Shimla, July 23 — In response to the rising frequency of natural calamities in Himachal Pradesh, the Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) inaugurated the Himalayan Centre for Disaster Risk Reduction and Resilience to research the causes, prediction and prevention of disasters like flash floods and cloudbursts.
“In the last five years, flash floods have become alarmingly frequent in the region. There must be scientific inquiry to understand why this is happening,” said Anirudh Singh, state minister for rural development and panchayati raj. Speaking at the university’s 56th foundation day, Singh added, “This centre is a timely initiative, dedicated to studying disaster management and building long-term resilience.”
Alongside the disaster research facility, the university also opened four other research centres, aimed at tackling challenges in energy, technology, cultural preservation and traditional knowledge. Singh formally inaugurated the Centre for Green Energy and Nanotechnology, which will focus on clean technologies, environmental protection and sustainable energy. A memorandum of understanding was signed with the Indian Institute of Technology, Ropar, to strengthen joint research on green energy.
The Centre for Artificial Intelligence and Cyber Physical Systems will equip students with tools to address emerging concerns such as AI ethics, cybersecurity, and data privacy. Another new wing—the Centre for Himachali Culture and Health—will work to preserve the state’s folk languages, arts, festivals, and traditional health practices, aiming to bring Himachali heritage onto the global stage.
Further broadening academic focus, the Ramanujan Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems and Indian Mathematics was also launched to promote India’s mathematical legacy and further the work of legendary mathematician Srinivasa Ramanujan.
However, Singh did not limit his remarks to academic expansion alone. Raising concern over the decline in the quality of higher education, he said, “The mushrooming of private universities in every small town has turned education into a business. Standards have dropped. Earlier, students from Punjab, Haryana, even Delhi came here for quality education.”
While praising the university’s alumni who now represent Himachal across the world, Singh drew a sharp contrast between government and private institutions. “Despite limited resources, government universities continue to do solid work. Private universities, by comparison, often lack academic depth and seriousness.”
In a recorded message, chief minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu—an HPU alumnus—called the university “a mirror of the state’s social, political, cultural, and economic progress.” He urged the institution to modernize not just its curriculum but also its governance systems. “Administrative reforms, flexible curricula, and content aligned with present-day realities must become the norm,” he said.
Governor Shiv Pratap Shukla also marked the occasion, calling HPU “a living testimony to history.” He underlined the university’s role as a cradle for leadership and intellect. “Since its founding in 1970, this institution has produced chief ministers, ministers, writers and scientists—including the current vice-chancellor,” Shukla said.
The new centres mark a significant step in HPU’s bid to adapt to evolving global challenges while remaining rooted in local realities.
