Sridhar Vembu, Co-founder and Chief Scientist of Zoho Corporation, inaugurated the new Thiruvanmiyur campus of the VELS Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies (VISTAS) in Chennai. Described as India’s first AI-integrated vertical university campus, the facility embeds artificial intelligence across all academic programmes and learning infrastructure. The event also marked the signing of international partnerships, including a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to establish a flying school in the UAE.
Sridhar Vembu: From IIT Madras to Zoho’s Chief Scientist
Sridhar Vembu is one of India’s most respected technology entrepreneurs. He earned a B.Tech in Electrical Engineering from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Madras in 1989 and went on to complete a PhD in Electrical Engineering from Princeton University in 1994. After a brief stint as a wireless engineer at Qualcomm in the United States, he co-founded AdventNet in 1996, which later became Zoho Corporation.
Under Vembu’s leadership, Zoho grew into a global software-as-a-service powerhouse serving over 100 million users across more than 150 countries, all without taking any external venture capital funding. In January 2025, Vembu stepped down as CEO to become the company’s Chief Scientist, focusing on deep research and development, particularly in artificial intelligence. He received the Padma Shri, India’s fourth highest civilian award, in 2021 and has also served on the National Security Advisory Board. Vembu is known for relocating Zoho’s headquarters from Silicon Valley to the village of Mathalamparai in Tenkasi district, Tamil Nadu, reflecting his commitment to building technology from rural India.
About VELS Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies
The VELS Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies (VISTAS) is a private deemed-to-be university located in Pallavaram, Chennai, Tamil Nadu. It was established in 1992 as a group of institutions and was granted deemed university status in 2008 by the University Grants Commission (UGC) under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. The university also holds 12B status from UGC and is recognised as a Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (SIRO) by the Ministry of Science and Technology.
VISTAS is a multi-disciplinary institution offering programmes in engineering, pharmacy, physiotherapy, maritime studies, management, law, and the sciences. The university’s Founder-Chancellor is Dr. Ishari K. Ganesh, and the Vice-Chancellor is Dr. T. Sasipraba. The main campus in Pallavaram spans about 29 acres in the heart of Chennai, while the new Thiruvanmiyur campus adds a modern, technology-intensive facility to the university’s portfolio.
Inside India’s First AI-Integrated Vertical University Campus
The new campus is located in Thiruvanmiyur, a neighbourhood in South Chennai situated along the East Coast Road (ECR). This area has emerged as a major IT hub due to its proximity to technology parks such as Tidel Park in neighbouring Taramani, making it a strategic location for a tech-focused university campus.
A vertical university campus is designed upwards rather than sprawling horizontally, making efficient use of land in dense urban areas. What sets this campus apart is the integration of artificial intelligence across the entire academic ecosystem, not just as a subject of study but as a foundational layer embedded into teaching, learning, and campus operations.
The campus features AI-enabled smart classrooms, collaborative innovation hubs, industry-connected laboratories, digital learning environments, and world-class student amenities. AI is embedded across multiple disciplines from engineering and computer science to business, healthcare, and media, ensuring students gain exposure to artificial intelligence regardless of their field of study. Programmes such as AI and Machine Learning, Robotics, Data Science, and FinTech reflect this multidisciplinary approach.
The curriculum is built around experiential learning, with emphasis on live projects, internships, research, startup incubation, and interdisciplinary collaboration. Speaking at the inauguration, Dr. Preethaa Ganesh, Vice President of VELS Group of Institutions, described the campus as designed not only for today’s learners but for the leaders of tomorrow.
Industry Collaborations and Global Partnerships
A major highlight of the inauguration event was the range of partnerships announced to strengthen the campus’s industry-academia linkages.
Centres of Excellence with Tech Leaders
The campus houses Industry-Academia Centres of Excellence developed in collaboration with Intel Unnati, TCS iON, Microsoft, and Oracle Academy. These centres provide students hands-on exposure to artificial intelligence, cloud computing, high-performance computing, and other emerging technologies. Intel Unnati is Intel’s programme for empowering Indian students and faculty with industry-relevant technology skills, launched in 2021 in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Science and IIITs.
Flying School in the UAE
A Memorandum of Understanding was signed between VISTAS, Aspin Holding LLC Group, and MH Cockpit to establish a flying school in the United Arab Emirates. The partnership will focus on aviation education, pilot training, faculty exchange, internships, research collaboration, and international career opportunities for students. The event was attended by His Excellency Ahmed Mir Hashim Khoori, Member of the Federal National Council of the UAE and Board Member of the Emirates Airline Foundation, who was the Guest of Honour.
Planned Collaboration with Zoho
VELS announced that it will soon sign an MoU with Zoho Corporation to collaborate in the fields of artificial intelligence, emerging technologies, research, innovation, entrepreneurship, digital skill development, and industry-academia initiatives. In his inaugural address, Vembu stressed that India must build technologies from the ground up, from basic sciences to advanced digital technologies, to remain globally competitive. He expressed Zoho’s keenness to work with VELS in the near future.
The Broader Significance
The inauguration of this campus comes at a time when Indian higher education is undergoing a significant transformation. The National Education Policy (NEP) 2020 emphasises multidisciplinary learning, experiential education, and the integration of technology into curricula. The AI-integrated vertical campus model aligns directly with these policy goals.
The location of the campus in Thiruvanmiyur, a node in Chennai’s IT corridor along the Old Mahabalipuram Road (OMR) and East Coast Road (ECR), places it at the intersection of academia and industry. This proximity to major technology parks is expected to strengthen internship and placement opportunities for students.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Ishari K. Ganesh, Founder-Chancellor of VISTAS, outlined the institution’s future expansion plans, including an integrated university campus spanning 350 acres in Tindivanam, expansion of the medical campus in Periyapalayam, and upgrades to campuses in Adyar and Hyderabad. These plans reflect a broader push to expand quality higher education and research capacity in Tamil Nadu and beyond.
During his address, Vembu called on India to aspire to build next-generation technologies domestically, including in advanced manufacturing sectors such as aircraft production. He noted that a recent visit to Japan reinforced his conviction that India must achieve self-reliance across the technology value chain, from fundamental sciences to cutting-edge digital systems.
Key Takeaways
- Sridhar Vembu, Co-founder and Chief Scientist of Zoho Corporation, inaugurated the new Thiruvanmiyur campus of VELS Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies (VISTAS) in Chennai.
- The campus is recognised as India’s first AI-integrated vertical university campus, embedding artificial intelligence across all academic programmes, classrooms, and campus operations.
- VISTAS was established in 1992 and granted deemed university status in 2008 under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956. It is located in Pallavaram, Chennai with Dr. Ishari K. Ganesh as Founder-Chancellor.
- An MoU was signed between VISTAS, Aspin Holding LLC Group, and MH Cockpit to establish a flying school in the United Arab Emirates for aviation education and pilot training.
- The campus houses Industry-Academia Centres of Excellence in collaboration with Intel Unnati, TCS iON, Microsoft, and Oracle Academy.
- Sridhar Vembu holds a B.Tech from IIT Madras and a PhD from Princeton University, and was awarded the Padma Shri in 2021.
