Reliance’s Anant Ambani launches Vantara University to build global talent in wildlife sciences.

Reliance Industries Executive Director Anant Ambani launched Vantara University in Jamnagar, Gujarat, with the aim of making it a long-term investment in global wildlife conservation and veterinary sciences.

The university was announced at a foundation ceremony at the 3,000-acre Vantara wildlife rescue and rehabilitation facility. It is described as the world’s first institution dedicated solely to wildlife sciences, emphasising integrated research, training, and conservation.

In his keynote, Ambani called the initiative a "1,000-year vision for the planet," signalling a shift from infrastructure-led conservation to the creation of talent and knowledge. "We want to create veterinarians and scientists for the world," he said, citing a global shortage of specialised expertise in wildlife health, disease management, and conservation science.

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This effort is well-timed as ecological pressures rise, including biodiversity loss and the emergence of more frequent zoonotic diseases. There is a shortage of trained professionals in these areas. Ambani founded Vantara University in response to fill these structural gaps. He emphasised the need to develop a skilled workforce to meet environmental challenges.

The university’s academic model will blend field training with formal education, using Vantara’s rescue, rehabilitation, and clinical infrastructure. Students will access advanced veterinary facilities and specialised centres, engaging in real-time conservation work.

Vantara University will offer undergraduate, postgraduate, fellowship, and specialised programs in wildlife medicine and surgery, behavioural sciences, genetics, epidemiology, and conservation policy.

Ambani said the institution intends to become a global hub through international partnerships. It will also use India’s traditional knowledge systems to create a “purpose-led” model of education.

The university aims to support long-term knowledge creation and workforce development in wildlife conservation, an area of growing global relevance.