RANCHI : Ravindra Nath
Bhagat, head of Department of Management at BIT Mesra, has
been appointed as Vice-Chancellor of Vinoba Bhave
University.
The appointment letter was
issued by the Raj Bhawan late on August 25, according to
which Bhagat will hold the post for three year from the date
of joining.
By another order the
Governor-Chancellor appointed Anjani Kumar Srivastava,
Director Higher Education as Pro-Vice Chancellor of Vinoba
Bhave University.
V
Raju takes over at VIT deemed university
VELLORE: V. Raju,
former Dean of School of Engineering Technologies and the
Director of the Science & Technology Programmes at the State
University of New York, has taken over as Vice-Chancellor of
VIT deemed university, Vellore. He succeeds D.P. Kothari who
has been retained as
Adviser to the VIT Chancellor.
Prof. Raju, who is a Professor of Mechanical Engineering,
was associated with the Rochester Institute of Technology as
professor of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering
Technologies and the Chairman of the Manufacturing
Engineering Technology Department.
He was a professor of
Manufacturing Technology and the Director of the Centre for
Advanced Manufacturing Studies at the Purdue School of
Engineering, Indiana University--Purdue University, and the
Director of the Division of Engineering Sciences and
Technology at the Florida Agriculture and Mechanical
University.
Apart from his academic work, Prof. Raju's involvement with
the government includes engineering projects at the U.S.
Defence Logistics Agency and the Indian Railways.
His association with industry was through the Eastman
Kodak Company, General Motors, Voplex Corporation, Raymond
Corporation and Reynolds Aluminium Company.
K
C Bhardwaj 3rd time lucky, gets Devi Lal varsity
SIRS
A
: On August 6 Dr K C Bhardwaj was appointed Vice-Chancellor
of Chaudhary Devi Lal University, Sirsa. He took
charge of office on the following day. He would be
enjoying third term as the Vice-Chancellor at Sirsa.
He first joined as
Vice-Chancellor of the university on July 25, 2006, for a
period of three years and consequently retired on July 24,
2009. However, he got an extension for a period of three
years or reaching the age of 65, whichever was earlier, and
retired from the job on January 1, 2010.
VCs
appointed for K'nataka farm varsities, VTU
BANGALORE : The Universities of Agricultural
Sciences (UAS) in the State have two new vice-chancellors —
Dr K Narayana Gowda for UAS Bangalore and Dr R Hanchinala
for UAS, Dharwad.
On June 30 the Governor-Chancellor R Bhardwaj also
appointed Dr H Maheshappa the new Vice-Chancellor of the
Belgaum-based Visvesvaraya Technological University (VTU).
Narayana Gowda was the dean (agriculture), Agricultural
College, Bangalore, while Hanchinala was the director of
extensions at University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad.
The new VTU Vice-Chancellor was the principal of
Cambridge Institute of Technology, R Puram.
The Chancellor had recently expressed his displeasure
over the delay in recommending the names for the post of VCs
to the two universities.
The post of VC University of Agricultural Sciences,
Dharwad has been vacant since September 2009 and that of VC
UAS, Bangalore since April this year. Gowda has an academic
experience of 36 years at the agricultural university,
including as professor and head of agricultural extension.
Gowda hails from Kunigal taluk in Tumkur district. He
has guided 9 PhDs and 11 MSc students and has published more
than 120 research papers, popular articles, scientific
bulletins and books.
He is a member of 10 national and international bodies
and was recently elected as vice-president of the Indian
Society of Extension Education, New Delhi, for the southern
zone.
Narayana Gowda is a recipient of Swami Sahajananda Extension
Scientists National Award of ICAR-2009. Maheshappa’s tenure
will be for three years with effect from July 2. Maheshappa
did his BE in Davangere, and M.Tech and Ph.D from the
University Visvesvaraya College of Engineering, Bangalore.
He has 25 years of experience and has worked in V
Engineering College, Don Bosco, REVA and PESIT engineering
colleges before taking up the post in Cambridge.
P Satishchandra director of
Nimhans, Bangalore
BANGALORE : Dr P
Satishchandra is the new director of the National Institute
of Mental Health and Neuro S
ciences
(Nimhans).
Dr Satishchandra, after having received an order from the
Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on June 29 said that
he will strive to make Nimhans, ‘an institute of national
importance.’
“I will work towards affordable neuro-psychiatry treatments
to the underprivileged and will give special attention to
children and elderly,” he said.
This 56-year-old was a student of the institute and later
became the head of Neurology Department.
He took over from In-charge Director Dr K Shankar, head of
Neuropathology.
Ajay
Chakrabarty takes over as BIT Mesra VC
RANCHI : Dr Ajay Chakrabarty has taken over as the new
Vice-Chancellor of Birla Institute of Technology, Mesra.
Officiating Vice-chancellor P K Barhai handed over the
charge to him on June 21.
Chakrabarty was serving at IIT Kharagpur as the Dean,
Continuing Education Programme. He is a professor of
Electronics and Communications Engineering. He has done his
graduation, post-graduation and Doctoral Research from IIT
Kharagpur.
Thereafter, he has been associated with the same institute
as a faculty member. He has also been associated with the
prestigious University of Syracuse, USA. He has several
publications in international journals to his credit and has
guided several researchers towards their doctoral degrees.
Chakrabarty is a noted faculty and research guide in the
domain of communications, especially Antenna & Microwave
engineering.
Amongst many of his achievements, he has been the recipient
of INSA-COASTED Fellowship, in the URSI young scientist
Award Scheme, the recipient of SEMCE (I) Award for
contribution in teaching and research as is the
Vice-chairman, Society of EMC Engineers, India.
3
Rajasthan varsities get VCs, mum on Sawant
JAIPUR : On June 13 officiating Rajasthan
Governor-Chancellor Shivraj Patil appointed three
Vice-Chancellors to fill up vacancies in Kota University,
Kota, Mohanlal Sukhadia University, Udaipur, and the
Rajasthan Technical University, Kota.
Their appointment will be for three years from the date they
take over, said the official release.
Rajasthan University, Jaipur, however, has been spared to be
run by an officiating vice-chancellor Dr A D Sawant, brought
from Mumbai. Dr Sawant was pro Vice-Chancellor of Mumbai
University before being brought to Jaipur.
According to an official release here, Mr Patil appointed
Prof B M Sharma of Rajasthan University's Political Science
Department as Vice-Chancellor of Kota University. Prof
Sharma was already officiating acting as the vice-chancellor
of the university.
Prof I V Trivedi, teaching in the Banking and Business
Economics Department of Mohanlal Sukhadia University, has
been appointed Vice-Chancellor of the same university in
Udaipur.
Prof R P Yadav of the Electronics and Communication
Engineering Department in Jaipur's Malviya National
Institute of Technology as Vice-Chancellor of Rajasthan
Technical University has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of
Rajasthan Technical University, Kota.
Venkatesh
is first VC of K'nataka Sanskrit varsity
BANGALORE : On May 26 Karnataka government appointed
Mallepuram G Venkatesh as the first Vice Chancellor of
Karnataka Sanskrit University for a four-year term.
Venkatesh (59) from Nelamangala, has a Vidwat in Sanskrit
and Masters degrees in Kannada and Sanskrit. He had served
in various capacities, including the Registrar and the
Finance Officer in Hampi University. He was also the
Chairman of Karnataka Book Authority.
The University is likely to start functioning from the
present academic year.
Venkatesh said a 10 acre plot has been identified in Hoskote
and its main office will continue to be at Chamarajendra
Sanskrit college in Chamarajpet. As many as 14 colleges and
230 patashalas will be affiliated to the varsity, he added.
Maulana
Azad Urdu varsity has a new VC
HYDERABAD : Mohammad Miyan, the newly appointed
Vice-Chancellor of Maulana Azad National Urdu University (MANUU)
took over here on May 14.
Prof. Miyan was working as Director, Centre for Professional
Development of Urdu Teachers and Honorary Director, Arjun
Singh Centre for Distance and Open Learning, Jamia Millia
Islamia, before being appointed as vice-chancellor here.
Prof. Miyan completed his graduation from Aligarh Muslim
University in 1968 followed by M.Sc. from the same
university. He did his M.Ed. in 1973 at Jamia Millia Islamia
and took his Ph.D. from Jamia Millia, according to a press
release.
He started his career as lecturer and worked at NCERT and
UPSC for brief periods. He became Professor at Jamia Millia
in 2002. He specialises in Distance Education, Elementary
Education and Educational Administration. He has
participated and presented many papers in national and
international conferences and seminars.
The post has been filled after nearly 15 months.
Barkatullah
varsity, state, has first lady VC
BHOPAL : Prof Nisha Dubey, first woman Vice-Chancellor
of Barkatullah University took charge of office on April 26
rather on a cautious note. The enthusiastic university
faculties and students accorded her warm welcome,
particularly because she has been elevated from among the
university faculty.
Talking to reporters soon after takeover she ducked
questions on her priorities and first moves and said that
first she would prefer to understand the functioning and
problems of the university. She said that she needs to see
things from the VC's point of view.
She however said that being a teacher, academic excellence
would obviously be her top priority. She added that timely
examinations and results would also be her priority.
Earlier, she called on the Chancellor in the morning and
drove strait to the VC's office to take charge from the
acting Vice-Chancellor Prof P K Mishra. A large number of
law students and faculty members congratulated her.
The ladies in the faculty were especially elated as they
felt the new vice-chancellor would soon address their
demands.
The top post fell vacant when the then VC Prof Ravindra Jain
was removed by the State Government. Prof P K Mishra was
handed charge after the removal of Prof Jain a couple of
months back.
The Chancellor had formed a three-member search committee to
search for the new Vice-Chancellor and the committee met
recently at New Delhi.
The university has, of late, become notorious for giving
sleepless nights to the vice-chancellors and many
Vice-Chancellors, apart from Prof I M Chauhan, failed to
complete their term. In the last five years Vice-Chancellors
Prof RS Sirohi, Bhupal Singh and Prof Ravindra Jain failed
to complete their assigned term of four years.
Politician
VC for Haryana science & tech varsity
CHANDIGARH : Haryana Governor-Chancellor Jagannath
Pahadia has appointed a former Haryana minister, Dr M L
Ranga, as the Vice-Chancellor of Guru Jambeshwar University
of Science and Technology (GJUST), Hisar.
Ranga was the Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University from
February 1997 to January 2000. He will have a three-year
tenure. He was a minister in the Om Prakash Chautala
cabinet. Before the last Assembly elections, he quit the
INLD and joined the Congress. However, he was not given the
Congress ticket in the elections.
Born on May 25, 1955, at Daliyaki village in Rewari
district, Ranga is MA, MPhil and Ph.D in Sanskrit from
Kurukshetra University and got the degree of Doctor of
Literature from Kumaon University, Nainital.
Ranga has also worked as the Pro-Vice-Chancellor of
Kurukshetra University from October 1995 to February 1997
and worked as officiating Vice-Chancellor of the university
from July 1996 to February 1997. He also remained the
Registrar, PGI, Chandigarh, from 1993 to 1995.
R
K Shevgaonkar takes over as Pune varsity VC
PUNE : Dr R.K. Shevgaonkar, the Deputy Director of the
Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay took over as the
new vice-chancellor of the University of Pune on March 25,
filling the post which had been lying vacnt for nearly seven
months.
Spelling out his agenda after the takeover he said he would
strive to raise the standards of the institution at the
inter-national level. “The international community judges a
university by its standards,“ said Shevgaonkar after taking
charge. “We will inculcate good and strong points of
international universities to improve our standards at
international levels.“
Shevgaonkar's appointment comes at a time when the Union
Human Resources and Development Ministry is in the process
of identifying the top nine Indian universities -- the
navratna [nine gems]' -- to provide them with additional
autonomy and funds. The University of Pune is among the
front-runners.
Spread over 411 acres, the University was established in
1948 to promote research and Shevgaonkar is likely to
promote that further. It has 269 colleges and 129 research
institutes affiliated to it. About 30,000 students are
enrolled with the university.
“Any university is recognised by the research it
conducts, the education it provides and the infrastructure
it gives students and society as a whole,“ said Shevgaonkar.
“The UoP is already a top rated institution.“
Commenting on his IIT background, Shevgaonkar said, “IIT
works on the American format while universities function
according to British rules. Both have their strengths and
weaknesses, but I will strive to bring the strengths of IIT
into the university functioning.“
Shevgaonkar's appointment comes with its share of
controversy after an aspirant, P.P. Lavkare, challenged it
in the Bombay High Court claiming Shevgaonkar does not have
the experience to occupy the post.
C
Shivashankara Murthy is M'lore varsity VC
BANGALORE : Prof T C Shivashankara Murthy, former
professor of Botany,
University of Mysore, has been appointed Vice-Chancellor of
Mangalore University.
The appointment was made on March 1 by the
Governor-Chancellor Mr R Bhardwaj, in accordance with the
Karnataka State Universities Act, 2000.
According to a notification from the Governor, the tenure
for the post of Vice Chancellor will be four years or till
he attains the age of 65.
Prof Shivashankara Murthy succeeds K Achary, senior most
Dean, Faculty of Science and Technology at Mangalore
University, who was appointed as the acting vice-chancellor
on January 12, 2010.
D
S Sandhu takes over as Kurukshtra varsity VC
KURUKSHETRA : On February 6 Lt-Gen D S Sandhu took over
as the new Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University.
Dr Sandhu had been holding the additional charge of the
Vice-Chancellor of Kurukshetra University since September
2009 after the expiry of the term of Dr R P Bajpai.
Talking to reporters soon after taking over Dr Sandhu said:
“It’s an honour to have been selected as the Vice-Chancellor
of Kurukshetra University. This university has already
achieved so much and has much greater potential for high
quality education and research.”
Prior to his appointment as the GJU VC, General Sandhu was
the Director-General of Ordnance Services and Senior Colonel
Commandant, Army Ordnance Corps.
Dr Sandhu, an alumnus of National Defence Academy, was
commissioned in 1967. A graduate of Defence Services Staff
College, Wellington, Sandhu did his post graduation in
defence studies from Madras University and MPhil in defence
and management studies from Devi Ahilya Bai University,
Indore.
R
V Raja Kumar takes over as RGUKT VC
HYDERABAD : Prof R V Raja Kumar formally took over as
the vice-chancellor of Rajiv Gandhi University of Knowledge
Technologies on February 5, two years af
ter
the establishment of the university.
The university runs three centres to impart quality computer
education through its IIITs in Basar, Nuzividu and
Idupulapaya. Prof Raja Kumar come from the Deptt of E & ECE,
Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur.
Before him the university was being looked after by Prof K C
Reddy, Chairman Andhra Pradesh Council for Higher Education
who was officiating the vice-chancellor of the university.
K Satpathy appointed VC of BPUT, Bhubaneswar
BHUBANESWAR : Jitendriya Kumar Satpathy, professor
of the Department of Electrical Engineering at National
Institute of Technology, Rourkela, has been appointed as new
Vice-Chancellor of Biju Patnaik University of Technology (BPUT).
Governor Murlidhar Chandrakant in accordance with Section 9
of BPUT Act 2002, confirmed the Prof. Satpathy’s appointment
here on January 22.
According to a statement issued by Raj Bhawan, Prof.
Satpathy would remain Vice-Chancellor’s post for the next
five years. He has replaced Omkar Nath Mohanty, founder
Vice-Chancellor of BPUT.
Prof. Satpathy has got his Ph.D in electrical engineering
from University of Bradford, United Kingdom. He has been
guest faculty in several foreign universities. His
specialisations include power system and power electronics
and drives.
More than the academic excellence, Prof. Satpathy has huge
task ahead. He has to deal with a host lot of issues such as
students’ unrest, challenge to maintain quality education in
mushrooming technical institutes, faculty development and
curriculum development.
A
D Sawant takes over at Rajasthan varsity
JAIPUR : On January 21 a dynamic, former pro
vice-chancellor of Mumbai University Prof A D Sawant, took
over as the officiating Vice-Chancellor of Rajasthan
University here amid protests by a section of students and
teachers against the appointment of an "outsider element"
The post of Rajasthan University’s Vice-Chancellor was held
so far by Prof. Furqan Qamar, who resigned following his
appointment as Vice-Chancellor of the Central University of
Himachal Pradesh. He had joined the university barely four
months ago. Prof. Sawant will officiate as acting
Vice-Chancellor till the search committee finds a permanent
Vice-Chancellor to replace him.
Speaking to the local press after assuming charge of office
Prof. Sawant said that he would try to get more funds from
the Centre and affiliate more colleges with the university
to enable them to get the benefit of the University Grants
Commission’s programmes.
The new Vice-Chancellor said there is a good scope for
improvement in the standard of higher education in Rajasthan
and emphasised the need for bringing about positive changes
in the existing system. Prof. Sawant also said the post of
Pro Vice-Chancellor in Rajasthan University, lying vacant
for many years, should be filled up for running the
university’s affairs smoothly in the absence of
Vice-Chancellor.
He pointed out that in 11th Five Year Plan, the allocation
of Rs 90,000 crores will bring enormous reforms in higher
education. “There is a scope of massive improvement in
higher education in Rajasthan.
The reforms will empower the university administrators to
bring in a positive change in the existing system,” added
Sawant. Asked if he would complete the full term or move out
if offered a better opportunity like the former VC,” he
replied, “The appointments are not state subject. They are
decided by a panel keeping the merits of the appointee and
the institute.
He defended the Qamar saying that the authorities at the
Centre required a person of his calibre to run the show. He
urged the need of a pro VC to take responsibility in the
absence of the VC. “I will approach the concerned
authorities to appoint a pro VC,” added Sawant.
He said he would review the reforms initiated by the former
vice-chancellor, Furqan Qamar. “Qamar’s initiatives were
important. I’ll review these reforms,” he added.
B
K Kuthiala is Makhanlal Chaturvedi varsity VC
BHOPAL : The Director of the Institute of Mass
Communication, Kurukshetra, Prof B K Kuthiala, took over as
the Vice-Chancellor of Makhanlal Chaturvedi University
of Journalism and Mass Communication, Bhopal on January 20. He replaces
Mr A N Mishra, whose term expired on January 15.
Prof Kuthiala has been Dean of Faculty of Media Studies,
Proctor, Head of the Department of Advertising and Public
Relations, Dean, Faculty of Religious Studies, and Head of
the Department of Religious Studies.
He also functioned as Dean, Academic Affairs, Dean, Faculty
of Information Technology and Computer Sciences, Chairman of
the Department of Communication Management and Technology,
Department of Printing Technology and Department of Computer
Science and Engineering. He was also Chairman, Foreign
Student Cell, at Guru Jambheshwar University of Science and
Technology, Hisar.
Born and educated in Shimla, Prof Kuthiala (61) presented a
paper in the World Journalism Teachers’ Conference in AMIC,
Singapore, (July 2007) advocating introduction of Indian
values in media and also in the international conference on
convergence, citizen journalism and social change in the
Queenland University of Science and Technology, Brisbane,
Australia (March 2008) proposing a non-business model for
media.
Bamezai
appointed VC of Mata Vaishno Devi
arsity
JAMMU : On January 23 genetics scientist R N K Bamezai
took over as the new Vice-Chancellor of Mata Vaishno Devi University,
Katra.
His appointment was made by the university Chancellor N. N. Vohra on January 10 from a panel of names recommended by a
search committee headed by Prof Goverdhan Mehta, National
Research Professor, Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore,
and comprising Prof S. G. Dhande, Director, IIT, Kanpur,
Prof Jai Rup Singh, Vice-Chancellor, Central University of
Punjab, and Prof P.T. Chande, Vice-Chancellor, Kavi Kulguru
Kalidas Sanskrit University, Nagpur.
Prof Bamezai has a doctorate in human genetics from the
All-India Institute of Medical Sciences, New Delhi and is
currently working as a Professor of Genetics and Director,
National Centre of Applied Genetics, School of Life
Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi.
He is a member of the International Association of
Environmental Mutagen Societies and Fellow of the National
Academy of Sciences (FNASc), National Academy of Medical
Sciences (FAMS) and International Medical Sciences Academy
(FIMSA).
He is credited with more than 29 years’ experience of
teaching and guiding research in various universities in the
country and has trained more than 300 researchers in the
past seven years in human genetics and genomics. He has also
lectured at various universities abroad and authored nearly
100 research papers published in eminent journals in and
outside the country.
Prof Bamezai is currently a member of several important UGC
committees and executive councils of Pondicherry University
and Cultural University of Jharkhand. Besides, he has also
been a member of the Executive Council, Academic Council and
Court of Jawaharlal Nehru University.
Furqan
Qamar is Himachal Central varsity VC
NEW DELHI : Prof Furqan Qamar, the Vice-Chancellor of
Rajasthan
University, is the founder vice-chancellor of the Central
University of Himachal Pradesh.
The newly-created university has remained a non-starter ever
since Prof R C Sobti, who was initially appointed
vice-chancellor declined the offer. The Government had then
started the appointment process afresh. The search committee
set up for the purpose shortlisted the names of Prof Qamar,
UGC Vice-Chairman Prof Ved Prakash, UGC Secretary Prof R K
Chauhan, and Mizoram University vice-chancellor Prof A N
Roy.
Prof Qamar, who has earlier served in various capacities in
the Planning Commission and Jamia Milia Islamia, is expected
to assume charge ‘very soon’.
Sources said President Pratibha Patil, the Visitor of the
university, has approved Qamar’s name for the post. The
Central University of Himachal Pradesh was created under the
Central University Act 2009, which was passed by Parliament
earlier this year.
Born in 1960 at Ghazipur, a small town in eastern Uttar
Pradesh, Prof. Qamar obtained doctorate in “Financial
Management in residential universities” from Lucknow
University in 1989. He was a professor at the Centre for
Management Studies in Jamia Millia Islamia since 2002 and
was appointed advisor to the Planning Commission last year.
Cochin
University of Science & Tech has a new VC
KOCHI : On January 3 Dr Ramachandran Thekkedath
took over as Vice-Chancellor of the Cochin University of
Science and Technology (Cusat). Pro-Vice-Chancellor
Godfrey Louiz welcomed Dr. Thekkedath who reached the
campus around 10.30 a.m.
Dr Ramachandran Thekkedath was appointed
Vice-Chancellor nearly a month ago but had sought time to
join his new assignment. He
was working in the Technology Commercialisation office
of the University of Utah at Salt Lake city in the US.
A resident of Thekkedath Mana, Njhangattiri, Pattambi, Dr.
Thekkedath completed his M.Sc. in physics from the Cusat in
1987. Till 1997 he worked as a scientist at the Sree Chithra
Thirunal Centre for Medical Sciences and Technology.
In 1997 he became a post doctoral fellow at the University
of Utah, working in the artificial heart programme there.
The appointment is for a period of four years.
Vibha
Puri joins as MHRD secretary
NEW DELHI
: On November 24 Ms. Vibha Puri Das, a 1976 batch IAS
officer of Uttarakhand cadre joined as Secretary,
Higher Education in the Ministry of Human Resource
Development.
Before joining the MHRD she was serving as
Additional Secretary in the Department of Personnel and
Training.
The post of the higher education secretary had
been lying vacant since the retirement of R P Agrawal on
October 31. Anshu Vaish, Secretary, elementary education and
literacy, was holding additional charge of higher
education in the ministry.
Ms Das has done her Masters in
Political Science from Jawaharlal Nehru University. She
also has a degree from the Institute of Development
Studies, Sussex, UK to her credit.
Vinay
K Pathak is Uttarakhand open varsity VC
DEHRA
DUN : On November 5 Uttarakhand Governor-Chancellor
Margaret Alva appointed Dr. Vinay Kumar Pathak as
Vice-Chancellor of Uttarakhand Open University, Haldwani.
Dr Pathak is the Dean
of Research and Development and Professor in the
Department of Computer Sciences and Engineering at
Harcourt Butler Technological Institute.
Apart from academics,
Dr Pathak takes active interest in extra curricular
activities.
K
Radhakrishnan takes over as ISRO chief
THIRUVANANTHAPURAM : On October 31 Dr K
Radhakrishnan took over as the Chairman of the Indian
Space Research Organisation (ISRO) from the outgoing
chief, Dr G Madhavan Nair here.
“I
am taking over this responsibility with high hopes and
great expectations. It is a huge task that has been
entrusted on me. I am confident that we will be able to
achieve our goals with the dedicated work and support of
the entire team at ISRO,’’ Radhakrishnan said after
assuming charge of office.
Before his elevation to the top ISRO post, Dr
Radhakrishnan was the Director of Vikram Sarabhai Space
Centre (VSSC) here. He was in charge of the assembly and
integration of the Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle which
launched the Chandrayan satellite.
Soon after taking over, he along with Madhavan Nair
attended the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the new
campus of Indian Institute of Space Science and
Technology at Valiamala near here. The stone was laid by
A Nair, principal secretary to the Prime Minister.
He graduated in electrical engineering from Kerala
University, obtained his MBA from the Indian Institute
of Management, Bangalore and finally did his Ph.D.
from the Indian Institute of Technology, Kharagpur, in
2000. He has been a Member of the Space Commission since
October 2008.
Dr
Radhakrishnan took his MBA from the Indian Institute of
Management, Bangalore, in 1976 and later doctorate from
IIT Kharagpur.
During his 38 years of service in ISRO, Dr Radhakrishnan
has worked as Director of Indian National Centre for
Ocean Information and also director of Regional Remote
Sensing Service Centre under the National Natural
Resource Management at the ISRO.
He
has served as vice-chairman of Unesco’s
Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission and as
founder chairman Indian Ocean Observing System.
Meanwhile, Parivakkam Subramaniam Veeraraghavan, a
rocket technologist, has taken over as Director, VSSC,
in place of Radhakrishnan. Veeraraghavan began his
career in ISRO in 1971 after completing his BE in
Electric
al Engineering from the College of Engineering, Guindy, Chennai.
A
gold medallist, he secured the first rank from Madras
University. He obtained his M.Tech in electronics from
IIT Madras.
He
was an engineer in-charge of the computerised check-out
systems of SLV-3 whose first flight took place from
Sriharikota in 1979. Veeraraghavan was till now
Director, ISRO Inertial Systems Unit.
G
Thiruvasagam takes over as Madras varsity VC
CHENNAI : Dr G Thiruvasagam has been appointed
vice-chancellor of Madras
University for a term of three
years. His
appointment was made by the Chancellor of the
University, Mr Surjit Singh Barnala, a Raj Bhavan
release said on October 13.
A
former vice-chancellor of Bharathiar University,
Coimbatore,
he succeeds
S Ramachandran who retired on September 6. Soon after
taking over, Dr Thiruvasagam held a press conference and
said that he proposes to focus on poor and rural
students and to lay stress on basic science.
“I want to establish more colleges in rural areas in
Kanchipuram and Thiruvallur districts,” said Dr.
Thiruvasagam. He also planned to give encouragement,
concessions and grants to existing rural colleges under
the university.
“Madras University is one of the oldest universities in
the country and all along, it has gained a good name for
academics and research. My aim is now to extend this
knowledge and all these good programmes to poor and
needy people. My focus is to bring inclusion in higher
education for the oppressed and downtrodden.”
He felt that the poor were denied access to higher
education not only for financial reasons, but also
because there were not enough good colleges in rural
areas and he will seek to remedy that.
Dr. Thiruvasagam also wants to set up a Centre for Basic
Science Development at the University. “Colleges need to
offer attractive basic science courses. These days, it
is vital to have interdisciplinary programmes.”
Dr. Thiruvasagam also want to introduce training in
research methodologies at the undergraduate college
level itself, and destroy the myth that research is only
for PhD students in the universities.
Dr. Thiruvasagam has served as a professor of Commerce
and Management for 34 years, and has had experience as
an educational administrator as principal of Yadava
College, Madurai for ten years.
During his time at Madurai, he also served as a member
of the Syndicate of Madurai Kamaraj University. For the
last three years, he has been vice-chancellor at
Bharathiar University, Coimbatore.
