Dehradun, 12 Jun: Under the New Education Policy, the University Grants Commission (UGC) has allowed the appointment of experienced professionals as ‘Professors of Practice’ in central universities and higher educational institutions. These professors, though not traditional teachers with formal teaching degrees, are appointed based on their extensive professional experience. They are expected to impart practical knowledge in their field of expertise to students, with a minimum requirement of 15 years of professional experience.
Under this initiative, Vaidya Balendu Prakash, founder of Padaav Ayurvedic Specialty Treatment Centre and Rasa Shala in Gadarpur, Uttarakhand, and Bilaspur, Uttar Pradesh, will bring his vast knowledge and experience to UPES, Dehradun.
Established through the UPES Act, 2003 of the Uttarakhand State Legislature, UPES is a top-ranked, UGC-accredited, private university in India. According to the National Institutional Ranking Framework (NIRF) 2023, the Ministry of Education, Government of India, UPES is ranked 52nd among all universities, 54th in engineering, and 39th in management schools. The QS World University Rankings 2024 also recognises UPES as the number one private university in academic reputation in India and places it among the top 3% of universities globally. UPES is accredited with Grade ‘A’ by NAAC and has received 5 stars for placement by the globally acclaimed QS rating.
According to the appointment letter issued by UPES Vice Chancellor Dr Ram Sharma, Vaidya Balendu Prakash is expected to organise various programmes to foster the all-round development of teachers and students at UPES. His involvement aims to develop scientific thinking and job-oriented skills among students.
Earlier, a team of senior scientists from UPES visited the Padaav Treatment Centre and Rasa Shala, established by Vaidya Balendu Prakash at Rudrapur and Bilaspur. They met patients suffering from pancreatitis and studied the related medical data, also observing the manufacturing methods of medicines developed over the years. UPES has entered into an agreement with Vaidya Balendu for the scientific development of the drug used in treating pancreatitis, which recently received a patent from the Government of India.
UPES has also appointed Vaidya Balendu’s daughter, Vaidya Shikha Prakash, as an Adjunct Professor at the institute. These appointments are a unique initiative to harmonise Ayurveda and modern science.
