Many eyebrows are being raised on the Raj Bhavan ignoring A.S. Kiran Kumar, Chairman, Indian Space Research Organisation to head the four-member Search Committee to find a new Vice-Chancellor for the Visvesvarsya Technological University.
According to reliable sources, the Raj Bhavan has appointed Dhananjay Vishnuprasad Bhatt, presently professor, Mechanical Engineering department, Dean [Alumni & Resource Generation], Professor In-charge E.D. Cell, Member secretary IPR at the S.V. National Institute of Technology, Surat of Gujarat.
Many academicians on conditions of anonimity expressed surprised that a person of Mr.Kumar's stature was ignored.
Sources said Mr.Kumar was State government nominee in the committee, while Dr.Bhatt was nominated by the Raj Bhavan. The two other members on the panel are M.S. Shivkumar, former VTU Registrar and H.C. Nagaraj, principal, NITTE Meenakshi Institute of Technology, Bengaluru, from the VTU Executive Council and Academic Senate respectively.
Interestingly, sources said the State government went a step ahead while nominating Mr.Kumar and requested the Raj Bhavan to appoint him as chairman of the committee.
However, efforts to contact the Minister for Higher Education Basavaraj Rayareddi were in vain.
Meanwhile, sources also indicated hectic lobbying for the post of Vice-Chancellor of the VTU, the State’s only technological university. A large number applications are before the search committee. The committee is likely to meet on Wednesday afternoon, sources said.
