On 21 May 2001, Late Shri Tulsi Ram (T.R.) Abhilashi founded the Abhilashi Educational Society with a simple mission: make quality education accessible to every section of society. What began with +1 and +2 classes grew, over two decades, into a full-fledged university spanning pharmacy, engineering, Ayurveda, agriculture, veterinary sciences and teacher education.
"Students should not have to leave Himachal Pradesh simply because opportunities for quality education are not available within the state."
— Late Sh. T.R. Abhilashi
Dr. R.K. Abhilashi, left a settled government career in 2008 to take the mission forward. Under him, the Society added a Pharmacy College (2006) and an Engineering College (2008), then fought a regulatory battle through the courts to launch M.Sc. programmes in Physics, Chemistry and Botany in 2010 — at a time when postgraduate science seats in Himachal were scarce.
"The challenge was not only to establish an institution; it was to create educational opportunities that were genuinely needed by students."
— Dr. R.K. Abhilashi
The bigger dream — a university — took nearly four years of pending files and financial strain to realise. On 14 August 2014, Abhilashi University was established by the Government of Himachal Pradesh through Ordinance No. 14. It holds a notable distinction: the first private university in Himachal Pradesh founded and run by a Himachali, giving it a grounded understanding of what local students and families actually need.
Since then, the university has added Ayurvedic, Agriculture, Nursing and Veterinary colleges (only the 5th private veterinary college in India), plus integrated B.A./B.Sc. B.Ed. programmes in 2019. Today it runs 6 faculties and 13 schools, drawing students from Himachal Pradesh and 14+ other states.
"A student's financial circumstances should not become a barrier to quality education."
— Dr. R.K. Abhilashi
That line sums up Dr. Abhilashi's larger philosophy: scholarships and hostel support for economically weaker students, sitting alongside an ambition to make Abhilashi a national knowledge hub for research and innovation.
Looking ahead: Dr. Abhilashi wants the next chapter to be about excellence, not just expansion — turning graduates into innovators and researchers, while staying true to his father's founding belief that education should reach everyone, regardless of means.
Dr. R.K. Abhilashi is Chancellor of Abhilashi University, Himachal Pradesh's first private university founded by a Himachali.