Vantara University for Wildlife Conservation and Veterinary Sciences Launched by Reliance

At Reliance Industries Limited’s 49th Annual General Meeting on June 19, 2026, Nita Ambani, chairperson and founder of the Reliance Foundation, announced the setting up of Vantara University. 

According to the statement, Vantara University is the world’s first integrated global university dedicated exclusively to wildlife conservation and veterinary sciences.

Founded in 2024 by the Reliance Foundation, Vantara is a 3,500-acre wildlife rescue, care, and conservation initiative located in Jamnagar, Gujarat. 

Vantara focuses on the rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and revival of injured and abused animals, including endangered species from across the globe.

The facility has a large elephant care centre, a dedicated big cat rescue facility, and 22 specialised veterinary clinics equipped with advanced technology (like MRI and CT scanners).

The sanctuary utilises a mix of modern wildlife medicine, conservation science, and natural healing practices (such as Ayurveda) to help animals recover both physically and emotionally.

In light of this, the establishment of Vantara University will provide a structured approach to primary academic, research, and talent pipelines for the Vantara rescue centre and other establishments. 

Located in Jamnagar, the university offers undergraduate, postgraduate, and fellowship programs to train veterinarians and conservation leaders, integrating modern science with traditional ecological knowledge.

As incidents of human-wildlife conflict increase globally, there is a need for veterinarians, wildlife rehabilitators, rescue handlers, biologists, and field coordinators for treating injured, ill, and orphaned wild animals. 

The veterinary profession requires a complex skill set, in which the individual must understand many species, each with distinct anatomy, physiology, behaviour, and medical risks. 

A veterinarian is less like a doctor who treats only one species and more like a clinician who must adapt core medical knowledge to many different biological systems.

The job becomes much harder in exotic or wildlife cases, where diagnosis, handling, and treatment tools may be limited.

Furthermore, the university has the potential to strengthen global wildlife conservation by equipping students with ecological and scientific knowledge. Students will understand biology, ecology, biodiversity, and the pressures wildlife faces, such as habitat loss, poaching, and climate change.

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