CHENNAI: Nirmala Prasad, former principal of MOP Vaishnav College for Women, passed away on Thursday morning after suffering a heart attack, said incumbent principal Lalitha Balakrishnan. The college management has decided to hold a memorial service for her on Sunday. The college declared a holiday on Thursday and will be holding a prayer meeting on Friday to condole her death.
The 69-year-old educationist has spent 40 years of her professional life in Ethiraj and MOP Vaishnav. She was credited with starting the commerce department at Ethiraj College. She joined as the first woman principal of MOP Vaishnav in 1997 where she continued in the post till 2014.
“She introduced the internship system at the college. Only professional students from professional courses went for internships until then. She also developed an entrepreneurship cell during her time,” recalled Balakrishnan. Nirmala was also a Syndicate member of the University of Madras for three terms and a member of the University Grants Commission.