BHUBANESWAR: Director of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kharagpur, Virendra Kumar Tiwari has taken over as Director, IIT Bhubaneswar from officiating Director RV Rajakumar.
“Tiwari will hold the additional responsibility of IIT Bhubaneswar till a new/regular Director is appointed or till further orders, whichever is earlier,” said a statement from the institute.
Rajakumar was Professor in the Department of Electronics & Electrical Communications, IIT Kharagpur when he joined as Director, IIT Bhubaneswar on April 22, 2015. He was on indefinite extension after completing his five-year term in April, 2020.
As per the institute’s statute, the tenure of a director can be extended till June 30 of the year after completion of tenure. Rajakumar was initially been given extension till June 30, 2020, after his term ended in April that year.
The then Union HRD Minister Ramesh Pokhriyal invoked emergency powers granted to the IIT Council chairman to grant Rajakumar an indefinite extension till the appointment of a regular director.
“I have given charge of director, IIT Bhubaneswar to Prof VK Tiwari on a letter from Ministry of Education. I will be joining back IIT Kharagpur,” Rajakumar tweeted.