Twenty-five years ago, Shri Vishnu Engineering College for Women (SVECW) in Bhimavaram, a semi-urban town in the fertile Godavari delta, began with three undergraduate programmes, 180 students and a larger purpose of making quality technical education accessible to women, particularly those from rural and smaller towns.
A quarter of a century later, that modest beginning has evolved into Vishnu Women’s University, which commenced operations in the current academic year, 2026-27, and has the distinction of being Andhra Pradesh’s first private women’s university.
Over the years, SVECW has steadily expanded its focus from conventional engineering education to research, innovation, entrepreneurship, industry exposure and experiential learning. The numbers reflect this growth. From its initial three programmes, the institution has expanded to nine B.Tech programmes, four M.Tech programmes and an MBA programme, with an approved intake of 1,074 and a student strength of more than 5,000.
“We are trying to carry forward the legacy of my grandfather Bhupathiraju Vissam Raju (B.V. Raju), who believed that education is the most effective instrument for social transformation,” says K.V. Vishnu Raju, Chairman of Shri Vishnu Educational Society. Padma Shri and Padma Bhushan B.V. Raju, an industrialist, educationist and philanthropist, was the founder-Chairman of the Shri Vishnu Educational Society.
Speaking to The Hindu, Mr. Raju says the transition to university status will give the institution greater freedom to introduce new programmes in areas such as law, architecture and journalism.
“Shri Vishnu was among the early institutions to recognise that education had to be closely linked to employability and that students should have access to career opportunities after graduation,” he says. To strengthen its industry connect, the institution established regional offices in Hyderabad, Bengaluru, Chennai and Pune. The initiative, he says, has helped the institution work closely with industry to understand its requirements and groom students accordingly.
Satisfied with the institution’s performance in Andhra Pradesh, Mr. Raju says the next goal is to develop it into a Centre of Excellence with a national footprint.
“We are doing very well in the State. We now aim to make this a Centre of Excellence in the country. Bhimavaram should become the destination for girls aspiring to shine in their careers,” he says.
Highlighting some of the institution’s distinctive facilities, Mr. Raju says the Vishnu Space Application Centre, Radio Vishnu 90.4 community radio, an All-Terrain Vehicle track, an Assistive Technology Lab and a Rural Women Technology Park encourage students to explore ideas beyond conventional classroom learning. An AR/VR laboratory provides exposure to immersive technologies and enables students to work on applications using augmented and virtual reality.
To strengthen the academic foundations required for emerging fields, the institution has collaborated with the Chennai Mathematical Institute, with a focus on application-oriented mathematics. The initiative encourages students to develop analytical and problem-solving skills that can be applied to engineering and real-world situations, he says.
The institution also plans to establish dedicated skilling centres in Bengaluru and Chennai to bring students closer to industry through training, certification, internships and professional interaction.
While the Vishnu Educational Development and Innovation Centre (VEDIC) on the campus focuses on faculty development, pedagogy and educational innovation, the Vishnu Student Success Centre provides mentoring, academic assistance, career guidance and other support to students, Mr. Raju says. Psychological Wellbeing Centres add counselling support to the student ecosystem.
As a university, the institution’s next phase is expected to place greater emphasis on emerging technologies such as Artificial Intelligence and Data Science, besides research, innovation and entrepreneurship. Stronger industry and international collaborations will also be a key focus, Mr. Raju says.
Published – August 08, 2026 08:28 pm IST
