ANANT NATIONAL UNIVERSITY

Anant National University (AnantU or ANU) is a private university in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, India, established in 2016 by the Laxman Gyanpith Trust through the Gujarat Private Universities (Amendment) Act, 2016. Its origins trace back to 2011 with the founding of the Anant Institute of Architecture, affiliated to Gujarat University, followed by the Anant Institute of Planning in 2014, affiliated to Gujarat Technological University, and the Anant Institute of Design in 2015, affiliated to Gujarat University. In 2016, these institutes were consolidated into Anant National University, recognised as India's first Design University. The university offers a five-year Bachelor of Architecture programme and a four-year Bachelor of Design programme with specialisations including space design, interaction design, product design, communication design, environmental design, fashion and textile design, and trans-disciplinary design. It also runs a one-year postgraduate diploma fellowship programme for the built environment, launched in 2017, and a two-year Master of Design programme with specialisations in integrated product design and urban design. AnantU is recognised by the University Grants Commission (UGC), and its Bachelor of Architecture programme is approved by the Council of Architecture for 88 seats. In 2024, it was ranked 37th in India by the NIRF in architecture rankings, and its Anant Fellowship programme received recognition at the 2018 Making Of Developed India (MODI) Awards.