Mysuru: Who will be the 25th Vice Chancellor of the century-old University of Mysore is a question that every academic and Mysurean is looking forward to. The wait is getting shorter, as the Search Committee headed by former VTU Vice Chancellor Prof H.P. Khincha and three other members, former Vice Chancellor of Gulbarga University Prof. V.B. Coutinho, UGC member Dr V.S. Chauhan and Central University Vice-Chancellor Prof H.M. Maheshwariah, met in Bengaluru on Thursday (July 6) to propose three names to the post of Vice Chancellor of University of Mysore.

According to sources, it is reliably learnt that the names of Bangalore University Physics Professor Sharath Ananthamurthy son of litterateur and Jnanpith awardee the late Dr. U.R. Ananthamurthy, Prof N.S. Ashok Kumar of Mass Communication and Journalism, Bangalore University and Prof R.K. Somashekar of Department of Environmental Science, Bangalore University have been proposed and sent to the Higher Education Department.

Prof. Sharat Ananthamurthy has a M.Sc in Physics from IIT Kanpur and a Ph.D in Atomic and Molecular Physics from University of Iowa. He has post-doctoral from Indian Institute of Science and Indian Institute Astrophysics and is the Visiting Professor, Imperial College, London. Prof Ashok Kumar is a Fulbright scholar who has his MA from the Department of Journalism, University of Mysore and was the Registrar (Evaluation) of Rajiv Gandhi University of Health Sciences. Prof. Somashekar was the former Registrar (Evaluation) of Bangalore University. Incidentally, all the three are from University of Mysore and now serving in Bangalore University.

However, the name of Prof C.P. Siddashrama from the Kuvempu Institute of Kannada Studies who was the acting Vice-Chancellor of University of Mysore is also doing the rounds. But as the Search Committee can only recommend three names, who is the person that is left out is not clearly known.

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Higher Education Minister Basavaraja Rayareddy is abroad and he will return on Monday. Only after he comes the file will be forwarded to the Chief Minister and to Reddy. The Governors assent is required and it remains to be seen if he has a candidate of his choice among the three or he will go with the recommendation made by the government.

We are all eagerly awaiting the arrival of the new Vice-Chancellor and whoever comes, should straight away get into the system and start working in the interest of the University without any personal agendas, said a Professor who wished to remain anonymous and added, It will always be good for the University if a person with a clean image is appointed.

The Vice-Chancellors post has been lying vacant since Prof K.S. Rangappa completed his term on January 10, this year. Prof Yashwant Dongre was in-charge for six weeks and from February 20, Prof Dayanand Mane is officiating as the in-charge VC.

Originally posted here:

Who will be the 25th VC of Mysore Varsity? - Star of Mysore