ISRO’s Former Chairman, Somanath, Now Chancellor at Chanakya University

In a move that’s creating ripples across the education and science communities, Chanakya University in Bengaluru has appointed Dr. S. Somanath, former Chairman of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), as its new Chancellor. It was officially announced yesterday, 12th June, in the second-half of the day that Dr. Somanath will officially join the campus office on Thursday, steering a new era of the young and ambitious university.

The name of Dr. Somanath is associated with the recent Indian successes in the space arena, not least of which is his leadership role in the Chandrayaan-3 project. Now, he steps into the world of higher education, bringing his vast experience in science, innovation, and leadership to Chanakya University. Having been founded only in 2022, the university already earned a reputation of being focused on interdisciplinary learning and Indian knowledge systems, which is a vision that Dr. Somanath can easily get on board with due to his progressive mindset.

Dr. Somanath succeeds Professor M.K. Sridhar, the founder-chancellor who was instrumental in formative years of the university and was also part of the core group in drafting National Education Policy (NEP). Although Prof. Sridhar will step down the top position, he will still be part of the board of governors and hence continuity and guidance will be provided as the university forges on.

The leadership transition is not the only change that is happening at Chanakya University. The board of governors now has some of the most well-recognized names in Indian business and education, with Infosys co-founder Kris Gopalakrishnan and T.V. Mohandas Pai, Chairman of Aarin Capital and former CFO of Infosys. Their existence is likely to create greater industry-academia linkages exposing students and researchers to bigger chances of interacting with real life challenges.

Also, an ex-officio member will be the Principal Secretary of the Higher Education Department, who will ensure that the university remains in closer contact with the government policies and educational goals.  

Under the leadership of Dr. Somanath and with an energetic yet diverse advisory board, Chanakya University is all set to reach greater heights. The university is determined to enhance its educational and research projects, motivated by the legacy of innovation and excellence in space science which is led by Dr. Somanath. The shift in leadership is not a mere replacement but an indication of the intentions of Chanakya University to become a world-renowned institution with strong Indian values and an ability to guide the upcoming generation of leaders.

The sky is not the limit anymore but rather the starting point, as Dr. Somanath himself has shown the nation. Chanakya University, Bangalore, is embracing this and is indeed paving its way to be a remarkable institution of India.