Vizag’s Neeli Bendapudi named first woman president of Pennsylvania University

VISAKHAPATNAM: Indian-origin professor Neeli Bendapudi has created history as the first woman and person of colour to be named as the president of America’s prestigious Pennsylvania State University, the educational institution announced on Thursday.

Neeli Bendapudi, who was born in Visakhapatnam and came to the US in 1986 for higher studies, is currently serving as the president and professor of marketing at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. Earlier, she served as the vice chancellor of University of Kansas.

She is an alumna of Andhra University’s Department of Commerce and Management Studies. She is the eldest daughter of T Ramesh Dutta and Padma Dutta, professors in English in AU. Ramesh Dutta was the founder HOD of journalism and mass communication branch there. 

Teachers, students and leaders hailed Neeli’s appointment as the president of the prestigious university. She and her husband Venkat last visited Visakhapatnam in 2019.

AU vice chancellor PVGD Prasada Reddy congratulated Neeli on her recent appointment. He described Neeli as one of the distinguished alumnus of Andhra University.

Chief minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy also congratulated Neeli. “Hailing from Vizag and an alumna of AU, she is the first woman and person of colour to lead Pennsylvania’s flagship university,” the chief minister said.

YSRC MP Vijayasai Reddy in a message said it was a proud moment for India and especially Andhra Pradesh that Indian origin Neeli has been chosen as president of Penn State University.

AU professor Challa Ramakrishna said Neeli is highly intellectual and at the same time very friendly. She is also very down to earth, he added.