Dr. Anna Balaji is currently working as the Principal at Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy - [SVCP], Tirupati. Having vast teaching, research, and administrative experience, he has worked as Assistant Professor, Associate Professor, Professor, and Principal spanning over 26 years. He is an active member of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association (IPA) and Association of Pharmaceutical Teachers of India (APTI) and also the Vice-President of the Indian Pharmaceutical Association, Tirupati Chapter. Also, he has received the “Best Teacher Award” at the Association of Pharmacy Professionals 5th Indo US conference, 2019. 

SVCP Tirupati

How would you describe your leadership style?

“Know your team well and take leads”

I strongly believe in hard work with smart work and leading the team from the front. A person in a leadership position is directly responsible for not only his actions but also for the actions of his team members and the overall outcomes. A leader should have a great vision, with clarity of mind, and be able to make the right decisions at the right time. I am skilled at identifying my team members’ strengths and weaknesses and am deeply involved in the planning stages. I just keep a close eye on things and never interfere with my team members' work styles. This provides them with sufficient space to complete the work efficiently and robustly. I usually don’t micromanage but review periodically. 

How has your vision for the college evolved over time?

“More research and global perspective in the field”

When I joined Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy, my vision was in line with the vision of the Institution, the vision of our Honourable Chairman and Revered CEO to develop competent pharmacy professionals in the field of Pharmacy. I believe in nurturing pharma-industry-ready students, be it in manufacturing, R & D, or clinical pharmacy practice. With time, my vision has enhanced and amplified. Now, my priority is to get national accreditation for our Institution by 2022 and all the faculty of Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy are striving very hard towards this end. The ultimate goal is to achieve “University Status” for our Institution. Also, I aspire the college to take a leadership position in terms of innovative teaching methods, implementation of best practices, enhanced usage of ICT tools for learning and evaluation, quality research output through internal/external funds, publications, and more collaborative research through MOUs. 

How do you strategize the key plan for the administration of your college?

“Taking perspectives and implementing ideas”

Planning is very important to achieve any of our goals. The faculty, students, and other stakeholders play a very important role in achieving the goal. It is very much important

and necessary for me to keep my ear to the ground to understand the preferences of the students and other stakeholders. So inclusiveness and collaborative strategic planning help me a lot. As the Principal, I always help my team to develop annual plans and monthly plans in such a manner that we end up conducting at least 4 - 6 curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities in a month. This greatly benefits the overall development of the student community. 

What are some plans that you are currently designing for SVCP students?

“Advance training and startup building opportunities”

Along with my team, we are planning to develop and conduct training programs to help them succeed in NIPER-JEE and GPAT entrance exams. Also, I am in touch with a few local Pharmaceutical companies to initiate short-term internships for the practical benefit of the students. We are developing and implementing a “Building Communication Skills” program to help students enhance their presentation and communication skills. We have already started the “Pharmacovigilance Club” and “Cosmetics Club”. Very soon we will be starting “Startup & Entrepreneurship Cell”, “Book Readers Club”, “Nature Club”, etc. A training course in Laboratory Animal Handling for students interested in Pharmacological sciences is being planned as well. 

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What do you see as SVCP’s greatest strengths?

“Topmost leadership and great facilities”

The greatest strength of Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy lies in its great leadership, well-structured senior functionaries, great infrastructure, and a well-disciplined faculty. We possess a very progressive Management with a grand vision having great leadership with the most experienced functionaries at the top level. Also, we have excellent infrastructure, a fabulous library, well-equipped laboratories with state of art equipment, and highly experienced faculty functioning for the advancement of the college. In addition, a superb Placement and Training center (PAT) is established within the campus helping students to get placed in top organizations worldwide. 

How does the curriculum of SVCP ensure the best practice of the industry?

“Experiential and industry-focused learning”

The curriculum followed for B. Pharmacy, Pharm D., and M. Pharmacy is regulated by the Pharmacy council of India at the pan India level. Along with this, we focus on experiential learning, which is the USP of our Institution. Additionally, we identify gaps in the syllabus and conduct 2-3 add-on courses every year for the benefit of the students and ensure they are industry-ready when they leave the Institution. All this combined with certification programs and internships or industrial training make our students excel in the corporate scenario. Also, I encourage my HODs and faculty to develop and conduct a lot of hands-on training programs, short-term training programs, etc. by involving industry experts to train our students in operating various advanced analytical instruments and pharmaceutical machinery. 

What do you think should be the college’s top priority over the next 10 years?

“Global standards with highly research-oriented development”

Equipping our students to meet global standards and preparing the Pharmacists of Tomorrow for transforming global health is our top priority. We look forward to an increased focus on research and development, bridging our institute with industry and reputed research centers, exploring possibilities of international exposure to our faculty and students. Moreover, we aspire our students to compete nationally and internationally, and thus encouraging and helping them to write various qualifying exams like GPAT, GRE, IELTS, etc. will be our steps forward. 

How do you tend to establish a healthy environment in your college?

“Building trust and respect within”

We inculcate social and professional values in students right from the beginning of the course. The students and faculty are encouraged to perform and thrive in their areas of interest; actively involved in research projects and bring in motivation for the same. The management provides faculty with internal funding for carrying out research as well and encourages them to attend national and international seminars, workshops, and conferences. Promoting mutual trust and respect for one another results in a highly professional and positive environment. 

Any suggestions you would like to give to the current youth?

“Update and Be the change you wish to see”

There is no substitute for hard work and success. Being dedicated towards the chosen profession with an unquenchable thirst for knowledge is very important to succeed. Also, developing communication skills and soft skills play a very important role in one’s career and it pays to burn the midnight oil. The younger lot should remember that investment in knowledge pays the best interest and a person with good values is respected and loved by all.

How does your college ensure that students are being prepared for the future?

“Social awareness and professional connect”

Pharmacy is a recession-free industry and a noble profession. Pharmacists ranked in the top three positions of most trusted professionals in terms of honesty and ethical standards. I strongly believe in giving back to society. I want to develop a strong sense of ‘Social Connect’ in our students’ minds. To achieve this, we managed to conduct a large number of Awareness Programs where we connect with the general public and spread awareness on many prevailing and important issues like cancer, tuberculosis, diabetes, and public health. I want to connect with NGOs to reach out to all the sixteen villages adapted by our honorable Chairman and revered CEO for various socially relevant activities.

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What are your roles and responsibilities towards the students?

“Effective work environment for overall development”

Creating a conducive environment to facilitate the making of the ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’ is my first and foremost responsibility. At Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy, we consciously concentrate on the 360-degree development of our students. We ensure that you learn something new every day. I have started developing many value-added courses and add-on programs that fill the gaps in the syllabus and hugely benefit the student community on the academic front. 

What can an inbound student gain from studying here in your college?

“Standard education approaches and advances in learning”

The Pharmacy profession is a noble profession providing high-quality service to mankind as its principal motto. Discipline and hard work are the maha-mantra on our campus. We believe in delivering the highest standards of education and are committed to the overall growth and development of the students so that they become excellent Pharmacists on the national and international forum. We have received ‘Platinum Status’ in the AICTE CII survey in 2019 and 2020 by the confederation of Indian Industry and AICTE, New Delhi. Sree Vidyanikethan College of Pharmacy is the only college in the whole of Andhra Pradesh to receive ‘Platinum Status’ and is ranked among the top 25 colleges with this status all over India. We have identified various SWAYAM/NPTEL certification courses and encouraged all our faculty and students to enroll for the same. Recently we started ‘Pharmacovigilance Club’ and ‘Cosmetics Club’ as well. The PV club was an instant hit in our college with both faculty and students’ effervescent participation. Also, we are successful in getting four MOUs with very big and reputed Pharma Industries like The Madras Pharmaceuticals, Hetero Drugs Ltd, Aspiro Pharma Ltd, and Honor Lab Ltd.