BANGALORE: After nearly a year of waiting, the National Law School University of India has finally selected a new Vice-Chancellor. Professor R Venkata Rao, Dean, Faculty of Law, Andhra University will be the next V-C of the NLSIU. Chief Justice of India, K G Balakrishnan, who is also the Chancellor of the University, has given his assent to the appointment earlier this week.
Professor Rao has been appointed for a term of 5 years. The 55-year- old professor has an experience of nearly 26 years in teaching, and his specialisations are humanitarian law, international law, criminal law, jurisprudence, and human rights. He has published nearly 60 papers in journals and presented 42 papers at various national and international conferences.
Speaking to Express, he said, “This is a coveted and challenging assignment for me. My mandate will be to maintain NLS, considered the Harvard of the East, as the top law school in the country.” The appointment of the new V-C comes almost 10 months late, as the Executive Council of the University took an inordinately long time to finalise on a candidate. Incumbent V-C Dr A Jayagovind’s term expired on July 31 last year, and his term was extended till the appointment of a succesor.
The names recommended by the first search panel, headed by NLS founder Director Professor N R Madhava Menon, were not approved by the Executive Council after it felt that they were not suitable for the post. A second search panel was constituted, comprising Andhra Pradesh Law University Chancellor Professor A Lakshminath, Bar Council of India Chairman S N P Sinha, and Supreme Court senior advocate V R Reddy. Of the three names submitted, the Executive Council finalised on Professor Rao.
Rao is expected to take over from Dr A Jayagovind around the first week of May, after completing his formalities at Andhra University.