VISTAS deemed to be University was established under section 3 of the Act of 1956 of University Grants Commission, Government of India, New Delhi. VISTAS has originated from a Self-Financing Group of Institutions known as Vels Group of Institutions established in the year 1992. The Deemed University status was conferred on 04.06.2008 by the Ministry of Human Resource Development (MHRD), Government of India (GOI) through its Notification No. F.9 – 56/2004-U.3 and by the University Grants Commission (UGC) by its Notification No. F.6 – 4/2005 (CPP-I) dated 30th July 2008.
Dr. Ishari K.Ganesh is the Founder-Chancellor, Vels Institute of Science, Technology and Advanced Studies (VISTAS).VISTAS has blossomed into a Multi-disciplinary Institute offering more than 64 Under-Graduate (UG) Programmes, 39 Post-Graduate(PG) Programmes, 30 Doctoral Programmes, 5-Open and Distance Learning (ODL) Programmes, besides 21 Diploma Programmes and 45 Value Added Courses through 18 Schools and 46 Departments. VISTAS is included in the list of Deemed to be Universities under section of 12B of the UGC Act, 1956 on November 2021.