Union Finance Minister Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman to Deliver Inaugural Nitte Vinaya Hegde Oration

Mangaluru, 25 April 2026

Nitte University will host the inaugural Nitte Vinaya Hegde Oration on Tuesday, 28 April 2026, at 3:30 PM at the K S Hegde Auditorium, Deralakatte, Mangaluru. The keynote address will be delivered by Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman, Hon’ble Union Minister for Finance and Corporate Affairs, Government of India, on the theme “Viksit Bharat – Vision for 2047.” Her address is expected to offer vital insights into India’s developmental aspirations, economic transformation, and the roadmap toward becoming a developed nation by the centenary of its independence.

The Nitte Vinaya Hegde Oration has been instituted as a prestigious annual lecture series to honor the vision, leadership, and enduring contributions of the late Justice K S Hegde and the legacy of institution-building associated with him. The series aims to bring together distinguished national leaders, thinkers, policymakers, and public intellectuals to engage with contemporary issues of national importance.

The program will be presided over by Justice N. Santosh Hegde, former Judge of the Supreme Court of India and former Lokayukta of Karnataka. Guests of Honor include Shri U. T. Khader, Hon’ble Speaker of the Karnataka Legislative Assembly, and Capt. Brijesh Chowta, Hon’ble Member of Parliament from Dakshina Kannada. The event will also be graced by Mr. Vishal Hegde, Chancellor of Nitte University and President of Nitte Education Trust; Dr. M. Shantharam Shetty, Pro-Chancellor; and Dr. M. S. Moodithaya, Vice Chancellor.

Nitte University invites academicians, students, professionals, policymakers, alumni, and members of the public to attend this landmark event. The first Nitte Vinaya Hegde Oration marks a significant milestone in the University’s commitment to fostering public discourse and connecting higher education with the pillars of national development and governance.

News from NUINS | Orientation program for the 13th batch of International Academic Interns

Nitte Usha Institute of Nursing Sciences welcomed the 13th batch of International Academic Interns from Denmark. The orientation program was conducted on 21st April 2026 at NUINS Learning Centre graced by Dr Syed Riyaz Ahmed, Dy. Director, International Relations, Nitte University. Ms. Jincy K S, International Student Coordinator, NUINS hosted the program and briefed on the academic schedule for the internship.

The program was followed by an interaction with the Student Nurses Association Council members. The students had an official interactive meet-up with the Vice Chancellor, Dr. M S Moodithaya and Registrar, Dr. Harsha Halahalli.

The orientation marked a successful start to the internship, fostering cross-cultural learning and global collaboration in nursing education.

Event at NICO

 

News from ABSMIDS | Free dental treatment camp

The Department of Public Health Dentistry, ABSMIDS in association with Anti Naxal Force, Arji & Kutta and K Amarnath Charitable Trust, Moodbidri, conducted a free dental treatment camp at Valmiki Bhavana, Arji Village, Perampadi, Virajpet on 19.04.2026. Oral health awareness was provided to the public.

A total of 93 participants were screened during the camp. Oral prophylaxis was done for 21 patients, GIC restorations were placed for 13 patients, extractions were done for 2 patients, 57 patients underwent check-up, 41 patients were referred to AB Shetty Memorial Institute of Dental Sciences and 16 to KS Hegde Memorial Dental Clinic, Madikeri for further treatment.

News from NUINS | World Liver Day 2026

The Department of Medical Surgical Nursing, NUINS on the occasion of World Liver Day 2026 organized a health awareness program with the theme “Solid Habits, Strong Liver”, on 19th April 2026, to educate the rural population of Devipura on liver health, risk factors, early warning signs and preventive measures.

The program was presided over by Mr. Shailesh, who highlighted the importance of early diagnosis and healthy lifestyle practices. Mr. Veeresh Kademani, faculty, NUINS served as the resource person and delivered an informative session on liver health and early identification of symptoms, while postgraduate nursing students Ms. Varsha and Ms. Chintaja explained preventive measures in Tulu language for better understanding. The session was interactive, followed by a quiz and discussion that reinforced learning and clarified doubts, with feedback from participants indicating a positive response. A total of 40 local residents participated in the event.

New from JKSHIM | Prof. S Sadagopan of IIIT shares insights on AI & Machine Learning

Justice KS Hegde Institute of Management, Nitte hosted a special session on Artificial Intelligence on 20th April 2026, featuring Prof. S Sadagopan, Director of IIIT, Bengaluru for the students and faculty of the institute.

Prof. Sadagopan began the session by tracing the origins of artificial intelligence, from its early days as a concept to its gradual development into machine learning. He explained how computing technology evolved over the years and how it now powers many real-world applications.

The session also covered emerging AI tools, including Perplexity and discussed how technologies such as Advanced Machine Learning (AML) are being used across industries, including finance and healthcare.

A key part of the discussion focused on the practical use of AI, Prof. Sadagopan offered guidance on how students and professionals can effectively use AI tools, navigate the challenges that come with them and develop critical thinking skills alongside technology adoption.

The session was interactive, with students & faculty actively participating through questions and discussions.

News from NUINS | Precision Research: Methodological Design to Meaningful Discussion

The Nursing Education Unit (NEU), Nitte Usha Institute of Nursing Sciences, in collaboration with first-year MSc Nursing students, organized a State Level Executive Development Program (EDP) on “Precision Research: Methodological Design to Meaningful Discussion” aligned with SDG 4 to enhance quality education, on 16th April 2026 at Avishkar, ABSMIDS.

The program focused on key areas such as Mixed Methods & Epidemiological Research Designs, Sampling Techniques & Sample Size estimation, critical interpretation of tabulated findings and effective approaches to writing discussion. The resource persons included Dr Animesh Jain, Professor, Community Medicine, KMC Mangalore; Dr Maria Nelliyanil, Professor, Community Medicine, AJ Medical College & Research Centre Mangalore; Dr Neevan D’Souza, Professor, Biostatistics, Nitte Institute of Allied Health Sciences and Prof. (Dr) Sudhir Prabhu H, Head, Dept. of Community Medicine, Fr. Muller Medical College, Mangalore who shared their expertise and guided participants through various aspects of research methodology. Pre-test and post-test evaluations were conducted to assess the effectiveness of the program.

Prof. (Dr) Jacintha Veigas welcomed the gathering and Principal Prof. (Dr) Fatima Dsilva highlighted the importance of precision in research. The program concluded with a valedictory session, during which certificates were distributed to all the participants and organizers in recognition of their active involvement and contribution. A total of 74 delegates from 20 colleges actively participated in the program.

Press release

 

News from NUCSER | Educational Visit to Pune

An educational study tour to Pune was organised for the IV year BSc Biomedical Science students from 29th March to 2nd April 2026 to enhance their practical exposure to advanced biomedical research facilities and interdisciplinary applications. The students were accompanied by 3 faculty members - Dr. Divyashree Bhat, Dr. Prashanth Iyer and Dr. Caroline D’Souza.

Major research institutes such as Indian Institute of Science Education & Research (IISER), Agharkar Research Institute, CSIR-National Chemical Laboratory (NCL) were included in the itinerary. The students also visited Dr. DY Patil Biotechnology & Bioinformatics Institute during the tour. At IISER Pune, the students were shown the advanced animal house facility and the microscopy facility by Prof. Aurnab Ghose, Dept. of Neurobiology, Dr. Swapnil Bangar and Dr. Santosh Podder, Senior Technical Officers. Students observed advanced imaging systems including multiple confocal microscopes, a two-photon confocal microscope, scanning electron microscope (SEM), live-cell imaging systems, microinjection stations and Total Internal Reflection Fluorescence (TIRF) systems. The Proteomics & Mass Spectrometry unit was introduced by Mr. Sheikh Saddam Hussain Hamja, Technical Assistant, providing insights into protein analysis and advanced analytical techniques.

At ARI, Pune, Dr. Chinmoy Patra, a Developmental Biology Scientist, explained about model organisms such as hydra and zebrafish and their applications in developmental biology and genetic research. Students were also exposed to nanotechnology applications, particularly the synthesis of metal-based nanomaterials, and materials science & engineering through microbiology, facilitated by Dr. Jyutika Rajwade, a microbiology scientist.

At CSIR-NCL, Pune, Dr. Mahesh J Kulkarni, Chief Scientist facilitated the visit. Students observed advanced research infrastructure and gained insights into ongoing scientific work in chemistry and related interdisciplinary fields.

The visit to Dr. D. Y. Patil Biotechnology & Bioinformatics Institute was facilitated by Dr. Neelu Nawani, Director and Dr. Amit Ranjan, Asst. Professor where the students were shown the various departments and laboratories, including microbiology, environmental biotechnology, cancer research and Bioinformatics. As a part of the tour, a recreational visit to Lonavala, was also organised.

The study tour provided students with valuable exposure to real-world research environments, advanced technologies and interdisciplinary scientific approaches.

News from NMAMIT | College Day celebrated at NMAM Institute of Technology

NMAM Institute of Technology, Nitte celebrated its College Day on 11th April 2026, at the B C Alva Sports Complex Auditorium, Nitte.

Dr. Niranjan N. Chiplunkar, Principal, NMAMIT delivered the welcome address and presented the Annual Report, highlighting the academic achievements, research milestones and co-curricular accomplishments of the institution.

Chief Guest for the event, Mr. Santhosh Rao K, Vice President, HR at Toyota Industries Engine India Pvt. Ltd., emphasized the importance of industry readiness, skill development and adaptability among students to meet the evolving demands of the corporate world.

The event also featured the distribution of academic awards, presented by Dr. Shrinivas Pai P., Dy. Dean (Academics), recognizing the outstanding student achievements. The prestigious Mr. Sanjeeth Shetty Awards were presented by Mr. Vivek Vishwanathan, honoring excellence in various branches.

Guest of Honour, Dr. Gopal Mugeraya, addressed the audience and shared insights on academic growth and professional development.

The program was presided over by Dr. MS Moodithaya, Vice Chancellor of Nitte University, who delivered the presidential remarks, appreciating the institution’s progress and encouraging students to strive for excellence.

The formal proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks proposed by Dr. Narasimha K. Bailkeri, followed by the National Anthem.