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Jacob Kurian joins Sylvan as president for Indian operations
NEW DELHI: Jacob Kurian joined Sylvan Learning India as its president from 1 September. In this capacity, he will manage the business operations associated with the newest university in the global Sylvan network, South Asia International Institute.
South Asia International Institute started classes on 11 August in Hyderabad. Coupled with the Vice Chancellor, Prof. K Anantha Padmanabhan, (ex Director of IIT Kanpur), the duo will lead South Asia International Institute’s ambitious efforts to deliver fully-accredited, high-quality, Bachelors and Masters degree programs in the fields of engineering, information technology, business, hotel management, health sciences and other selected career-oriented disciplines.
Kurian has a highly successful track record as a business executive in India and internationally. Most recently, he was the COO of Tanishq, the jewelry division of Titan Industries. Prior to joining Titan in 1993, he was with Tata Unisys Ltd. where he led the largest business group in the Computer Consultancy Division, as the Director and Country Manager-Americas.
Kurian combines over 23 years of progressively senior and challenging consumer and technology business experience in India and abroad with a strong belief in the transforming power of quality education.
Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc. president Raph Appadoo welcomed Jacob to Sylvan. “We strongly believe that the key to the success of South Asia International Institute is combining the best that India has to offer from the worlds of both academia and business. We express that through our leadership structure and our academic approach. Prof. Padmanabhan and Kurian are both highly respected international leaders in their fields, and they will work together to build a truly unique, high-quality and sizeable post-secondary institute in India. We are deeply committed to the success of this venture, and welcome Kurian to South Asia International Institute and Sylvan,” he said.
South Asia International Institute, the most recent addition to Sylvan Learning Systems network of international universities, offers five year dual degree programmes (B.Tech/ M.Tech or B.Tech/MBA) in the engineering streams of Telecommunications Engineering, Electronics Engineering, and Computer Science and Engineering, and Masters Degree in Computer Science and Software Engineering.
Sylvan Learning Systems, Inc. is focused exclusively on providing a superior university experience to nearly 100,000 students through the leading global network of accredited campus-based and online universities.
NEW DELHI: Hamdard Laboratories gathered a cross-section of India’s achievers in New Delhi on Friday, handing out the Hakeem Abdul Hameed Excellence Awards to figures who have left their mark across healthcare, education, sport, public service and the arts.
The ceremony, attended by minister of state for defence Sanjay Seth and senior officials from the ministry of Ayush, celebrated individuals whose work blends professional success with a sense of public purpose. It was as much a roll call of achievement as it was a reminder that influence is not measured only in profits or podiums, but in people reached and lives improved.
Among the headline awardees was Alakh Pandey, founder and chief executive of PhysicsWallah, recognised for turning affordable digital learning into a mass movement. On the sporting front, Arjuna Awardee and kabaddi player Sakshi Puniya was honoured for her contribution to the game and for pushing women’s participation onto bigger stages.
The cultural spotlight fell on veteran lyricist and poet Santosh Anand, whose songs have echoed across generations of Hindi cinema. At 97, Anand accepted the honour with characteristic humility, reflecting on a life shaped by perseverance and hope.
Healthcare honours spanned both modern and traditional systems. Manoj N. Nesari was recognised for strengthening Ayurveda’s place in national and global health frameworks. Padma shri Mohammed Abdul Waheed was honoured for his research-backed work in Unani medicine, while padma shri Mohsin Wali received recognition for his long-standing contribution to patient-centred care.
Education and social development also featured prominently. Padma shri Zahir Ishaq Kazi was honoured for decades of work in education, while former Meghalaya superintendent of Police T. C. Chacko was recognised for public service. Goonj founder Anshu Gupta received an award for his dignity-centred rural development initiatives, and the Hunar Shakti Foundation was honoured for empowering women and young girls through skill development.
The Lifetime Achievement Award went to former IAS officer Shailaja Chandra for her long career in public healthcare and governance, particularly in the traditional systems under Ayush.
Speaking at the event, Hamdard chairman Abdul Majeed said the awards were a tribute to those who combine excellence with empathy. “These awardees reflect Hakeem Sahib’s belief that healthcare, education and public service must ultimately serve humanity,” he said.
Minister Seth struck a forward-looking note, saying India’s young population gives the country a unique opportunity to become a global destination for learning, health and wellness by 2047.
The ceremony also featured the trailer launch of Unani Ki Kahaani, an upcoming documentary starring actor Jim Sarbh, set to premiere on Discovery on 11 February.
Instituted in memory of Unani scholar and educationist Hakeem Abdul Hameed, the awards have grown into a national platform that celebrates those building a more inclusive and resilient India. For one evening at least, the spotlight was not just on success, but on service with substance.
