NEW DELHI: The Nalanda University, set up to become an international institution of national repute, is likely to get a right tilt as academicians with RSS affiliations are tipped to become chancellor and vice-chancellor (VC) of the varsity.
Chairman of Indian Council of Historical Research (ICHR), Yellapragada Sudershan Rao, is the frontrunner to take over the reins of the varsity as its chancellor. The appointment of Rao, a history professor at the Kakatiya University in Telangana, as chairman of ICHR in 2014 invited criticism from professional historians who saw it as the Narendra Modi-led government’s attempt to rewrite history.
“The appointment of the chancellor is expected in January as his appointment is required for the VC’s appointment,” Ministry of External Affairs officials said. The process to appoint a VC started in November as the term of then VC Gopa Sabharwal was to end on November 24.
The university has received 160 applications for the position, and the frontrunners for the post are English and Foreign Language University’s VC Sunaina Singh, art historian and professor of Buddhist Studies at the International Academy of Indian Culture Nirmala Sharma, and Prof Makarand Paranjape of JNU.
Singh, in the dock for misuse of funds, is the choice of the RSS. Paranjape grabbed headlines for coming out against the Left during the nationalism controversy in JNU.
The university has been without chancellor and VC after George Yeo resigned on November 25 citing India’s “domestic politics”.