Wait for full-time vice-chancellor for UoM finally ends

Mysuru: The long wait for a full-time vice-chancellor to the prestigious institute, University of Mysore (UoM) finally ended on Friday. Senior faculty member of the varsity’s department of computer science Prof G Hemantha Kumar was appointed UoM’s VC, and he took over the reins of the university’s administration from in-charge VC Prof Aisha M Sheriff. UoM registrars R Rajanna and J Somashekar were in attendance at Crawford Hall when Kumar took charge.
Prof KS Rangappa demitted the office of the VC in January 2017, and the varsity, which has often been ranked Karnataka’s best, was without a full-time vice-chancellor for 21 months. Differences over the candidate between the governor and the state government resulted in a protracted delay in the appointment. In the intervening period, the search panel constituted to finalise the candidate for the job also underwent changes, adding to the confusion. Subsequently, a panel headed by former VC of the University of Agricultural Sciences, Bengaluru, governor’s nominee BC Chapparwal, UoM nominee S Chandrasekar and University Grants Commission’s representative M Jagadish Kumar chose Prof Kumar for the post. Both the Karnataka government and the governor gave the nod for his appointment, bringing the impasse to an end, albeit after a protracted delay.

Expressing his gratitude to the government for appointing him, Prof Kumar said, “I come from a marginalised community. My appointment has been decided on meritocracy, besides ensuring social justice.”

Exuding confidence of being able to take everyone along, he said, “I adjust well with everybody. I can lead everyone together.”

Prof Kumar is incidentally an alumnus of UoM. He studied undergraduation, postgraduation and doctorate from UoM, which he joined as a lecturer in 1984.