ANDHRA UNIVERSITY

ANDHRA UNIVERSITY

Andhra University (AU) is one of the oldest educational institutions in India. Andhra University was constituted in the year 1926 by the Madras Act of 1926. The emblem of the university has motifs of a pair of serpents, a lotus, rising sun, swastika, lotus petals, crescent moon and stars. The rising sun with its rays of light represents the university; the Lotus is the seat of both the Goddess of Prosperity - Lakshmi and the Goddess of Knowledge - Saraswathi and it is opening at the break of dawn. The sun's rays are surmounted by the Swastika, the ancient symbol of benediction among the Aryans. The outer circle of the crest, with its sixty four lotus petals, represents the university’s sixty four arts and sciences into which all knowledge was divided in the classical tradition of India. The ocean is the vast region of knowledge. The motto of the university, taken from the Upanishads ‘తేజస్వినావధీతమస్తు’, which means, ‘May the Divine Light Illuminate Our Studies’. Underneath this complex symbolism of knowledge is the crescent Moon, esteemed in all religions; the crescent is 'Kala' a digit of Moon, and 'Kala' also means Art of Applied Science or light and charm. Since the University bears the name of 'ఆంధ్ర విశ్వ కళా పరిషత్' (Andhra Viswa Kala Parishad) a corporation for the development of all arts in Andhra; the crescent above the name be-speaks the light and charm and beauty of Andhra. The two serpents represent the seekers and custodians of wisdom, who imbibe it from the lotus petals. Tradition also traces back the Andhras to the ancient Nagas, who were worshippers of the cobra and had it as their heraldic symbol. Dr. Cattamanchi Ramalinga Reddy, the founder Vice-Chancellor of this University chose this emblem designed by Sri Koutha Ramamohana Sastry.