VISAKHAPATNAM: Andhra Pradesh will host the country’s first integrated Aviation, Aerospace and Defence (AAD) Education City at Bhogapuram in Vizianagaram district, near the upcoming ASR (Bhogapuram) International Airport. The project, to be developed as the GMR-MANSAS Aviation EduCity, aims to address the growing domestic and global demand for skilled aviation professionals.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was exchanged between MANSAS Trust Chairperson Pusapati Ashok Gajapathi Raju and GMR Airports Chairperson GBS Raju at a ceremony held on Tuesday, in the presence of Union Civil Aviation Minister Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu and Andhra Pradesh IT and Human Resources Development Minister Nara Lokesh.
Spread over about 136 acres, the EduCity will offer education and training in aviation, aerospace and defence sectors and seek to position India as a major supplier of trained aviation manpower.
Speaking on the occasion, Goa Governor Ashok Gajapathi Raju said the project marked an important step in the development of North Andhra. He observed that institutions that made effective use of land played a key role in regional growth and noted that GMR followed such an approach. Referring to Pandrangi village, the birthplace of freedom fighter Alluri Sitarama Raju, located near the airport, he noted it was significant that major infrastructure and education projects were coming up in the region.
Recalling his tenure as Union civil aviation minister, Kinjarapu Ram Mohan Naidu highlighted growth in the aviation sector and stressed institutional cooperation. He said while southern AP hosts SHAR, the Aviation EduCity in North Andhra would help create a balanced regional ecosystem. He praised the MANSAS Trust’s role in education and skill development to generate local employment. He said civil aviation was growing at about 12% annually. He announced trial runs at Bhogapuram airport within a month and inauguration in July.
IT and HRD Minister Nara Lokesh said the State government is focusing on education, technology and skill development as part of its long-term plans. “This initiative responds directly to the most pressing constraint facing the aviation sector today which is human capital,” he stated.
He highlighted that the State attracted investments in IT and aviation sectors and reiterated the goal of increasing the participation of Telugu youth in the global aviation workforce.
“The 5,000-acre Shamshabad Airport project was once questioned, but its foresight is now clear. CM Chandrababu Naidu aims to make Telugus 25% of the global civil aviation workforce,” he noted. He acknowledged the role of the Gajapathi family and the MANSAS
Trust in strengthening the education system in the region.
The proposed EduCity is planned as an integrated campus bringing education, research and industry together at one location. Unlike others, it will host international branch campuses, reputed global universities and certification and licensing programmes aligned with DGCA, EASA and other global aviation standards.
The campus will feature research and innovation centres focused on aerospace design, unmanned aerial vehicles, sustainable aviation, aviation safety and AI applications. Facilities for incubation, prototyping and startup support in aviation and aerospace technologies are also planned. Located near the upcoming Bhogapuram International Airport, the EduCity will enable practical training, on-the-job exposure and close interaction with airport operations. Academic offerings will range from aircraft maintenance and air traffic control to advanced aerospace studies.