JNU Gets First Woman VC: President Kovind Appoints Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit

Professor Pandit, who will be the first woman Vice-Chancellor of the JNU, has been appointed for a period of five years.

Jawaharlal Nehru University (File Photo)

New Delhi: President Ram Nath Kovind in his capacity as the visitor of the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has appointed Professor Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit the new Vice-Chancellor of the varsity.

Professor Pandit, who will be the first woman Vice-Chancellor of the JNU, has been appointed for a period of five years.

Currently the Vice-Chancellor of Maharashtra’s Savitribai Phule University, she is also an alumna of the JNU where she pursued her MPhil as well as PhD in International Relations.

The decision comes as M. Jagadesh Kumar, who was holding the charge of acting Vice Chancellor at the JNU after his five-year term ended last year, was appointed the University Grants Commission (UGC) chairman last week.

“It gives me great pleasure to inform you that Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit, Department of Politics and Public Administration, Savitribai Phule University, has been appointed as the next Vice-Chancellor of JNU. She is the first female Vice-Chancellor of JNU. My hearty congratulations to Prof. Santishree Dhulipudi Pandit. I am handing over the charge to her today and wish her success in her new role,” said the outgoing Vice-Chancellor.

Professor Pandit began her teaching career from the Goa University earlier in 1988 following which she moved to the Pune University in 1993.

She has also been a member of the UGC, the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR) and visitor’s nominee to central universities besides holding administrative positions in various academic bodies.

59-year-old Professor Pandit has guided 29 PhDs in her career so far.