Hindustan Institute of Technology and Science (HITS), Chennai, began in 1985 as Hindustan College of Engineering. It was conferred university status as a Deemed-to-be-University by the UGC under Section 3 of the UGC Act, 1956, from the academic year 2008-09, and was founded by the late Dr K.C.G. Verghese. The campus is on Old Mahabalipuram Road at Padur, near Kelambakkam in Chengalpattu district. HITS is part of the Hindustan Group of Institutions, whose other members include KCG College of Technology, Hindustan College of Arts and Science and the Hindustan International Schools. The university also runs an online-learning portal for distance and online programmes. HITS is best known for engineering, and its official site describes it as one of the most sought-after engineering institutions in Tamil Nadu, valued for qualified faculty and strong facilities. Beyond engineering it offers programmes in architecture, design, aviation, fashion, liberal arts, law, applied sciences and allied health fields such as cardiovascular, perfusion and anaesthesia technology, with more than 100 programmes in all. The university states that it has maintained academic excellence since its inception, and its programmes are grouped into engineering, architecture and design, and liberal arts and applied science streams. The university states that it is accredited by NAAC and claims a No. 1 ranking among deemed universities in India Today's 2020 survey. It supports entrepreneurship through the Hindustan Technology Business Incubator and the Hindustan Entrepreneurship and Innovation Centre, has won funded research projects from agencies such as DST, DRDO and the Naval Research Board, and provides an Office of International Affairs to support overseas students.