INSTITUTES IN DELHI

Indian Institute of Technology

Indian Institute of Technology Delhi is one of the seven Institutes of Technology created as centres of excellence for higher training, research and development in science, engineering and technology in India, the others being at Kanpur, Kharagpur, Chennai , Mumbai , Guwahati and Roorkee. Established as College of Engineering in 1961, the Institute was later declared an Institution of National Importance under the "Institutes of Technology (Amendment) Act, 1963" and was renamed "Indian Institute of Technology Delhi". It was then accorded the status of a deemed university with powers to decide its own academic policy, to conduct its own examinations, and to award its own degrees.

ALL India Institute of Medical Sciences

All-India Institute of Medical Sciences was established as an institution of national importance by an Act of Parliament with the objective to develop patterns of teaching in Undergraduate and Post-graduate Medical Education in all its branches. This is to demonstrate a high standard of Medical Education in India; to bring together in one place educational facilities of the highest order for the training of personnel in all important branches of health activity; and to attain self-sufficiency in Post-graduate Medical Education .

The University of Delhi , (DU) is a university in India. Established in 1922, it is one of the premier universities of the country and is known for its high standards in teaching and research. It offers courses at the Undergraduate and Post Graduate levels in most subjects. With the number of students exceeding 300,000, it is among the largest universities in the world.

The Vice-President of India is the Chancellor of the University of Delhi. The University has a distinguished alumni and faculty. It is especially known for its faculties in Science, Economics, English and Hindustani Classical Music.

Jawaharlal Nehru University

The sprawling campus of Jawaharlal Nehru University located in New Delhi, the capital of India. Named after Jawaharlal Nehru (the first Prime Minister of India), JNU is among the premier universities in India. Professor G.Parthasarathi was appointed as the First Vice-Chancellor of the university. Situated in a bush forest of about 1000 acres (4 km²) in South Delhi, JNU is mainly a research oriented postgraduate University with about 5500 students. The faculty strength is around 500, and the University is organized in nine Schools (each of which can have several Centers) as well as four independent Special Centers.

School of Planning and Architecture

School of Planning and Architecture had a modest beginning in 1941 as the Department of Architecture of Delhi Polytechnic. It was later affiliated to the University of Delhi and then integrated with the School of Town and Country Planning which was established in 1955 by the Government of India to provide facilities for training in Rural, Urban and Regional Planning.The School was subsequently renamed as School of Planning and Architecture, and was affiliated to the University of Delhi in 1959. Recognizing the specialized nature of the fields in which the School had attained its eminence, the Government of India, through the Ministry of Education and Culture, conferred on the School of Planning and Architecture the status of 'Deemed to be University'.

Rashtrapati Bhawan

Modern Delhi, or New Delhi as it is called, centres around the Rashtrapati Bhawan. It is architecturally a very impressive building standing at a height, flowing down as it were to India Gate. This stretch called the Rajpath is where the Republic Day parade is held. The imposing plan of this area conceived by Lutyens does not fade in its charm with the numerous summers or winters that go past.

India Gate

India Gate is one of the most popular tourist attractions in Delhi. The impressive colonial architecture of India Gate is a symbol of modern Delhi. The beautiful stone arch was built by the British in honor of Indian soldiers killed in World War I. Here you will also find the 'Amar Javan Jyoti', which is a permanent flame in honor of the Indian soldiers who died in wars since 1918.

Laxminarayan Temple

Also called the Birla Mandir, the Laxminarayan Temple was built by the Birla family in 1938. It is a temple with a large garden and fountains behind it. The temple attracts thousands of devotees on Janmashtami day, the birthday of Lord Krishna.

Humayun's Tomb

Humayun's wife, Hamida Begum, built this monument in Delhi in the year 1556. The tomb is set on a platform amidst a garden and is believed to have influenced the design of the Taj Mahal. The structure of the tomb is as magnificent as the Taj Mahal in Agra. The splendor of this grand monument becomes overpowering on entering through the lofty double storied gateway. The fountains with simple yet highly developed engineering skills enhance the beauty of the garden.

Qutab Minar

The Qutab Minar is located at a small village called Mehrauli in South Delhi. It was built by Qutb-ud-din Aybak of the Slave Dynasty, who took possession of Delhi in 1206. It is a fluted red sandstone tower, which tapers up to a height of 72.5 metres and is covered with intricate carvings and verses from the holy Qur'an. Qutb-ud-din Aybak began constructing this victory tower as a sign of Muslim domination of Delhi and as a minaret for the Muslim priest, the muezzin, to call the faithful to prayer. However, only the first storey was completed by Qutb-ud-din. The other storeys were built by his successor Iltutmish. The two circular storeys in white marble were built by Ferozshah Tughlaq in 1368, replacing the original fourth storey.

Raj Ghat

On the bank of the legendary Yamuna, which flows past Delhi, there is Raj Ghat-the last resting place of Mahatma Gandhi, the father of the nation. It has become an essential point of call for all visiting dignitaries. Two museums dedicated to Gandhi are situated nearby.

Lotus Temple

Known in India as the "Lotus Temple", the Baha'i House of Worship attracts an average of three and a half million visitors a year.The Baha'i Temple, situated in South Delhi, is shaped like a lotus. It is an eye-catching edifice worth exploring. Built by the Baha'i community, it offers the visitor a serenity that pervades the temple and its artistic design.

Jantar mantar

The various abstract structures within the Jantar Mantar are, in fact, instruments that were used for keeping track of celestial bodies. Yet, Jantar Mantar is not only a timekeeper of celestial bodies, it also tells a lot about the technological achievements under the Rajput kings and their attempt to resolve the mysteries regarding astronomy.

The Rail Museum

Its vintage displays include the oldest locomotive in the world-still working; the Viceregal Dining Car (1889) and the Prince of Wales Saloon (1875), Maharaja of Mysore's Saloon (1899), Maharaja of Baroda's Saloon (1886). The royal saloons are definitely worth a look for the elaborate interior design.

Lal Quila (Red Fort)

The Red Fort's massive curtain wall and battlements dominate the skyline of Old Delhi. Inside, the bastions – built, like the nearby Jama Masjid, by Shah Jahan – are an range of exquisite 17th-century Mughal buildings, which provided the living quarters for the Emperor, his courtiers and family. The flawless balance and proportion of these buildings, as well as the intricate decoration, is wonderful to behold and in complete contrast to the military might of the fort itself. Sadly, the water conduits that would once have cooled the dwellings and gardens are now dry. The Lahore Gate, on the west side of the fort, was a potent symbol in the fight for Independence and is still regarded as a shrine of the Republic.

The National Museum

For a museum that was built in 1960, the National Museum has an extraordinarily rich collection. It begins with prehistory, going on to the classical period of Indian art, then on through galleries of miniature painting, textiles, decorative art, arms, tribal art, Central Asian antiquities, costumes and musical instruments. The museum remains open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on all days except Mondays.

National Gallery of Modern Art in Delhi

The National Gallery of Modern Art contains a large collection of 20th-century Indian art. There are examples of the work of the painters of the Bengali Renaissance and of the poet and artist, Tagore.

The highlight is the room devoted to the pictures of female Indian artist Amrita Sher-Gil (1913-1941), whose portraits – more successful than her genre scenes – are painted with the confident bravura of the youthful Augustus John.

The galleries recently have been reorganized to accommodate a program of biannual exhibitions designed to bring a larger proportion of the 15,000-piece collection before the public. The museum is in Jaipur House – by any yardstick, a grandee's townhouse – formerly the Delhi residence of the Maharaja of Jaipur.